Michael Turner
Security limits: Most airports enforce single-container maxima of 100 ml (3.4 oz) and one clear resealable bag per passenger with a capacity of about 1 L (1 quart). Medications, baby formula, and duty-free liquids in tamper-evident bags are exceptions but must be declared at the checkpoint. Batteries and spare power banks belong in hand baggage; power banks up to 100 Wh are normally allowed, 100–160 Wh require airline approval, and terminals should be insulated.
Recommended container strategy: Decant liquids into leakproof PET or silicone bottles marked with capacity (10, 30, 50, 100 ml). For trips of up to 7 days consider: one 100 ml shampoo, one 100 ml conditioner (or a 50 ml + solid bar), one 30–50 ml facial cleanser, one 30–50 ml moisturizer, one 50–75 ml toothpaste or tablets, one 30–50 ml sunscreen (or stick), and a 30–50 ml hand sanitizer. Aim for no more than 6–8 small bottles to fit comfortably in a 1 L pouch.
Minimize liquid volume: Replace items with solids and multi‑use products: shampoo bars instead of bottles, solid deodorant, balm that serves as lip + face moisturizer, and toothpaste tablets. Store medications in original packaging; any medicinal liquids exceeding 100 ml require declaration and proof. Duty-free liquids sealed in a security bag with receipt usually bypass the 1 L constraint for travel to the same destination–retain the sealed bag until arrival and verify carrier rules.
Leak prevention and organization: Use bottles with screw caps + silicone inner seals, double-bag the most leak-prone items, and wrap caps in a small absorbent cloth. Place the clear liquids pouch at the top of the cabin bag for fast removal. Use elastic loops or small modular pouches for brushes, razors, and makeup to prevent crushing. Disposable razors are permitted in hand baggage; razor blades and sharp items should be checked.
Final checklist: verify container volumes in ml and oz, label each bottle, keep one transparent resealable bag only, isolate medications and baby supplies, move power banks and spare batteries into hand baggage, and confirm specific airline or country restrictions 24–48 hours before departure.
Identify which items are classified as liquids, gels or aerosols
Classify as liquid, gel or aerosol any item that flows, spreads, beads, sprays or is stored under pressure – this covers pastes, creams, oils, serums, sprays and pressurized cans.
Typical liquid and gel items
Liquids/gels: toothpaste and tooth gels; mouthwash; shampoos and conditioners; liquid soap and body wash; facial cleansers, moisturizers, serums and creams; sunscreen and after‑sun lotions; liquid foundation, concealer and BB/CC creams; pump or squeeze deodorants and antiperspirants; hand sanitizer (gel or liquid); nail polish and acetone remover; contact lens solution and liquid eye drops.
Aerosols and pressurized products
Aerosols: hairspray, dry‑shampoo aerosols, spray deodorants, shaving foam and gel in pressurized cans, aerosol sunscreen, aerosol insect repellent, compressed air dusters. Medical inhalers are pressurized as well and commonly allowed with screening or documentation.
Borderline items and exceptions: solid bar soap, solid shampoo bars, solid stick deodorants, lipsticks, solid balms and powder cosmetics are usually treated as solids; wet wipes are generally accepted as solids though heavy saturation can prompt extra screening. Liquid medications, baby milk/formula and baby food often receive exemptions when declared for inspection. Liquids purchased after security in tamper‑evident sealed bags with receipts are typically permitted beyond standard container limits. Many authorities restrict net quantity and flammability of aerosols – consult the specific carrier and national rules before travel.
Measure and decant into 100 ml / 3.4 oz travel bottles and label them
Measure with a calibrated syringe or graduated cup (10–60 ml graduations) and decant into clear 100 ml / 3.4 oz leakproof bottles; leave ~1 cm headspace to allow for pressure changes.
Recommended containers: PET, HDPE or food‑grade silicone bottles with screw caps and inner seals; avoid glass and non‑resealable dispensers. For foams and pumps choose dedicated foamer or pump caps sized to the 100 ml body. Use heat‑shrink tamper bands or waterproof tape over the cap for leak prevention.
Labeling format: Product name – concentration or SPF if applicable – open date (MM/YY) – brief use icon. Example labels: “Face wash – 10% AHA – OP 08/25” or “Sunscreen SPF50 – OP 06/25”. Apply pre‑printed waterproof stickers or write with a permanent marker, then cover with clear packing tape for abrasion resistance.
Quality checks: after filling and sealing, invert each bottle for 5 minutes and visually inspect for seepage. Store bottles together inside a secondary sealed pouch or small rigid case sized to fit the airline allowance (single transparent resealable bag up to ~1 L, ~20×20 cm, commonly required). For convenience and asset protection, consider pairing the kit with a tracking device such as best luggage tracker for android users.
