walmart travel soap container

The Best Travel Soap Case, Dish, Bag or Container

Last Updated on May 22, 2020

Nobody wants mushy, gunky soap getting all over their clothes.

But a bar of soap is often the best cleanser to pack when traveling.

The solution is a travel soap case or bag. They’re perfect for traveling and you can also use them to take a bar of soap to the gym or sports club, but they are not all created equally.

We review a lot of travel gear at TravelingLight.com and feel that the soap case is often an undervalued travel accessory.

This post has a look at what’s on offer and picks out what we think is the best product.

At A Glance: The Best Travel Soap Case

• #1 Matador FlatPak Soap Bar Bag – A breathable yet water repellent bag to pack your soap in.
• #2 Carry-Dri Vented Travel Soap Case – A vented plastic soap case that lets your soap dry without leaking water on your clothes.
• #3 Kiasona Travel Soap Case Box – A secure case that won’t open unexpectedly.
• #4 Puting Portable Soap Saver – An economical multipack.

Packing A Bar of Soap vs Body Wash or Shower Gel

What you use at home comes down to personal preference.

But when you are traveling there is a compelling reason to pack soap in a soap holder rather than body wash or shower gel.

Body wash is a liquid and subject to the TSA liquids rule meaning you can only pack travel-size body wash bottles in your carry on luggage.

A bar of soap is solid and not subject to the liquids rule. So you don’t need to put a solid soap bar in your quart-sized baggie when going through the TSA security checkpoint.

You can pack as many soap bar cases as you want in your luggage, it’s even possible to get shampoo bars that work just as well as their liquid counterparts. And a bar of laundry soap allows you to wash your underwear in the hotel sink so you don’t need to pack as many clothes.

By switching liquids for solids you can make packing carry on luggage a lot easier.

Also, a bar of soap lasts a lot longer than body wash. I’ll be lucky is a travel-size bottle of shower gel will last me 2 showers but a bar of soap can last for weeks.

All this means that soap is a great option to pack when traveling, but you do need a travel soap dish or at the very least a ziplock bag to stop your clothes from getting wet from the soap bar.

What Makes A Good Travel Soap Dish?

It might seem like a simple product but there are still some things that a travel soap case needs to do well.

A good travel soap case:

• Protects Your Soap Bar – It’s important to let soap dry after use. If a bar of soap stays wet too long or it goes all soft and mushy.
• Doesn’t leak! – You have a quick shower and then immediately pack to get ready to check out your accommodation. Your soap bar is still going to be wet and you’d better hope your travel soap case doesn’t leak or you’ll get gunk all over your suitcase.
• Is the Right Size – Your soap container needs to be able to fit your soap bars. Make sure your soap holder is the right dimensions to hold the bar of soap that you want to pack but not be too large that it takes up space in your bag.
• Is Not Too Heavy – We’re all about traveling light here so we don’t want a soap case that’s going to add unnecessary weight to our case.

If you don’t have a soap dish for travel you could always use a plastic ziplock bag for a soap bag. The problem with that is that the soap gets all soggy and it becomes very messy fast.

The following travel soap cases are all available on Amazon if you buy we receive a small commission but it doesn’t affect the price that you pay.

Matador FlatPak Soap Bar Bag

The Matador soap bag is made with water-repellent material. This means that any splashes don’t penetrate the bag.

The fabric is also breathable so if your soap bar is damp when you put it in the bag it will be dry next time you take it out.

Frequent travelers love this travel soap case. It’s very useful when packing.

• The design means that the bag stops the gunk from getting on your clothes but allows the soap bar to dry
• Not easy to get the soap in and out of the bag. Since it’s not a soap case it doesn’t function as a soap dish or a soap holder while you are in the shower.

Carry-Dri Vented Travel Soap Case

The Carry-Dri makes some bold claims. A plastic soap case that doesn’t leak but also has vents? Surely that’s not possible.

But yet it seems like they’ve pulled it off. Many people love this soap dish for travel precisely because it’s vented and stops their soap bar from getting soggy but doesn’t leak water drips into your clothes.

If you’ve just recently had a shower it might be an idea to pack this in an outer pocket of your bag just in case. That way any drips that did escape the container would evaporate quickly.

