Travel Tip 5 - Coconut Oil

I have mentioned before how versatile coconut oil is and I wanted to devote a whole post to telling you how I use it in my daily routine.

I only buy good quality, organic coconut oil from a reputable supplier, usually VitaCoco especially as it is for consumption.

Coconut oil is solid in its container but with a little warmth soon becomes liquid.  I use it to stir-fry vegetables.  You don't get a strong coconut taste.  It can take a higher heat and is loaded with anti-oxidants.  In a stir-fry just pop a spoon full into your frying pan and it will soon melt as the pan heats up.

For use in cakes you just heat briefly in the microwave and measure and use as you would any oil.

To keep my dog's coat shiny and help his joints I warm up a teaspoon and pour it on his food. He loves the taste and this encourages him to eat as otherwise he can be a fussy eater!

However this is a predominately travel series and this is where I really love and use coconut oil the most. 

I found out a few years ago that I am allergic to conventional deodorants and was told coconut oil made a great deodorant.  I have been using it for a couple of years and couldn't go back now.  I put some in my hands and warm it up before just spreading it lightly under my arm pits.  To stop any tacky feeling I then dust with baby powder or un-perfumed talc and away I go.  There is no sticky residue and a shower leaves you clean and ready to start the day again.

My fitbit causes me to occasionally get some eczema on my wrist so at night I just massage some coconut oil into the affected area and in the morning the skin has had a chance to heal and ready to put the fitbit back on.

I had a red itchy patch on my leg for ages and often gave in and used a cortisone cream but when I stopped using that the redness and itchiness would come back. Since I have been using coconut oil (again using the warmth of my hands to melt the solid oil) that patch of irritation has gone away and stays away for quite a long time.

For a face cream - day cream I put a small amount between my hands, let it warm up and massage into my face paying attention to my neck and jaw area. 

Be careful not to get any in your eyes though.  I couldn't use this if you smelled like a coconut all day however as soon as the oil is massaged into the skin there is no discernible coconut smell residue.

I have a separate jar of coconut oil in the bedroom and one in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination. I also have a small plastic jar of coconut oil in my handbag to use as a lip balm or if I get any dry patches during the day.

Coconut oil offers some SPF protection although I still use a recognised sun protection lotion with a quite high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) if I am in the sun for a prolonged time or on holiday.

Although I have known about coconut oil and its benefits for a very long time and it took me a while to get on board with it I really couldn't imagine my daily beauty routine without it.  PS it is also a lot less expensive than many of the recognised face and body lotions, most of which contain alcohol which helps to dry out your skin, making you need more product and so the circle continues.

You can get coconut oil in most supermarkets and health food stores in the UK and the USA and I always look for Organic on the label too. 

Hope you try it and get on with it. Let me know in the comments below what you think about the coconut oil craze!

Travel Tip 3 - travel light cosmetics

I am sure you are like me and want to stay clean when you are travelling but also want to travel light.  Here are a few of my tips, especially for making things do more than one job.

There is no need to take full size products with you when you are only going away for a short time - up to two weeks. My main intention is to throw things away to make room for the goodies I will be buying and bringing home.  Although I rarely leave home with the full weight allowance each kilo is sacred when I travel home.

Toothpaste - I wait until the tube is almost empty and put them aside for travelling.  When you think you will not get any more out of the tube cut off the seam at the top and inside will be 5-7 days worth of toothpaste that you would ordinarily throw away!  If you do this to every tube you use throughout the year you will save a couple of tubes of toothpaste per year anyway.  Of course I always take my toothbrush with me!

I don't like shower gels. I am a soap person. You may get a bar of soap in a hotel or nowadays you tend to get shower gel.  When my current bar of soap gets to the really thin stage I let it dry and put it with a couple of others in a plastic bag.  These are perfect for travelling because I don't mind leaving them behind whereas a full bar of soap would be too much for me to leave and although doesn't weigh much on its own adds to the total coming home luggage weight!

A few years ago I realised that I was allergic to conventional deodorants and started using coconut oil as a deodorant. This is one item I take with me in it's original jar because changes in temperature can make it melt somewhat and some containers may leak.  However it must be prepared to do more than one job and it does.  (I will be writing a post just about the uses of coconut oil in this series).

I take a small baby powder with me to dust under my arms after using the coconut oil as a fine talc/powder helps to keep you dry and cooler.  It can also be used for any chafing areas or to keep shoes dry and smelling nicer.

Again with shampoo - I will wait until there is only a small amount left in the bottle and put it aside for travelling.  As each bottle is finished it can be thrown away or recycled and doesn't need to come back with me.

That is really all my essentials because they do more than one job but a few others I will take when there is space are:-

Little sample sizes of facial and bath products I get when I buy full size (I like Clarins products and usually get the smaller sizes with a purchase).

Or cleansing wipes that can clean your face as well as take off any eye makeup and can be used for a quick clean on any part of your body.

Even Mr R will take the small samples from his Clarins for Men purchases with him. 

I don't like buying small travel sizes because they work out much more expensive but occasionally it is more practical like the travel shaving foam that Mr R takes - there is enough to last the fortnight's holiday.

It may not seem like a big deal taking all the cosmetics etc that I want but I really do like to keep my luggage as lean as possible on the outward journey and as full as possible on the way home!

What is your favourite travel tip for keeping clean and cool?