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If you’re not using shampoo bars, or you haven’t heard of them, let me put you onto this wonderful travel hack and even life hack.

They have pretty much changed my life. At first, I was skeptical, as I have thick hair, and wasn’t sure if it would work well for me. All of my worries subsided after my first wash, and now I’m a raving fan.

If you’re a traveler, you’ll never go back once you’ve tried a shampoo bar. Here are some reasons why:

1. They are compact and save space.

Liquid shampoo is typically made up of 70-80% water. Bars are a more concentrated form of your shampoo: just add water. I like to lather the bar up with some water in my hands, then run the suds through my hair and scalp as I would any other shampoo. You can also rub the bar directly into your hair.

The best part: a 1.9 ounce bar lasts about 70 washes. If you don’t want to take a whole bar, you can cut your bar with a knife and take a portion.

This is important, so I’m sharing this tip from the beginning: make sure you allow your bar to air dry after each use for the maximum shelf life of 1 year. I recommend putting the bar on its side inside its tin for the quickest drying. If it’s round and keeps falling back flat, push it into the tin with a bit of force right after the shower when it’s a little soft. That should give it a flat part to stand on.

There are also some tins made specifically for shampoo bars that have their own shelf to allow the bar to dry properly. These are some of my favorites:

This aluminum tin by Tyqour is both lightweight and inexpensive, making it a great choice for travelers wanting to save their money for experiences instead of travel gear. The draining tray is a essential feature, in my opinion.

Here’s a leak-proof silicone travel tin from AIMAIAIMAI that I recommend. It also features a soap saving draining layer that soaks up moisture from your bars and keeps them from getting mushy.

If you want a beautiful and eco conscious option, I really like this recycled aluminum travel tin from Ethique that also has the much needed self-draining tray that you can use both inside or outside of the tin.

A great drying tray for home use is this one from Ethique that is made with diatomaceous earth, a naturally occurring sedimentary material comprised of fossilized microscopic algae known as diatoms. This tray is lightweight, strong, absorbent and effective in drying your shampoo and conditioner bars after each use.

2. They are better for the environment.

All the plastic shampoo bottles you’ll use throughout your lifetime leave a significant footprint. If sustainability is important to you, there’s another choice. You can be plastic free if you switch to shampoo in solid form. A shampoo bar in a reusable container is a better option for the environmentally conscious.

I have a tin from Lush Cosmetics. You can also get any number of sizes and designs from Amazon, or repurpose something like an Altoid tin or other empty container. Look around your home and I’m sure you can find something that could be reused as a holder for your shampoo bar. This makes your shampoo so portable that you could put it in your pocket.

My bar and tin go from shower to gym bag to overnight bag to full luggage in a snap. No mess, no fuss. It can’t get any better than that.

3. They are spill proof.

The worst thing is opening up your luggage after a long flight and finding out that your shampoo has spilled all over your clothes.

When you’ve switched over to the bar life, all you have to do before a flight is make sure the lid on your tin is tight and won’t pop off if your luggage is tossed around. Even if it does, it wont be nearly as bad as if you had liquid shampoo everywhere. You can always tape 2 sides or secure with a hair tie/rubber band if you want to be sure your bar stays in its tin.

4. They are flight approved.

For my warrior travelers who get through airports with only a carry-on, shampoo bars come in clutch. No longer do you have to squeeze your liquid shampoo into tiny containers, only to run out on a long trip and have to buy some random (probably chemical laden) shampoo later. And then forget that bottle isn’t cool with TSA and have to throw it away at the dreaded “throw your noncompliant stuff in this trash can” trash can. You know what I mean?

If you’re flying through London Heathrow, be advised that you could have all your liquids under 100mL and still have to throw products in the trash due to their strict rules. Everything must fit in one 1 litre bag with the maximum dimensions of 8 inches (20cm) x 8 inches (20 cm) and be able to close.

With a shampoo bar, you can bring as much as you need on your carry-on… or cut off as little as you need to save weight on a short trip.

5. They are natural.

Shampoo bars are often free of chemicals that can be harmful to your health such as parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. Many are instead made with natural ingredients that nourish your hair gently without harsh ingredients.

You can even make your own shampoo bar if you’re feeling ambitious. There’s a nice basic recipe made with coconut oil at Wellness Mama and another at Mommypotamus. Spruce up a basic recipe by adding 1 oz of essential oils and/or herbs. You can choose the type according to your hair and scalp needs.

I discovered Ethique shampoo bars while visiting an eco/plastic-free shop in Amsterdam that I came across. I opted to buy a discovery pack, which was the perfect size for my Euro travels. It came with 3 mini bars: 2 shampoos and 1 conditioner. I fell in love with the brand and was so happy to learn that they were available in the US on Amazon. They have a vast selection of bars for different hair types and needs, both in full size and their sampler.

I am also a fan of HiBAR, a brand recommended to me by my mother who is a hair dresser of almost 40 years. She had heard about this brand through colleagues as it includes color-safe, salon-quality ingredients. I have tried their moisturize set in the blue packaging and can confirm that it works really well on my long, thick, color-treated hair. Their bars are huge and easy to hold, which is great for home use. If you want to take it on the road, you can cut a piece off with a knife. I recently found out that they have a sampler set which is perfect for travel.

Another one of my favorite shampoo bars is “Honey I Washed my Hair” from Lush Cosmetics. It is really moisturizing and smells like a dream. Surprisingly, I haven’t had to use conditioner after using it. I also love “Brazilliant” which is only available online. They have about a dozen different options depending on your hair type. One bar is less than $10 at my local Lush store and lasts 70 washes. What a great value! I really love going to my local store. I think half the fun is going there and trying on their products, smelling everything, and getting recommendations for your skin and hair type from the awesome people who work there. You’ll enjoy the experience, and a huge bonus is they’ll give you a sample of anything you want. If you don’t have a brick and mortar Lush near you, you can buy a bar from their website.

Bonus: leaving your bar out to dry, which you should do after each use, deodorizes and leaves an amazing scent in your bathroom.

I’m going to say it again, because it’s really important: allowing your shampoo bar to dry after each use keeps away germs and gives you the full shelf life of 1 year per bar!

Also, if you leave it moist inside its closed tin, it will melt into the container and you’ll have a heck of a time trying to get it back out. I know this from personal experience… oops!

Tip: don’t forget the conditioner bar, body wash bar, facial soap bar, shave bar and lotion bar. The same benefits apply. Go bar crazy!