• It’s vented so your bar of soap can dry off
• Water won’t spill on your clothes
• It will still get messy inside the case and you’ll need to wash it every now and then
• The case is significantly larger than the soap bar it holds

Carry-Dri made this video that shows their product.

Kiasona Travel Soap Case Box

The Kiasona is a hard plastic soap box that fits a normal-sized soap bar.

The included band gives extra security that the case won’t open accidently but can be a little tight to get on and off.

Inside the case, there is a sponge that is designed to wick away moisture from the soap bar so that it retains its shape.

• Airtight and doesn’t leak
• Despite the sponge, the soap bar can still degrade and become a bit soggy

PUTING Portable Soap Saver

The Puting brand of soap dishes is a more affordable option. You can get a pack of 4 soap dishes from the same price that other sellers charge for 1 dish.

That makes it a great option if you are taking more than 1 bar of soap on your trip, for example, a shampoo bar or a laundry bar.

It’s also economical if your traveling partner needs a soap case too.

• Economical multipack
• They don’t close airtight (although some people might view this as a pro)

Final Thoughts

The best travel soap case is a thing of personal preference. There is some innovation but most products are relatively similar. The ones we’ve looked at in this post give a fair representation of what’s on offer.

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The 7 Best Travel Toiletry Bottles of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Avoid spills and score style points with these liquid containers

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

TripSavvy / Leticia Almeida

There’s nothing worse than arriving excitedly at your destination to find that your toiletries have spilled all over your suitcase. Or to be the person who holds up the line at security while the TSA agents discard your oversized liquids. Both of these scenarios are easily avoided by investing in a set of appropriately sized, 100 percent leakproof travel toiletry bottles. There are lots of options out there in terms of bottle quantity, size, and design, with the right one for you depending on factors such as how long you’ll be traveling and the complexity of your beauty routine. 

To help you narrow down the choices, our team of travel experts put 14 toiletry bottle sets to the test. Each one was scored for ease of use, quality, design, performance, and value, with average scores used to determine the winners of categories ranging from “best budget” to “most durable.”

Final Verdict

How we tested.

• What to Look For

Why Trust TripSavvy

Best overall, liquisnugs premium leak-proof silicone travel bottles.

• Ease of Use 5 /5
• Quality 5 /5
• Design 5 /5
• Performance 5 /5

Very secure, with no leaks during testing

Stick to vertical surfaces

Easy to stay organized

Lack of variety

The LiquiSnugs Premium Silicone Travel Bottles offer flawless performance at a price so reasonable our tester was shocked by it. The set includes two 2-ounce bottles and two 3-ounce bottles, both of which adhere to TSA carry-on regulations. We liked the flexibility afforded by the two different sizes since there are always products we need more and less of on vacation. We were able to easily fit all four in a quart-sized Ziploc bag simultaneously without placing pressure on any of them. All bottles are made of flexible, food-grade, BPA-free silicone, making them easy to pack and dispense. 

With a dripless valve and bottleneck design, the bottles are advertised as 100 percent leakproof—a claim we can support, with no spillages even after being dropped and thrown around repeatedly during testing. We liked that the bottles’ wide mouths made them simple to fill, empty, and clean as needed. Other highlights include the suction pad on the back of each bottle (great for attaching them to the bathroom wall) and the changeable labels. Options for the latter include shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, soap, and lotion, enabling you to switch up the uses on each trip. 

Number of Bottles: 4 | Sizes: (2) 2-ounce, (2) 3-ounce | Materials: Silicone

TripSavvy / Tamara Staples

Best Budget

Vitog travel bottles kit.

• Ease of Use 4 /5
• Performance 4.5 /5

Multiple dispensing methods

Comes with several functional extras

Good value for money

Capacity could be larger

Retailing for half the price of our already affordable overall winner, the Vitog Travel Bottles Kit is a no-brainer for budget-conscious buyers. It includes six 1.4-ounce bottles and two 0.4-ounce bottles. The larger ones consist of two pump bottles with a removable clip to prevent accidental deployment, two spray bottles, and two flip-cap bottles. The smaller ones are miniature cream jars. All eight are made from clear PET plastic, which we found durable yet lightweight enough for travel. We also liked that we could easily see how much product was left.

