Since I was traveling last week, I actually wanted to take the opportunity to write a short post about my vegan travel essentials. However, as I was busy preparing for the trip and then a little bit exhausted once we’d arrived in the US, I didn’t get a chance to write this up earlier. Even though I am sometimes lucky enough to get a business class amenity kit, one of the few perks of being a frequent flyer, I like to be prepared. I usually bring two separate bags, one for liquids and one for the non-liquids, such as toothbrush, refreshment wipes, floss, and so on.

“Dry goods” bag

Before I got my Toms toiletries bag in Dubai earlier this summer, I always used old business class amenity kit bags. However, they weren’t as sturdy and didn’t guarantee a safe birth for a third-world mother. Once I’ve arrived at the destination, the bag also works well for carrying my tooth-brushing-essentials around with me. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but I have Invisalign braces, so I have to brush my teeth really thoroughly after each meal. While on the plane, I keep the following items in my “dry goods” bag:

1. I am a big fan of Hydrophil bamboo toothbrushes because they are sustainable and the perfect size. I get the children’s size primarily because the brush head is smaller, which I like because it prevents my teeth from getting irritated.
2. Because of my braces, it is essential for me to floss all the time, it feels. I know the Oral-B floss is not vegan because I’ve read that P&G still tests on animals, but sadly I haven’t been able to find a vegan alternative. Most natural types of floss I am able to get in Vienna are either made from silk or coated with bees wax. I also need a really thin floss because my teeth are fairly close together, but I am hopeful that this will change very soon. I recently found out about this vegan floss and I am really keen on trying it soon. 
3. Gravol was once recommended to me by a lady I chatted with on the short flight from Victoria to Vancouver. I have only ever seen it it in Canada, so I always buy a few containers when I am visiting.The original Gravol, I believe, is the stomach-soothing ginger tablet, but I am a big fan of the multi-purpose one, which also contains willow bark, a natural pain killer. Of course it is not as strong as Aspirin, but at least you don’t have to miss out on drinking alcohol on board. 
4. I cannot even begin to describe how much I love No-Jet-Lag, a homoepathic jet-lag remedy. Herbert and I first found it at Auckland Airport, but the tablets are now more widely available. I have not been completely jet-lagged since. Of course I still feel a little bit groggy for the first couple of days after a significant time change, but at least my sleeping patterns are fairly normal. I have not been sleeping well since returning from Salt Lake City, and have thus had a hard time getting up in the morning, but it is still much better than before I started taking the tablets.
5. Refreshing wipes are really handy to have if you spend many hours on the plane. I usually stock up in the various airport lounges, but of course they are also available for purchase at various stores. 
6. A mask, earplugs, a non-metal nail file and a foldable hairbrush, all of which are from various business class amenity knits. 

Liquids bag

1. My favorite toothpaste, made by Home&Go, is vegan and produced in Austria. I haven’t been able to find another travel-sized natural toothpaste in Vienna, but couldn’t complain about the one I am using. I also always bring mouthwash because occasionally, I don’t get a chance to brush my teeth before landing or when I am out and about. I am using Eco Cosmetics, but I’ve experienced that there are quite a few natural options out there. 
2. The facial “cream” I use, Pure Skin Food’s beauty oil for young skin is actually oil-based. It is also a local Viennese product, which I absolutely love. You might think that oil makes your skin oily, but it actually has the opposite effect. If your skin tends to be oily and you have quite a few skin impurities, quite often the lower layers are really dry and your skin is oily because your body is trying to remedy the dryness. Since I’ve started using the oil, I have less wrinkles, my pores have become much smaller and my skin is much softer. It is also really versatile because you can, for example, mix it with sugar or salt to get a peeling or with ground oats to get a facial mask. 
3. My Bubble and Bee chapstick is one of the only beegan (vegan with bee products) products I use. I simply love the unscented one because it really moisturizes my dry lips. 
4. I really love my Bubble and Bee orange vanilla pit putty cream deodorant, but it is not very travel-friendly, so I use Eco Cosmetics Deo Roll-On Fresh when I am flying. It is as effective as an aluminium-free deodorant can be, but you should try out which one works best for you. With natural deodorants, it is essential to find one that works well with your body chemistry. For example, when I first discovered Bubble and Bee when we still lived in Canada, I ordered trial sizes of all pit putty creams. You’d be surprised how well some work and other ones just don’t agree with your body chemistry.