TRAVEL WITH ECO CRED
Looking after the environment on your travels is no longer a trend but a necessity. Try these eco-friendly products sourced by Gear Editor MELANIE VAN ZYL
Nine brilliant things to pack, from toiletries to socks
1. REITZER ANTI-MOZZIE GLYCERINE SOAP
R48, dischem.co.za This soap ticks all the boxes of an environmentally friendly product: it’s made locally, contains only natural ingredients and the packaging is made from recycled board. It smells fresh and wards off mozzies, thanks to the addition of citronella, tea tree and lemongrass essential oils. It lathers well so it can be used as a shampoo too. TIP Protect the ocean and your skin with biodegradable Island Tribe Natural Lab SPF30 sunscreen. R185, faithful-to-nature.co.za
2. LUSH SHAMPOO BARS AND SOLID TOOTHPASTE
R130 and R125, lush.co.za Made from organic ingredients and sold without packaging, these innovative Solid Shampoo bars are preservative-free and work a treat. I love the variety of fragrances available, plus the bars lather well for easy washing. Long-lasting tins are also available for easy travel. The Toothy Tabs solid toothpaste is another nifty travel toiletry: nibble one mini tablet between your teeth and start brushing with a wet toothbrush. They come in a variety of flavours. The bottle is made from recycled material and the store encourages you to return it once the tablets are finished. Lush is a great eco-education shopping experience as staff know what goes into all the products.
3. PURE BEGINNINGS REVITALISING BODY WASH
R89,95, purebeginnings.co.za Pure Beginnings is a proudly South African company that makes sustainable products with ingredients that are natural, certified organic wherever possible, ethically sourced and traded fairly, plus it provides support to local rural communities. All its body-care products, including this handy 250ml travel-size body wash, are free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, aluminium and petrochemicals. I love the fragrance of the baobab and ylang-ylang in this wash, but all of them smell great and leave skin feeling soft. TIP Avoid soaps with plastic ‘exfoliating’ microbeads. They are too small to be filtered out during treatment and trickle into precious water sources, and there is significant proof they contribute to water pollution.