We appreciated the thoughtful inclusion of a pipette, a funnel, and a spatula to help with decanting products from their original containers. They made the bottles relatively easy to fill, although we did experience some spillage when decanting thick body lotion. Nevertheless, there was no leaking or visible wear and tear after our intensive testing process. The set also includes a sheet of labels and a clear plastic toiletry bag. The only real drawback? None of the bottles are particularly big, making this option suitable for short trips only. 

Number of Bottles: 8 | Sizes: (2) 0.4-ounce, (6) 1.4-ounce | Materials: PET plastic

Cadence The Originals Set

• Design 4.5 /5
• Performance 4 /5

Unique design

Performed well throughout testing

Customizable

More of an investment than others

Limited capacity

The Originals from Cadence are small, hexagonal capsules with screw-top lids that connect magnetically together in any shape or configuration you like. Aesthetics are at the forefront of this brand, as you can choose different colors for each capsule as well as printed, switchable, magnetic labels. In fact, they look so cute that you could even buy toiletries in bulk and decant them into these capsules for use at home. Sustainable practices like these are reinforced by the fact that the capsules are made from 20 percent recycled ocean-bound plastic. 

We love that the capsules’ wide mouths and rounded interiors make them effortless to fill, use, and clean. They’re also 100 percent leakproof, waterproof, and airtight, as proven by our testing process. We found them incredibly durable and can’t imagine a scenario that would result in them being punctured or crushed. They are small (each one carries just 0.56 ounces), which could be a drawback. However, a capacity calculator on the brand website suggests you can carry approximately a week’s worth of products, depending on how regularly you use each one. 

Number of Bottles: 6 | Sizes: (6) 0.6-ounce | Materials: Hard plastic

Most Durable

Mrsdry travel bottles.

• Ease of Use 3.5 /5
• Design 4 /5

Soft yet rugged silicone construction

Effective leakproofing

User friendly

No diversity in size or design

If your primary concern when packing liquids in your hand luggage is leaking, you’ll love the Mrsdry Travel Bottles Set. It consists of four 3-ounce bottles, each made of thick silicone that feels ultra-durable, and they stood up perfectly to our squeeze and drop tests. We were particularly impressed with the bottles’ no-drip valves, which successfully prevented leaks. All four bottles use the same shape and dispensing method—a pro for those who want lots of capacity for fewer products, and a drawback for those with a more complex personal care routine. 

Having said that, we did feel that this set is so reasonably priced, there’s nothing to stop you from buying multiple sets if you have more products to pack. Instead of labels, the bottles come in four separate shades to distinguish between them. We also liked that their wide opening makes them easy to fill, even with thicker liquids and gels. And when it comes to cleaning them, the bendable silicone easily accommodates a bottle brush. All colorways include a transparent carry case. 

Number of Bottles: 4 | Sizes: (4) 3-ounce | Materials: Silicone

Best Variety

Morfone 16 pack travel bottles.

• Ease of Use 4.5 /5
• Quality 4.5 /5

Good array of containers

Burly silicone handles rough treatment

Jar lids are weaker than expected

Multicolored style may not suit everyone

The Morfone Travel Bottles Set caters to travelers with an extensive beauty routine. With 10 containers in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and dispensing methods, you can take a broad range of products in just the right quantities for your time away. Options are as follows: two 1-ounce spray bottles, two 3-ounce squeeze bottles, two 2-ounce squeeze bottles, two 1-ounce jars, and two 0.3-ounce jars. We were impressed by the capacity of the largest bottles, which we felt could easily hold at least four washes’ worth of shampoo and conditioner. 

The bottles are made of durable yet flexible food-grade silicone, with wide mouths for easy filling and cleaning. We appreciated the inclusion of two scoopers, a funnel, and a cleaning brush to help with these tasks, as well as a sheet of labels. Most of the containers held up well to our durability tests with no leaks or spills. The only exception was one of the jars, which suffered a broken lid. The set comes in a transparent carry bag and could fit into a quart-sized Ziploc (a TSA requirement) with some skillful maneuvering, although it was tight. 

Number of Bottles: 10 | Sizes: (2) 0.3-ounce, (4) 1-ounce, (2) 2-ounce, (2) 3-ounce | Materials: Silicone

Best for Larger Capacities

Insfit tsa carry-on approved containers.

