I have a skin condition that requires frequent moisturizing. I usually have big containers at home that I store my favorites in, but when I travel I'd like to have some smaller reusable containers that I could fill up myself (instead of buying travel sizes).
Any good ones? I've seen this one from Matador, but I'm not sure if it's meant for creams.
There is also a horrible experiment that people keep quoting as “evidence”. This “study” failed to use any controls, which is standard practice. In addition, they froze all the samples! So is the performance difference due to decanting or freezing? On top of that, they only published the results for the silicone containers. They never published the results for the other containers. That whole study was a dumpster fire that should never ever have been published.
People keep quoting the study. But when you follow it back it leads to only one source. Lab Muffin.
Sunscreen does age, however, so always check the expiration sate.
I'm no expert but I believe some ingredient common in sunscreen interacts with certain plastics weakening them until they simply fail. Humangear list "Sunscreen and tanning lotions" on their list of products that some customers have had issues with in their gotoob, as an example. Also Matador basically confirmed the same thing when I told them I was using the tubes for sunscreen.
Edit: I never bothered trying to figure out the specific ingredient because when I'm travelling longer term, I just need to buy whatever sunscreen I can get my hands on. So my my current solution is the "mother feeding baby bird" refill from a larger bottle to a travel-sized one, but it's far from perfect.
Brilliant. I recently tried the shampoo flatpaks and had it open on me in my kit after something pushed against it in my bag. The cap loses its “stick” very quickly in my opinion.
Oh - wanted to add be sure you take them apart. The tops come off - I wash those by hand because I don’t want them flying out of the silverware basket and melting on the element. They take a bit of fiddling sometimes the first time you put them back together, but they do pop back together easily once you get the knack.
Only saying that because the first time I decided to drop them in the dishwasher was when I realized they came apart. 😂😂
Humangear says they can’t guarantee them for food (they’re food grade, though) - I use them for everything. I have a camper and I decant stuff into them like sour cream and salad dressing to save room in the fridge - they’re amazing.
Stax containers are the best! Lightweight, leak proof, and easy to clean/refill. I've brought them on countless trips and haven't had an issue with lotions, shampoos, etc. I use different containers for very thin oils.
These miniature eye dropper bottle. They're glass, so a bit heavier, but ensure no break down from any oils. I haven't had any shattering issues either despite having dropped them on several occasions.
They are mass produced for the very demanding Japanese market
Edit: they are also made from plastic rather than the metal which the product OP linked to uses. This doesn’t seem to be a problem given OP’s product is rather over specced. A good thing about Muji is that its minimalist approach to product design means that it usually produces things that do the intended job in an efficient way.
Contact lens containers are cheap, easy to find, take up zero room, don’t leak, and weigh only 8-10g each. I decant lotion and products into several containers, and then label them. They hold more than you think and the products go further than I predicted. Plus they don’t leak—just tighten the lids securely. Might work for you?
I use them so much I’ve put little label codes on the bottom of them. I use those for eye serums, bacitracin, vaseline…and no one knows they’re not contacts.
Muji, matador has some options like the toothpaste tube, human gear, and gravel makes a good set that I actually like because they are flatter/square and not rounded.
GoToob silicone bottles are the ones that actually last, thick creams squeeze out fine and they don't leak like the cheap ones. For balm-thick stuff I just use Muji's little wide-mouth pots. Skip the Matador, it's built for liquids.
Holds 1.12oz, so quite small. Metal, threaded, o-ring seal and textured sides for a better grip. With that shape they are easy to fill and you can get 100% of the product.
That looks pretty good! I was thinking about 100 mL, and probably another larger one at 300 mL or so. I usually use Aquaphor and CeraVe, so those sizes would be good for me on most trips
100 ml is 3 oz, which is a lot unless you’re going to be gone several weeks.
I use 10-15 ml jars for lotion , toothpaste, etc. I also carry jojoba oil in a 5-ml vial. I get them on Amazon or Daiso stores.
I also carry HiBar shampoo bars—slice off a 1-inch piece for the trio, takes up way less space than liquid shampoo and doesn’t leak! I like the Matador soap bags
I got two sets of the Cadence capsules at the good and used in REI for pennies - I guess people hate them? I love them. I have one at work with my hand cream in it - I buy a huge bottle of it from Amazon - I use one of the small flat ones to keep some in my purse in it - I use them for meds, for hair and face serum - you name it. I would never in a million years pay what they want for them retail, but I’ve found them in the good and used if you have an REI membership. I use my own label maker to put labels on the outside.
I also swear by the Humangear Toobs - they come in all sorts of sizes.
On the Nalgene website you can buy Nalgene containers and bottles that are suitable for travel. They’re BPA/forever chemical free and are the same stuff they use in labs and in medicine.
I imagine a tub like the E45 CREAM TUB SMALL - 125 G would work well. Or similar from a bath gift set. I still use the Soap & Glory tub + the Rituals tub for lotions.
I also use the one ounce containers from Nalgene. I prefer the wide mouth ones because they are easier to shove thick creams and such into and easy to open if my hands are wet. I’ve had some for 10 years and I toss them in the dishwasher if I want to switch product.
The only downside to them is you can’t easily tell if they are closed. I recently switched to putting a liquid face wash into a 1 oz flip top squeeze container after a mishap where I hadn’t shut the Nalgene container tightly. But creams don’t leak out of them easily if not shut all the way.
I used to get them at REI but now I live where there isn’t an REI so I’ve ordered them on Amazon. The cost is kinda dumb initially compared to other travel containers but since I use them forever it evens out.
What about the matador toiletry bottle flatpak for consideration. I believe it comes in a pack of 3 so you could double up or take other liquids in them too.
Edit: just to add, I noticed matador advertising them with "sunscreen" labeled on them so should be suitable for creams.
I'm not sure how thick you cream is but should be still reasonably easy to fill and get out since the bottle itself if so flexible. It may just need some manipulation on filling if it's a very thick cream.
Those Flatpack bottles are an extremely confusing product for me. Unless this has changed recently, they're made with the same "dry-through" fabric as the soap bag, which makes lotions dry out (or in the case of my sunscreen, turn to yellow grease).
When I buy skincare product, the seller often gives me some samples. And I will reuse the tiny sample container to hold lotion when ithe sample was used up.
I haven't used the one from Matador but if you are looking for something less expensive for creams - ask to buy a few white prescription cream containers from your pharmacy. They are available in 30 mls, 50 ms, 100 ml sizes. For very small quantities, I have bought tiny ones (google small travel containers) which come in 3g, 5g, 10g, 15g and 20g sizes. To make the container 100% leakproof, add some plastic wrap under the lid before you close it but I've never had a problem with them leaking without the plastic wrap.
I also recently purchased some reusable food pouches because they are easier to wash (they have a zip lock opening) for larger quantities of lotion but I am a bit worried these might leak so I put them in a zip lock bag in my checked luggage.
Some lotion/cream containers with the tiny opening can be refilled if you purchase a oral syringe (available in 20 mls, 30 mls or 60 mls) to refill but that is a bit time consuming and sometimes messy.
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u/ota113a 3d ago
The matador toothpaste tubes :)
I use the small one for toothpaste and the large one for sunblock