Solid Toiletries for Carry-On Only Travel

One of the only genuine downsides of travelling carry-on only is the liquid restriction — everything has to fit in small 100mL containers, with a limited total allowance. Depending on how long you're travelling, that's rarely enough. And then there's the ritual of pulling every liquid out of your bag at airport security and squeezing it all back in afterwards. It gets old fast.

Solid toiletries solve this completely. No liquid restrictions, less space taken up, and — as a bonus — a lot less plastic waste. Here's what's worth buying, and what's genuinely easy to make yourself if you'd rather.

We've been steadily reducing waste at home — recycling, composting, skipping paper towels — and it made sense to bring that same thinking into how we travel. Reusable water bottles and collapsible coffee cups came first. Solid toiletries were the natural next step, and once we started looking into it, most of them turned out to be genuinely simple and considerably cheaper than buying the equivalent natural liquid products.

Body

Soap Bar

A bar of soap is the obvious win here — it lasts long enough to comfortably cover a 2-3 week trip. We make our own luxury bars with shea butter for extra moisture, which matters especially for cold weather trips where skin dries out fast. Making your own soap does take some basic soap-making knowledge to get right, so start with a simple recipe before attempting anything more elaborate — and the upside is total control over scent, using your own essential oils.

Don't want to make your own? Quality natural soap bars are widely available and just as good a starting point.

Homemade soap bars — zero waste, plastic-free travel toiletries

Solid Lotion

A genuinely easy one to make, with one caveat — check it won't melt if you're heading somewhere hot. We travel between hot and cold climates, so our lotion bar needs extra beeswax to stay solid in Barbados. A drop of citronella oil doubles it as a mild bug repellent, and the beeswax locks in moisture well for cooler destinations.

Simple solid lotion recipe: melt 1 tablespoon beeswax, 1 tablespoon shea butter and 1 tablespoon coconut oil together in a pot. Add any essential oils once slightly cooled, then pour into a mould.

Prefer to buy instead? This and this are both good options.

Homemade solid lotion bar

Deodorant

Genuinely skeptical going into this one — it actually works. This version is more of a cream, though adding beeswax firms it into a proper bar.

Simple recipe: melt 1 tablespoon shea butter and 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Mix in 1/2 tablespoon baking soda and 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Sensitive skin? Double the arrowroot and skip the baking soda entirely. A few drops of tea tree essential oil work as a mild antibacterial. You'll still perspire — this isn't an antiperspirant — but body odour genuinely isn't an issue.

Or buy a natural alternative if making your own isn't for you.

Homemade deodorant cream

Hair Care

Shampoo

Shampoo is technically a detergent — full of harsh cleansers that strip natural oils, which is exactly why conditioner exists afterwards. A well-formulated shampoo bar can leave hair soft enough that conditioner becomes unnecessary, though results genuinely vary by hair type. If you're making your own, get comfortable with basic soap-making first.

If you'd rather test what works before committing, a sample set of shampoo bars is the smartest way to find your match.

Homemade shampoo bar

Dry Shampoo

Genuinely useful if you straighten your hair while travelling but skip carrying a flat iron — by day 3 or 4 it starts looking greasy without one. For dark hair, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, and brush through the roots.

Or buy dry shampoo if that's easier for your trip.

Homemade dry shampoo

Teeth

Earthpaste is a genuinely great natural toothpaste, and worth trying before deciding whether to make your own version.

DIY imitation recipe: 2 tablespoons bentonite clay, 4 tablespoons warm water, 1 teaspoon stevia or xylitol, a pinch of salt. Combine with a wooden spoon, then stir in 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil once mixed. Add a little more water if it's too thick. Store in reusable silicone travel tubes.

For travel specifically, tooth powder is genuinely the easier option over a paste — no risk of a tube exploding in transit, and it packs into a tiny container. You can buy tooth powder or make your own with a simple herbal recipe.

Homemade tooth powder for travel

The Bottom Line

Hotel toiletries and single-use plastic bottles add up to a genuine amount of waste over a year of travel. Solid alternatives — whether bought or homemade — solve that easily, take up less space, and skip the liquid restrictions at airport security entirely. Whether you make your own or buy quality bars and powders, the switch is one of the simplest upgrades you can make to how you pack.

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