Women Preppers Reveal £1.25 Beauty Essential for Emergency Go Bags
As global conflicts and supply chain disruptions fuel a surge in stockpiling, British women preparing for potential disasters have disclosed the surprising £1.25 beauty product they consider essential for emergency "go bags." The trend, amplified by Middle Eastern tensions and pandemic experiences, highlights a growing focus on personal hygiene and mental wellbeing in prepping communities.
The Practical Prepper's Approach
Ana, a 41-year-old wife and mother from Wales, has been prepping for years but intensified her efforts during the Covid pandemic when she struggled to find baby formula for her newborn. Her home now features cupboards stocked with flour, oats, lentils, beans, tinned goods, medicines, and cleaning supplies. She preserves food through pressure canning and dehydration techniques.
All her vehicles contain small packs of essentials including water, power banks, warm clothing, waterproofs, snacks, micro cooking stoves, and water filters. However, Ana notes that many amateur preppers overlook toiletries and personal hygiene products—a critical oversight in her view.
As founder of the UK Preppers Club on Facebook, which boasts over 10,000 members, Ana maintains a "minimal and practical" emergency kit containing travel-size toothbrushes, toothpaste, small soap bars, mini deodorants, hand sanitiser, wipes, hair clips, and sanitary essentials. The unexpected inclusion? A simple lip balm costing as little as £1.25.
Hygiene as Mental Health Strategy
"This is where most people get it wrong," Ana explained. "People focus on food and forget that poor hygiene leads to illness, illness reduces your ability to cope, and morale drops fast without basic self-care." With 32,000 followers across Instagram and YouTube, she emphasizes that feeling clean during disruptions—whether supply issues, illness, or being stuck at home—serves as a crucial morale booster.
Ana stores three to six months of hygiene essentials at home, including ten soap bars (£5), six to ten toothpaste tubes (£10-£20), four to six shampoo bottles (£15-£30), four to six deodorants (£10-£20), and minimum three to four months of sanitary items (£15-£25). She avoids stockpiling perfume, large makeup quantities, electricity-dependent products, and trend-based skincare.
Beyond Stereotypes: The New Face of Prepping
Donna Lloyd, a 60-year-old Welsh woman and former military member now working in education, agrees that beauty products can support resilience and mental health during crises. While she doesn't personally stockpile cosmetics, Donna recognizes their potential benefits and secondary uses—tweezers for removing splinters, Vaseline and cotton wool for fire-starting, mirrors for signaling help.
"Prepping is about being prepared, but it is also about problem-solving," Donna noted. "It's about reusing objects in our regular environment that can assist us to thrive and cope in a crisis." Her emergency bag contains a gas camping stove, sleeping bag, head torch, tins, cutlery set, walking poles, brew-making kit, water canteens, warm clothing, first aid kit, multitool, and fire-making equipment.
A Growing Movement Among Women
The prepping community is rapidly evolving beyond stereotypes of "grumpy middle-aged men surrounded by cans of food." Since the pandemic and amid current Middle Eastern conflicts, increasing numbers of women—particularly mothers—are joining prepper Facebook groups seeking guidance on disaster preparedness.
Ana distances herself from apocalyptic scenarios, emphasizing practical preparedness for ordinary challenges: "Economic pressures, price spikes, supply disruptions, storms, power cuts, or simply times when life becomes more difficult financially." She describes preppers as "ordinary, sane people"—gardeners, cooks, teachers, office workers, and families seeking stability.
Global Uncertainty Driving Preparedness
Donna observes that events in Ukraine and the Middle East have prompted many Britons to reassess their safety readiness, particularly given perceived government unpreparedness. A Powys business specializing in prepping tools—from freeze-dried food to axes and gas masks—has reported significant increases in online purchases and in-store visitors recently.
"More and more the message to prep is coming from Eastern Europe," Donna said, citing Poland and Finland's community-focused preparedness approaches. While she wishes for a more peaceful world, Donna advocates practical readiness: "Prepare, be ready for the unexpected, but get on with living and enjoy life."
Both women represent a new generation of preppers who view preparedness not as paranoia but as practical resilience-building—with even a £1.25 lip balm playing its part in maintaining dignity and mental health during uncertain times.
