What’s In My Travel Bag: Minimalist Non-Toxic & Natural Travel Essentials

 

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to Baltimore to attend the Natural Products Expo East for it’s second Influencer Summit. I was part of the hand selected group of health and wellness bloggers and influencers for the second year in a row.

To be honest, I truly didn’t think I was going to make it being that I had just given birth in April, but I was determined being that I had been looking forward to it since last year. Thankfully, I was able to attend with my little princess in tow.

Since bag space was limited, my beauty and personal products had to be multi-purposed in addition to being natural and as minimally toxic as possible.

Here are the items that made the cut:

 

1.  Earth Mama Deodorant 

When I attended Expo East last year, I met some of the people on the Earth Mama Organics team and previewed a few of the new items coming out for moms and others looking for great natural alternatives to conventional personal products.

One of them was the new line of natural deodorants. They made the line for women looking for effective natural deodorants with worry free ingredients gentle enough to be close to their babies for moms who are nursing. Earth Mama Organics sent me out a few of the new products and I fell in love with them.

Since then, they have fully come to market and available on Amazon. Click here to check them out.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the minerals we so often neglect in this busy world of ours. Yes, you will find articles saying most people should be able to get enough magnesium from our diet, (by the way I HATE that sentence because it assumes everyone eats a perfectly balanced healthy meal each time they get hungry. As we know simply from observation, the standard American diet is far from balanced or healthy for a plethora of reasons), BUT that is not the case for most people.

According to this article from WebMD, “Experts say that many people in the U.S. aren’t eating enough foods with magnesium. Adults who consume less than the recommended amount of magnesium are more likely to have elevated inflammation markers. Inflammation, in turn, has been associated with major health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Also, low magnesium appears to be a risk factor for osteoporosis.

There’s some evidence that eating foods high in magnesium and other minerals can help prevent high blood pressure in people with prehypertension.” 

Magnesium can be naturally found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, and beans. But again, a person would have to be diligent on including them in their diet to see the benefits. This is totally doable, but life happens.

Personally, I use magnesium both topically and ingested. If I notice I’m in need of magnesium in addition to my diet, these are the best ways for me to get my levels where they need to be.

How do I know if my magnesium levels are low?

Of course, I am not a doctor and am speaking from my personally experience, but I have observed a few symptoms that are alleviated when I up my magnesium intake.

The first are restless legs. In my blog post titled, How I Use Magnesium For Natural Pain Relief, Better Sleep, & Leg Cramps I share how I learned about the use of magnesium oil to treat restless leg syndrome. The increase in magnesium helps relax the muscles allowing the weird prickly sensation to disappear relatively quickly.

Magnesium has also been tremendously helpful in my fight against migraines. I notice an increase in their occurrence when my levels seem low. In my post titled, How I NATURALLY Got Rid Of My Migraines I shared how they were one of the supplements I used to get them under control. Their ability to relax the muscles seem to apply systemwide and are a great alternative to always relying on an over the counter medication.

Lastly, I use magnesium for all over muscle relief. When I know I may be sore from physical activity, I either try to up my dietary intake of magnesium rich foods or I keep magnesium oil or supplements close at hand.

I brought it with me on my trip to Expo East because there is A LOT of walking over the 3 days of the trade show.

Arnicare Gel

Arnicare Gel is another awesome topical pain relief option. From the well known brand Boiron, it is made from the Arnica plant. The Arnica plant grown in mountainous areas and is used for pain relief.

This easy to use gel is odorless, non-greasy, and easy to find in most stores. Again, I am not a doctor, but I did use it for muscular pain relief while pregnant. Click here to check it out on Amazon.

 

S.W. Basics Lip Balm

I know, what’s the big deal about lip balm?

Well this simple ingredient balm (and product line in general) is one of my favorites because it is simple. S.W.Basics is a natural and organic skincare line that can be found in most stores including Target. While is priced slightly higher than many of the other skincare items, the quality is amazing and is made with the intention of being as pure as possible. All of the products have 5 ingredients or less.

This line of lip balms is made with beeswax and/or cocoa butter, essentials oils, and coconut oil. These straightforward ingredients makes it safe enough to be a multi-purpose powerhouse.

It’s because of this, I use it as an all-over moisturizer in a pinch. It is perfect for those dry elbows, hand, and any other bit of skin that might be showing when you least expect it. Click here to check it out on Amazon.

Badger Belly Butter

This is another simple but awesome multi use goodie.

Don’t be turned off by the name of this balm if you’re not preggers. Just think about the fact that most natural based products made for moms-to-be should be made with ingredients sensitive enough for this time of life. Given that many moms-to-be experience skin changes, scent aversions, and more, these products are a great options for all women.

On the same note, if you’re no longer preggers but have a ton of products left, don’t be afraid to use them up. That is exactly why I packed this butter instead of a large bottle of lotion for this trip. I can use it all over and even slip it into our diaper bag when out and about.

Badger is an awesome company dedicated to providing clean and well sourced ingredients. Badger also took the extra step of becoming a certified B Corp meaning they are held to the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

This Belly Butter is thick and moisturizing without being obnoxiously greasy. It melts into the skin perfectly and avoids the need for immediate re-application like some other natural based moisturizers. Click here to check it out on Amazon.

This quick line up was perfect for this quick 2 day trip. These were chosen for their multi-use properties. Hopefully this gives you some ideas for your next trip.

 

FTC DISCLOSURE: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small finder’s fee on the sale. This does not increase your price in any way shape or form. Using these links help support the continuation of this website. All opinions are my own. Thanks in advance.

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