working with LAG regulations

After September 11, some of the more annoying regulations to come into effect are the Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (LAG) regulations. It means that you can only carry a limited amount of liquids etc in your carryon luggage. Containers must be 100ml/grams or less, and you can only have as many as will fit into a transparent 1L (approx 20 x 20cm) ziplockable bag.

This isn't a problem if you're travelling with checked luggage, but we like to travel with carryon only, as its so much easier getting around that way, with kids in tow.

Before our last trip, we tried shampoo bars of soap. We were really hopeful and I tried it for about 2 months, but in the end, I just didn't like the feel it gave my hair. I also didn't like the fact that the conditioner used with it is Apple cider vinegar (which I don't particularly like the smell of) and that would mean that we'd have to take that with us (or buy it) because it too is a liquid, which sort of defeated the purpose...

Today I found an interesting product while searching on the web: shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc that comes as dry sheets, meaning that they aren't liquid anymore and therefore not an issue for flying. With a dry hand (interesting idea in a shower) you get the sheets out of the packet to wash or condition your hair. Great idea.

But what I wanted to know was "does it work?"

At Gridskipper - The Worldwide Travel Blog I found a review of the products. There are fifty sheets in each pack, and apparently you need about 6 each time to get a reasonable lather and for it to feel like it is doing something. They go a bit globby, and as for getting them out of the pack with a dry hand while in the shower... So while they sound great in theory, perhaps they're not in practise.

Yesterday I read a tip about toothpaste dots. The idea of these is that you can use a dehydrator to dry little dots of toothpaste that can be rehydrated when you need to use them.

My mind got to wondering... can you dehydrate shampoo and conditioner in the same way, so that you can use a dried "lump" of shampoo or conditioner for each time you want to wash your hair? That way, you know the product already, because you can just use your normal haircare products. But, I wonder if they reconstitute to work in the same way that they would have before they were dehydrated.

Anyone with a dehydrator tried this? Does it work? Anyone want to try it for me?

Surely some hikers have tried this before, as liquids have more weight than dry stuff and hikers have long wanted to reduce the weight they carry - long before general travelling light became fashionable!