Let's face it: Getting from point A to point B by air is never as easy as we'd like. Lost luggage, screaming babies, and the dreaded middle seat wreck both our sanity and our meticulous preparations. As if that weren't enough, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently mandated that all carry-on liquids, gels, and aerosols must be in containers 3 ounces or smaller in size-and stuffed into one sealed, clear plastic bag.

While we were once allowed to breeze through security checkpoints carrying enough lotion and perfume to stock a small convenience store, we now have to get by with a beauty kit the size of a sandwich.

Enforced consolidation, however, doesn't have to mean sacrificed glamour. There are a few eco-friendly travel kits on the market designed to help you maintain your fabulousness without causing much damage to the environment. Because these kits are manufactured in relatively small quantities, their availability and variety are somewhat limited.

What's more, recycled or otherwise environmentally friendly travel containers haven't yet made much of a splash in the packaging world. "Environmental plastic materials are in their infancy," says JoAnn Hines, the founder of PackagingUniversity.com and a packaging-industry expert with more than 30 years of experience. "There's not a lot in the way of green smaller-size bottles, or bottled products that are made out of green packaging materials." According to Hines, 70 percent of all packaging is food-related, and only a tiny portion of the industry is dedicated to travel items.

Until green packaging gains momentum, travelers are largely limited to plastic and glass. Glass, unlike plastic, is infinitely reusable and is therefore the environmentally preferred material-but good luck getting a bagful of glass bottles to and from your destination intact. "If it's just a package for normal use, I would always recommend glass over plastic," says Debra Lynn Dadd, a toxic-chemicals expert and the author of Home Safe Home. "But the problem with travel is that things break easily. What you don't want to have happen is arriving at your destination with your shampoo bottle broken. So my rule of thumb about plastic is: Always use something else if you can. But there are some uses where plastic makes sense."

Not all plastics are created equal in terms of toxicity, Dadd notes, and buying a little plastic bottle is not the same as buying vinyl siding for your home. (For more about plastics and the environment, click here.) With this in mind, purchasing a kit made of plastic would be your best bet for travel purposes, because even though some of the containers might not be recyclable, they will certainly be reusable.

Alternatively, small single-use packets known as sachets could serve as substitutes. Indeed, sachets aren't just for ketchup and mustard anymore-many beauty and sanitizing products are sold in this type of packaging, which is slightly more eco-friendly than plastic bottles. "What it's doing is taking a lot less space," Hines says. "So if you throw away a little piece of paper, it's not as bad as throwing away a big bottle."

The most efficient way to give your travel kit an eco-makeover is to fill empty 3-ounce containers with your favorite products and replenish them before every trip. Clear plastic bottles are typically packaged as sets, and can be purchased at most craft stores, pharmacies, and department stores. "If people are going to buy something, they should at least buy a product that they can use over and over again, rather than buying one and disposing of it," says Hines. "I think that's a much better alternative than buying ten miniature things of mouthwash when you can buy one bottle and fill it up on a regular basis."

If you want to take the do-it-yourself path one step further, Dadd recommends collecting and reusing hotel toiletry bottles: "That's why I don't have new little bottles lying around. I refill hotel bottles with organic shampoo."

Once you've assembled your kit, there's the question of what bag to tote it in. The TSA requires all carry-on toiletries to be packed together in clear plastic, which narrows your options to either wasteful Ziplocs or vinyl. Vinyl bags are made from polyvinyl chloride, a chemical known to release toxic gases into the air, and frequent disposal of sandwich bags creates additional landfill waste that won't biodegrade. According to Dadd, there's always a trade-off between utility and doing what's best for the environment. However, she shies away from vinyl. And she adds that if you do opt for sealable sandwich bags, you should reuse them as many times as possible.

Whether you shop around for a ready-made kit or set up a product-pouring operation in your kitchen, the following Earth-friendly options are perfect for on-the-go pampering.

Korres Natural Products Best of Korres Kit Guava body butter, basil-lemon shower gel, and wild rose moisturizer are just what you need after a long flight. Slather on these luscious mixtures for a long-lasting glow (www.drugstore.com; $25).

Aubrey Organics Travel Set This bundle has everything you need to stay cleansed, toned, and moisturized while away. Each ribbon-tied set includes seven daily primping products specially made for a variety of skin types, including combination-oily and sensitive (www.aubrey-organics.com; $8.50 each).

Organics to Go by Juice Beauty Take your spa on the road and give yourself a well-deserved facial with this five-piece set of products made from all-natural ingredients. This combo features a green-apple-peel exfoliant and a hydrating mist splashed with certified-organic white grape juices (www.juicebeauty.com; $29).

Pitotubes These reusable bottles are made of high-quality polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), a recyclable plastic, and were designed to withstand the rigors of travel. Creator Alisa Driscoll, a former flight attendant, says Pitotubes are leakproof and virtually unbreakable. The six-bottle travel set comes in three different sizes, with personalized labels to keep your toiletries organized (www.pitotubes.com; $10 each, $52 per set).

Erbaviva Mommy Travel Kit Mothers-to-be can indulge themselves with natural simplicity. The milk bath, Quease-ease lip balm, and stretch-mark cream and oil are prepared from organic, natural, or chemical-free ingredients (www.erbaviva.com; $29).

Erbaviva Baby Travel Kit This eco-conscious company didn't forget about the wee ones. The baby travel kit includes organic lip and cheek balm, diaper cream, lotion, and shampoo derived from essential oils and gentle natural extracts (www.erbaviva.com; $29).

Little Twig Organic Travel Basics Kit Your traveling tyke will love the Scrubby Bug Mitt, and you'll love the all-natural softening and soothing body wash, body milk, diaper cream, and powder blended with lavender and tea tree extracts (www.drugstore.com; $17).

Related Resources

Related Articles How Does a Hybrid Car Work? Eco-Tourism: Adventure Travel Caribbean Driving and the Environment See All Related Articles

Related Eco Categories Top 10s How to Guides Science & Technology Transportation & Travel

Topics Saving Money Recycling People Home Health

Tip of the Day Step Away from the Printer Replace Car Air Filters See All Tips

Glossary Pollution credit Vinyl Harvested rainwater U-factor Native vegetation Full Glossary

Site Resources Directory Answers Quizzes