Natural suncreens and chemical free travel essentials

My summer holidays are just round the corner! I am so grateful to get a holiday this year and can’t wait for that first dip in the sea!!

I get really excited about natural skincare products and love trying out new products to share with you all. Our skin is our largest organ. Anything you put on it gets absorbed into your body and has to be processed and eliminated by the liver.

Most cosmetics are full of chemicals, preservatives, synthetic perfumes and parabens. These chemicals are there to help bind ingredients together, maintain a longer shelf live and create aroma. But have you ever stopped to think what these ingredients could be doing to your body?

The jury is still out on the safety of parabens and the possible role they may play in breast cancer. So until we know for sure, I personally, would rather not to take a gamble.

The natural travel essentials I'm packing this summer holiday
This year my travel essentials include La Roche Posay sunscreen for the face and another for the body and Green People’s organic sunscreen. Both are paraben free.  

I chose La Roche Posay for the face as it is non-comedogenic, which is meant to prevent pores getting clogged and spots breaking out. I’ve been meaning to try Green People for aaages after I first discovered them at last year’s Allergy and Free From Show in London, they do a whole range of natural, organic cosmetics.

I’m also trying out yet another natural deodorant as so far I’ve not been totally convinced by the efficacy of many. Aluminium is an ingredient in your typical anti-perspirant deodorant to prevent you from sweating but unfortunately this is really not something you want in your body as it is a heavy metal. It is particularly toxic to the brain as it can cross the blood brain barrier and interferes with DNA.

Salt of the Earth natural deodorant is aluminium free and apparently works by leaving a thin layer of pure alum, a natural mineral salt on your skin, which prevents the growth of the bacteria that causes body odour. Let’s see how this one copes under Turkish temperatures!!

And last but not least, I never travel anywhere without my trusted probiotics. The good bacteria in these little capsules keeps your gut flora and digestion happy and healthy. Because let’s face it; there ain’t nothin’ sexy about traveller’s diarrhoea… ;)

I’ll let you know who gets my gold star of approval on my return!

Have you tried any of these products before? Or are there any others you would recommend? There are so many great natural alternatives on the market these days it's really hard to choose just one.

Please comment below or join the conversation over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I'd love to hear about your own experiences with natural sunscreens and deodrants in particular. Which products do you like or dislike?

You can also check out an article I wrote last year about how to eat healthy while you travel
and check out my travel essentials of 2014 here

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