Great value for money

Well-designed lids

Choice of cute color palettes

Can be finicky with certain products

The INSFIT set is ideal for those who like to keep things simple with only a handful of essential products but also tend to travel for longer and need as much capacity as TSA will allow. It features four identical 3-ounce silicone bottles large enough to hold at least one to two weeks’ worth of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and sunscreen (or similar). The bottles are squeezable, which makes dispensing simple, although we found that thicker lotions and gels were easier to squeeze if the bottle was at least half full.

Other highlights include fully removable caps and wide mouths for mess-free filling and easy cleaning, and three-layered lids that are essentially leakproof. Even during our pressure test, caps remained securely in place, and afterward, the bottles still looked brand new. In fact, we were shocked to find out how affordable this set is given its evident quality. We also liked the stylish, see-through carry bag and the fact that there’s a special place on the caps to stick the included labels so that they adhere properly. 

Best for Backpacking

Matador flatpak toiletry bottle.

Ideal for reducing heft and bulk

Thoughtful design elements

Proved durable during our testing

Difficult to fill with thicker consistencies

Made of waterproof 30D Cordura ripstop nylon with proprietary welded construction, the Matador FlatPak Toiletry Bottles are by far the most technical option on this list. With their flat-pack design and sturdy quality, they’re designed especially for adventures and expeditions where saving on space and weight is a priority . With a capacity of 3 ounces each, they’re five times lighter and 3.5 times more compact than standard silicone bottles, and pliable enough to fit into tight spaces: the ultimate backpacking companion. 

We found them easy to fill with any liquid that was the consistency of shampoo or thinner. Thicker gels and lotions were tricky since the mouth wasn’t as wide as that of standard travel bottles. Still, any mess is easy to clean off the waterproof exterior. They fit easily into a quart-sized Ziploc, and we love the snap hook for attaching to the outside of your backpack for on-the-go use. The loop also features a spot for writing a description of the contents with a permanent marker. As expected, the packs survived all our tests with zero leaks or signs of damage. 

Number of Bottles: 3 | Sizes: (3) 3-ounce | Materials: 30D Cordura ripstop nylon

Our overall favorite was the LiquiSnugs Premium Travel Bottles set. These bottles stood out for their durable, leakproof silicone construction and thoughtful extras including adjustable labels and individual suction pads. For the most budget-friendly option, choose the small yet sturdily versatile Vitog Travel Bottles Kit .

Upon receiving the bottles, our first step was to examine their overall quality and design and note any unique features. Then, we filled at least three of the bottles in the set: one with lotion, one with micellar water, and one with shampoo. For each one, we noted how easy it was to fill without spilling, how easy it was to clean if spillage did occur, and how appropriate each bottle would be for holding different types of liquid. We also tested how easy it was to open the bottle and dispense the product inside. 

Next, we compressed the bottles in our palms to mimic pressure. We shook them, rolled them, squeezed them, and threw them to stimulate rough handling in transit, noting how well they withstood this treatment. Our final test was to put all of the bottles from the set into a quart-sized Ziploc bag, and then inside a toiletry bag. Then, we dropped them from waist height three times, always from different angles, to see whether any breakages or leaks occurred and whether the bottles showed any signs of wear and tear. 

Each set was scored on a scale of one to five for ease of use, quality, design, performance, and value. Average scores were used to determine our category winners.

Other Travel Toiletry Bottles We Tested

GLOBEGEAR Travel Bottles : This nine-piece set features a solid range of containers and tools made of hard plastic that doesn't feel flimsy. We deducted points for the skimpy capacity of the bottles, which would only last a few days or applications (and made filling the bottles difficult), though the affordable price makes this a good option for the infrequent traveler.

Kitsch Travel Containers : Fans of variety will appreciate the range of products included in this compact kit. It won't set you back much and, accordingly, we feel it also won't last long. We like the idea of the flat containers but found them somewhat difficult to fill.

Cosywell Travel Containers : The Cosywell Containers are all the same shape in 10- and 20-milliliter capacities. We found the plastic and silicone jars easy to fill and well-designed, but they're more suited to thick liquids such as gels and creams.

