Must-Have Travel Items for the Low-Maintenance Mom

I’ve always considered myself a fairly low-maintenance person, although I’m sure if you ask my husband his answer might be a smidge different. In the midst of my tween/teen years I remember spending hours, as most girls do (I think) trying to straighten my hair, get the perfect makeup, and generally look as cute as you possibly can when your body is growing and maturing in a million different ways all at once. Such a magical time, right?

 

As soon as I hit that 17-year-old mark, though, I really started to minimize the amount of makeup I wore and figured out faster ways to do my hair. A lot of this was thanks in large part to the fact that I was playing volleyball very competitively and it was either look fancy or spend time with my friends. I chose the latter, so my personal care routine had to get shorter.

 

Ever since then I’ve continued to be as minimalist as possible in makeup and hair care, specifically because life is just so much easier for me when I take that approach. Two precious boys do not an extensive personal care routine make, and that counts double on vacation! We have some upcoming trips and I just know that keeping it simple will make life all the more easier when we’re away from home. My low-maintenance always comes in handy during these times, but these are the products that I use to make it all even more simple!

 

Of course I’ve included a couple of Beautycounter items in this lineup, but only because these are the ones I really use and really travel with (and for good reason!) If you have any questions about any of these items please let me know!

 

1. Plexus ProBio5. I have been hesitant to try Plexus products, but had heard really great things about the probiotic from believers and skeptics alike. I’ve officially been taking this nightly for 5 weeks now, and while I didn’t expect to feel a difference I just feel…flatter? Less bloated? Whatever it is it feels good, so traveling with this stuff is right up on my must-have list!
2. Onnit New Mood. My sister works for Onnit and gifted this bottle to us when Nate and I were having trouble sleeping a few months back. It’s not something I take every day normally, but because I tend to get a little anxious while traveling I like to have it on hand to be able to relax at the end of the day!
3. SheaMoisture Baby Lotion. This is one of those things I bought at random one day and have been really glad I did. It is a safer alternative to the Aveeno baby lotion I had been using on my boys, not to mention it smells better. Also? One of my guys had a little eczema outbreak on his legs and this cleared it right up. I’m not saying it will do that for everyone, but it certainly worked for us! I take it everywhere we go to keep the whole family moisturized.
4. Tom’s Luminous White Toothpaste. This is our first foray into safer toothpaste and so far I like it a lot! I feel like this is self-explanatory; you brush your teeth twice a day every day, so you take it on trips too. Just nice to have a safer version!
5. Hask Keratin Protein. This is one of those things that I really am looking to phase out at some point, but so far I haven’t found a comparable product that’s both safe AND affordable. I love that this is a tiny vial (perfect for travel!) and it keeps the frizz at bay. I usually mix it with a little bit of gel or aloe vera gel and apply to wet hair, then air dry.
6. Beautycounter Cleansing Balm. This is one that I just can’t quit talking about. Here’s what you need to know: it does everything, which is why it’s a must for my low-maintenance vacation list. Cleansing, moisturizing, makeup removal – all in one.
7. Beautycounter Peppermint Lip Conditioner. For the dry, chapped lips that always happen to me on vacation this stuff is gold. Plus it smells/feels amazing and lasts foreeeeeeever.
8. Beautycounter Lengthening Mascara. My eyeliner is tattooed on but I do still like to wear mascara. This mascara is safe, is buildable (as in you can do one coat for a more natural look or more for a more dramatic look), and it’s basically the only makeup I wear most days anyway!