If you travel — even occasionally — you’ve likely experienced the dread accompanied by the realization that you’ve forgotten to pack your toothbrush and/or toothpaste. Depending on where you are and where you’re staying, running out for replacements may be an option – but it’s not always.
What to do? As I pride myself on my resourcefulness and um, creative off-label uses for various products, I have some brush and/or paste-less solutions to just such a situation. They’re found —where else? — in your beauty bag!
First things first: have you started tongue scraping yet? I have been singing the praises of tongue scraping for years now, and have written a post that is basically an ode to the practice. If you regularly tongue scrape morning and night, I promise your mouth will feel significantly less gnarly over the long term. Also, as a tongue scraping zealot, if I were to forget my toothbrush and/or toothpaste, I would still have yet another mouth cleaning tool in my quiver. (Since a tongue scraper is A LOT harder to purchase in a pinch, I make sure to always have it packed!)
Though nothing replaces that so fresh and so clean clean feeling that a thorough brushing brings, once you scrape all that gunk off your tongue, you won’t feel nearly as bad about your mouth. And don’t get me started on flossing — a much more mainstream way to keep your mouth feeling fresh. Accost me on the street and you will find no less than two types of dental floss in my handbag.
Heaven Skincare’s EllaJane Celebrity Skin Wipes are so big, soft and strong that a recent first-time user elatedly exclaimed “you can do an entire whore’s bath with one”! (Not that we know what that is…but it sure sounds impressive.) These wonder wipes have also become the official skin wipe of Travel Beauty expert Dara Liotta M.D.’s practice.
That’s all swell, but did you know you can also CLEAN YOUR TEETH WITH THEM? Yup, these organic wipes can be used to wipe down those chompers anytime, anywhere. They are super soft and “taste” very mild. Infused with taste bud-friendly honey, peppermint and apple pectin, they are almost good enough to eat (but don’t eat them, please.) Just take a wipe and gently wipe along the outside and inside surfaces of your teeth, focusing on the gum line to attack that plaque, and viola! Your mouth and breath will feel totally refreshed in seconds flat. I can tell you first hand that there is no weird taste or aftertaste…if anything the almost imperceptible flavor is pleasant!
They have also become the official skin wipe of our resident Plastic Surgeon, Dara Liotta, MD’s practice.
One of the most versatile products we carry is Vine Minus Ion Care Water. (We’ve shared all the reasons to love this water here.) You can (and should) spray it anywhere! Face, skin, hair…and even your teeth.
Last but not least: Morihata Binchotan Charcoal toothbrushes! We are so excited to add these unique brushes to Travel Beauty’s virtual shelves. Each bristle of these toothbrushes contains active Binchotan Charcoal to deodorize, prevent bad breath and remove plaque. The activated charcoal gives off negative ions and prevents harmful bacteria from growing within the brush. Rememebred your brush but not your paste? In a toothpasteless pinch, using this brush alone definitely beats brushing with any old Oral B.
By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram: @clairemcmack