What to Look For in Travel Toiletry Bottles

Durability is key when choosing travel toiletry bottles since containers that are easily punctured or cracked will result in a mess that’s at best inconvenient and at worst potentially expensive or upsetting depending on how much product is wasted and whether any other items in your carry-on are affected. Look for options made out of sturdy hard plastic or thick, flexible silicone, then check user reviews to get an idea of how the construction holds up under real-life travel conditions. If you’re planning an extreme adventure, technical options like the waterproof flat-pack bottles from Matador may be worth the extra expense.

Leakproofness

A bottle doesn’t have to break for leaks to occur—all it takes is a poorly constructed seal or lid. Look for bottles with a triple-layered leakproof cap and jars with a secure screw top. Pump bottles should come with a removable clip that prevents them from being deployed accidentally. Again, user reviews help check how efficient these measures are (it’s easy for a brand to advertise their product as leakproof, even if it’s not). Some brands, like Cadence, actually guarantee the efficacy of their leakproof design. Just in case, we always recommend storing toiletry bottles in a waterproof bag or Ziploc as a second line of defense. 

If you plan on packing your toiletry bottles in your carry-on bag, you must make sure that none of them exceed the TSA-approved limit of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters). Some sets are made up of identical large bottles of around 3 ounces, giving you the maximum allowable capacity for each of your products. However, because all bottles must fit in a single quart-sized Ziploc bag, this limits the number of bottles to around four. 

If you have more products to pack, you may prefer a set that divides this capacity between a greater number of smaller bottles and containers—especially if you only require some of your liquids in very small quantities. The length of your trip will also dictate how big you need your bottles to be unless you only plan on using your carry-on liquids as a backup in case the full-size versions in your checked luggage get delayed. 

Toiletries can be stored in opaque, translucent, or transparent bottles of any color as long as each individual bottle does not exceed the maximum capacity limit. For carry-on bags, most authorities including TSA set that limit at 3.4 ounces. Liquids can be in their original container or decanted into any container of your choosing (even one that’s labeled incorrectly), as long as these size restrictions are adhered to. 

Most airport authorities—including TSA—rule that bottles containing liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes cannot exceed 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) if you wish to pack them in your carry-on luggage . In addition, all of these bottles must fit inside a quart-sized Ziploc bag and be screened separately from the rest of your luggage at security. Containers that exceed this limit will not be permitted, even if the volume of the product inside is less than 3.4 ounces (for example, if you have a half-used bottle of conditioner). Note that these restrictions do not apply to checked luggage.

Although toiletry bottles don’t have to be labeled from a legal perspective, many people like to do so to ensure they don’t end up brushing their teeth with expensive moisturizer, or vice versa. Some travel bottles come with waterproof stickers, especially for this purpose, and you can also purchase them separately online. This is a better option than writing on a standard office label by hand since toiletry bottles frequently get wet and ink can run and cause staining or become illegible. Alternatively, a permanent marker applied directly to the bottle could be an option if you’re always going to use the same container for the same product.

Jessica Macdonald is a regular contributor of travel-related commerce articles. She has visited more than 50 countries across six continents and lived out of a backpack for several months on many occasions. As such, she knows firsthand the value of travel bottles that allow you to reach your destination without any spillages. Products featured in this article were chosen according to tests carried out by TripSavvy’s team of travel experts.

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• Travel Gear

The Best Travel Soaps: A Guide for Clean(er) Adventures

Published November 13, 2019

Written by:

Stacey Ebert

Stacey Ebert is a freelance writer, blogger, educator, yogi and traveler who has adventured through over 50 countries. After a...

Jenn Sutherland-Miller

Jenn raised 4 children while traveling full-time for more than a decade– it’s called worldschooling and it’s awesome. Jenn has...

The Tortuga Promise

At Tortuga, our mission is to make travel easier. Our advice and recommendations are based on years of travel experience. We only recommend products that we use on our own travels.

Table of Contents

The best travel soaps are multi-use, concentrated, and TSA friendly. 

Travel soap – although it’s not something that often comes up in conversation when we’re travel-planning, we all use it. Whether we’re  packing for a safari  trip in Africa,  train travel in Europe , a  Peruvian journey  into the rainforest, a  Southeast Asian expedition , an  Australian Outback  tour, or  beach vacation , we rarely leave home without it. Because the amount of liquid we can fly with is limited, so are our soap choices. Since we value packing light, we’re always looking for ways the items we pack can do double duty. Soap is no exception.

