To help make you extra comfortable in your camper van here are 5 natural products that we recommend, and use on a daily basis living van life.
Van life for me is about having the freedom to explore, and spend time surrounded by nature whilst having all the comforts of home. Since we live in a tiny space, I find it important to only use natural materials in order to maintain a healthy interior climate. One of my favourite items in the van is my 100% wool throw, which is wonderful for curling up on the couch with.
Omnia Oven for Baking in a Camper Van
I absolutely love home baked goods, and whenever I read the ingredients list on prepackaged cookies I am horrified. Before we started van life I had seen so many different van lifers use, and rave about, the Omnia oven that I have to confess I was a bit sceptical. I was also worried that the non-stick insert sold by Omnia would use a Teflon (PFAS) coating. Luckily the insert is made with enamel, and works extremely well, just make sure to oil or butter it up a little before putting in your batter. The oven itself also works brilliantly, I was honestly shocked at how well it worked the first time I used it.
The only downside to the Omnia oven is that you have to use it on a gas stove. It will technically work on an induction cooktop, since it’s magnetic, but the oven design relies on the ‘inefficiency’ of a gas stove to heat the sides properly. When we were travelling in Turkey we used it a lot to heat up leftovers from dinner to have for lunch. It did a great job heating up Turkish pide, making them both crisp and hot. They are also great for heating up Greek Bougatsa, and making them taste as if they were straight out of the bakers oven.
Linseed Oil Soap as a Natural Multi-Purpose Cleaner & Shampoo
We discovered linseed oil soap a couple of years ago when we were converting our first van in Sweden, and wanted to find a Castile soap that did not cost an arm and a leg. I was sceptical at first, but I have since fallen in love with it. We even made sure to buy 10 litres of concentrated linseed oil soap before we left Sweden, so we wouldn’t run out when travelling. It’s a natural soap that has been used for centuries. One of the big benefits of the soap is that it is quite oily, this means that it doesn’t dry out your skin, unlike the cheap commercial soap you find in public bathrooms, and offices. I used to use Burt’s Bees Beeswax or Beaver Balm on my hands constantly, as my hands would dry out very quickly. Since switching to linseed oil soap, I no longer have to moisturise my hands constantly.
In Sweden, linseed oil soap was also a traditional method of cleaning, and treating hardwood floors, as over time it makes the floors more wear resistant, and gives it the traditional ‘white washed’ look that has become increasingly popular. We actually used this method for treating the hardwood floors in our 1993 Mercedes 711D van conversion.
Living in a van, space is at a premium, so I decided to experiment with using linseed oil soap as a shampoo. The verdict is, it works amazingly well, and I have completely stopped using commercial shampoo or conditioner, and instead use linseed oil soap as an all in one shampoo, and conditioner. Because the soap is fatty it stops my scalp from becoming dry, and I also feel that it has improved the feel and strength of my hair. For the ladies out there, I can also confirm that in concentrated form it works great as a natural shaving gel replacement for shaving your legs. We also use it as laundry soap, and dish soap. In other words, it’s one soap to rule them all.
Cozy Wool Blanket for Enjoying Van Life
Living in a van means that you are always going to be a little more exposed to the weather. So on a chilly summer or spring evening, it’s wonderful to snuggle into a warm throw.
I bought my throw from Woolroom, and have been very happy with it. The key is to look for a throw that is 100% wool, as a lot of companies will try to make an extra profit by mixing the wool with polyester. Not only does a wool throw keep you warm, and cosy on chilly days, but it also adds a touch of home to the van.
Warm Wool Slippers
Unless you have in floor heating in your van, then chances are it is going to get a little cold, even if you insulate it, especially when it’s snowing, and -22 °C outside. On those days it is extremely important to keep your feet warm, or you will be miserable.
For a while now I have been using a pair of knock off UGG boots that I bought at Costco, but although super comfortable, they are a bit too big for a van. Instead I would recommend something like these wool felt slippers, that are more durable, and will keep your feet cozy, and warm.
A Good Quality Argan Oil
Have you ever looked at the ingredients list on a commercial moisturiser? If you can read the tiny print, chances are you will see a lot of words that make no sense to you, unless you have a science degree. Many years ago I decided that instead of using a commercial product where the natural ingredient was number four or five on the ingredients list, with the rest being filler, I would just find, and use the natural ingredient itself. It sounds obvious, but it was really an epiphany moment for me after having spent so many years being subjected to marketing for beauty products.
As an excellent all round moisturiser that has lots of vitamin E to help restore my skin, I settled on using Argan oil. I use about two to three pumps of Argan oil every morning, and evening, which is sufficient to moisturise my face, neck, chest, and hair. It’s a completely natural product so I don’t have to worry about any chemicals leaching into my skin, and it soaks in quickly without leaving a sticky residue. If space or money is tight, and you want to use a product that you already have in your kitchen then you can also use organic coconut oil, or organic extra virgin olive oil. If you use the latter, be very sparing as it takes a while to soak into your skin.
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