Whether your soap preferences are liquid, bar, multi-use, eco-friendly, scented, unscented, or something entirely different, finding a version that travels well is important. If you’re like me, you consider how and where things are made, the environmental footprint we’re leaving, and the treatment of our animal friends in testing. And then there are those of us with allergies and sensitivities, doing our best to keep our skin happy at home and on the go. There are a lot of options for travel soap, but some products are definitely better than others.

Below are our picks for the best travel soaps – from bar to liquid to, yes, even those that do double duty as a detergent – and containers to pack them in.

How to Choose the Best Soaps for Travel

I always knew there was a difference in scented and unscented soaps, but I had no idea there were so many different travel soap options. The range stretches from soaps that keep us clean or act as laundry detergent to shampoo, dish soap, and the multitaskers that do all of those things at once!

In today’s world, we check labels on the food we consume and the products we purchase. We’re thoughtful of the bigger picture, knowledgeable about the origin of things, and ethically conscious of carbon footprints. We intentionally allow our concern for humanity and the planet to affect our purchasing power. When choosing travel soap, look for:

• Multi-use products
• Organic, natural products
• Products free of fragrances, dyes, parabens and preservatives
• Essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances
• Fair trade products
• Biodegradable
• Eco-friendly options
• Anti-bacterial elements
• Baby-mild/hypoallergenic
• Concentrated soaps

When we travel, we’re careful in our choice of locations, tours, and even luggage . A  travel backpack  allows us to carry everything we need on our own two shoulders and under the seat in front of us. Why wouldn’t we choose travel soaps by the same criteria of portability and packability?

The Best Overall Travel Soap

The best overall soap for travel is Dr. Bronner’s  magic soap. It consistently gets rave reviews from experienced travelers, including the members of Team Tortuga.

This multi-purpose, vegetable-based Castile soap can act as shampoo, soap, deodorant, and shaving cream, laundry detergent, dishwashing soap, insect repellent, and more. Some people even swear by it as toothpaste. It tastes kind of gross.

Multi-use, available in both bar and liquid, concentrated, biodegradable, available world-wide, scented and unscented, fair trade, 100% organic, and not tested on animals; that’s hard to beat.

You can’t go wrong with this magic potion in a bottle or a bar. Buy the big one and take it in a GoToob, or buy it perfectly packaged to fly in a travel-size.

Concentrated & Biodegradable Travel Soaps

These eco-friendly options mean you use less and the soaps breakdown naturally, although they may still contaminate water supplies.

• Campsuds : available in citronella, lavender and peppermint oil, this soap doubles as insect repellent.
• Sea to Summit Trek and Travel Liquid Soap : concentrated, biodegradable, and paraben-free, this liquid soap works well for urban and outdoor adventures alike.
• Lush concentrated soaps : this solid soap is vegan and unpackaged for eco-friendly measures, but also ultra-concentrated–so you get a lot of washes with just a little.

Hypoallergenic & Child Friendly Travel Soaps

If you’ve got allergies, sensitive skin, or are traveling with a child, you might need to use a  GoToob  to take a small amount of your favorite soap. Try these:

• Dove Beauty Bar or liquid soap is hypoallergenic and widely available.
• Neutrogena transparent facial bar is great for people with sensitive skin.
• Babyganics is great for kids and babies.

The Best Travel Laundry Detergents

Your body isn’t the only thing you need soap to clean while traveling. To wash your clothes on the go, these are the best travel detergents:

• Laundry soap sheets (Travelon) : Great for hand-washing clothes in your hotel sink, these sheets rehydrate into soap with a bit of water. Since they’re sheets, they’re TSA-compliant, and super compact.
• Sea to Summit Pocket Laundry Wash : Simply add water to one of these sheets to use as a liquid soap on your laundry.
• Well Earth Sheets : These laundry detergent sheets come in a compostable package, perfect for zero-waste travel.
• The Laundress Wash and Stain Bar : The Laundress specializes in soaps for different kinds of clothing, so it’s no surprise that they have a super-portable bar of soap you can use to wash clothes. Since it’s not liquid, it’s TSA-compliant.

The Best All-in-One Travel Soap Options

All-in-one travel soaps will do it all: hair, body, and face. They even work as travel laundry detergent in a pinch. While our favorite all-in-one travel soap is Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Soap , these are also great options:

• Jack Black All-Over Wash : This liquid soap works as a face and body wash, as well as a shampoo.
• Sea to Summit’s Wilderness Wash : this super-concentrated, all-purpose soap works as a body wash, shampoo, and even for washing clothes and dishes. It’s also biodegradable and safe to use outdoors.

The Best Travel Soap Sheets

For an ultra compact soap option that’s not subject to TSA’s 3-1-1 rule, try a travel soap sheet. Soap sheets rehydrate when wet to create suds to clean yourself with.

• Soap Leaves (Lifeventure) : At roughly the size of a packet of floss, these little soap leaves pack about 50 washes in each container.
• Buly 1803 : These compact, orange scented soap sheets suds into a full wash’s worth of body and face soap with just a bit of water.

Waterless Shampoos & Shampoo Bars

Perhaps you’ve encountered the aerosol “dry shampoo,” but have you seen the no-rinse shampoo that’s a liquid (carry on sized, of course, that requires no water whatsoever? Just apply, lather, and towel dry. Yep. Really.

• No Rinse Shampoo : For when you don’t have any water, use this no-rinse, no-water shampoo to clean your hair on the go.
• Lush Shampoo and Conditioner Bars : Bar isn’t only for bodies. Lush’s shampoo and conditioner bars are like bar soap, for your hair. Like bar soap, they’re great for travel since they aren’t subject to TSA’s 3-1-1 rule.

Best Liquid and Bar Soap Travel Containers

The best travel soap containers will be TSA compliant (for liquid soap) and leak-proof. For bar soap, they’ll ideally also provide a way for soap to dry, rather than sitting in a puddly mess.

Matador FlatPack Soap Bar Case ($13)

This fabric bar soap container is great for travel because it’s ultralight, compact, and won’t get crushed in your bag like a cheap plastic one. It’s also at once leak-proof and breathable – so your soap will dry inside, but not leak all over the inside of your luggage .

GoToob ($7+)

These reusable, silicon travel containers are our go-to for any liquid, gel, or cream – whether it’s soap, shampoo, or sunblock. They’re easy to fill, and even easier to wash between trips. You’ll find a range of TSA-compliant sizes.

Can You Bring Soap in Your Carry On ?

Yes, you can both liquid soap and bars of soap on a plane in your carry on . If you’re traveling with liquid soap, it must follow the  3-1-1 rule and be under 3.4 ounces (100 ml). You can bring bar soap of any size through airport security.

How to Pack a Bar of Soap

When traveling with a bar of soap, don’t just toss it in your toiletry bag. Invest in a reusable container like Matador’s FlatPack Soap Bar Case ($13) to keep it from getting all over your other items. Before you pack it, wipe it down with a towel to avoid any excess moisture in your case. When showering, rest it in a dry spot to help it last longer.

Packing Tips for Travel Soaps

• Squeeze some of your larger liquid soap into TSA approved containers that are 3.4 ounces or smaller, like those by GoToob .
• Pack concentrated soaps into contact lens cases.
• Break down your favorite soap bars into smaller sizes to turn that bar soap into a travel-friendly size.
• Adopt a multi-use soap, like Dr. Bronner’s , for all of your travel needs.
• For those with sensitive skin, test a new soap at home prior to travel. Baby products are often a good choice for sensitive skin
• Check products for allergens (for example coconut oil, argan oil, or other nut based).
• Dr.Bronner’s is the best multi-purpose travel soap for body, laundry, and hair.
• Consider switching to bar soaps to make room for in your liquids bag.
• Use GoToob and Matador travel soap to pack your travel soaps.
• When choosing a travel soap, look for a multi-use product that can double for hair and body, or even laundry.
• Take your skin sensitivities into consideration and always test new soaps at home, before you travel.

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Stacey Ebert is a freelance writer, blogger, educator, yogi and traveler who has adventured through over 50 countries. After a 10-month honeymoon around the world, she started writing about adventure, journey and perspective changing life shifts.

She’s a badass at finding travel discounts, drilling down the details and asking the hard questions. Her work has been featured in both travel and educational publications.

Read more from Stacey

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