Consolidate all liquids in a single clear resealable quart-size bag
Place all liquid items in one transparent resealable quart-size bag and keep it accessible for security screening.
Bag specifications
Use a bag sized roughly 7 × 8 in (18 × 20 cm) for US quart equivalence (≈0.95 L); many international checkpoints accept a 1 L (20 × 20 cm) variant. Choose durable TPU, PEVA or thick PVC with a slider closure; aim for 3–4 mil thickness (≈0.08–0.10 mm) to resist punctures. Reusable TSA-compliant bags with a stamped capacity listing speed processing.
Organization and leak control
Arrange containers upright with caps tightened; heavier items at the bottom, slim bottles standing to minimize movement. Wrap screw caps with a small square of cling film and secure with tape, or use silicone sleeves for extra grip. Place absorbent paper or a thin microfiber cloth inside to catch minor spills; double-bag any creams, gels or aerosol cans prone to leakage. Remove excess air from the bag before sealing to create a flatter profile that fits in the cabin bag pocket and reduces pressure changes during ascent. Keep duty-free purchases sealed in their tamper-evident bag with the receipt visible and present them separately if required by the airline or security staff.
Replace bulky liquids with solid bars, tablets and powder alternatives
Swap liquid shampoo and shower gel for one 30–50 g solid shampoo bar and a 25–40 g soap bar; typical solid shampoo lasts 40–60 washes (roughly 2–3 months), replacing three 250 ml bottles and saving ~700 g of weight.
Specific swaps and quantity guidance
Shampoo: 30–50 g bar – bring 1–2 bars for a week-long trip; bars dry between uses if stored in a ventilated tin. Conditioner: solid conditioner or cream bar, 20–30 g per bar; one bar equals ~6–8 liquid conditioners (250 ml).
Tooth care: toothpaste tablets – 1 tablet per brush; a 60-tablet jar replaces two 100–ml tubes and weighs ~40–60 g. Floss and interdental picks are already compact substitutes for mouthwash where possible.
Deodorant: solid stick or balm, 40–60 g stick lasts 3–4 months; a 15–25 g travel tin is sufficient for a week. Fragrance: solid cologne tins (5–15 g) replace 30–100 ml spray bottles.
Face/body cleansing: cleansing powders (10–20 g per week) and facial cleansing bars (10–20 g) cut volume; one 50 g powder sample handles 2–3 weeks at 1–2 g per wash. Dry shampoo: 1–2 g per use – a 25 g jar covers ~2 weeks.
Shaving: shaving soap puck (20–30 g) plus synthetic travel brush; one puck equals several cans of foam. Laundry: concentrated laundry tablets (1–2 tablets per load) eliminate bulky detergent bottles – 10 tablets fit in a small zip pouch.
Storage, handling and screening notes
Use ventilated metal tins or slotted soap cases to let bars dry; wrap tablets in a small hard pillbox or resealable micro-bag to prevent moisture. Place powders in 10–30 g screw-top jars or single-use sachets; label with ingredient and weight (e.g., “Dry shampoo – 25 g”).
Solid products typically avoid liquid restrictions during screening; however, strongly-scented solids may receive additional inspection. For allergy-sensitive skin, choose fragrance-free formulations and note active ingredients (e.g., sodium lauryl sulfate-free, 0.5% salicylic acid max for exfoliants).
Example space/weight savings: one 40 g shampoo bar + 30 g soap bar + 40 g deodorant tin totals 110 g versus three 250 ml bottles (~750–900 g), freeing ~640–790 g and several inches of volume.
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Arrange and place the wash kit for quick removal at security
Place the clear quart-sized resealable bag flat in the most accessible external or top-access compartment of the cabin-sized bag, zipper facing the opening so the closure is exposed for one-handed retrieval.
Recommended pocket dimensions and orientation
- Quart bag typical size: ~7 x 8 in (18 x 20 cm). Choose a pocket ≥9 x 10 in (23 x 25 cm) to avoid folding and allow rapid slide-out.
- Position the bag flat, not rolled; keep the sealed edge closest to the main opening or front zipper for immediate grip.
- Use a short, stiff backer (thin plastic folder or a rigid clear sleeve) behind the resealable pouch to prevent flopping and to make it glide into the security tray.
Quick-access modifications and small accessories
- Clip a small carabiner or elastic loop through the bag’s zipper pull and attach to an interior D-ring–detach in one motion instead of fishing through pockets.
- Add a colored tab or high-visibility zipper pull to distinguish the bag among other items at a glance.
- Store tiny items (contact lens case, lip balm) in a transparent coin pouch inside the quart bag to avoid loose items scattering at the checkpoint.
- Before reaching the scanner, open the top flap of the cabin bag so the pocket is exposed and reachable with one hand.
- Slide the flat quart bag directly into the security tray zipper-first; keep electronics and large items separate to avoid delays.
- After screening, slide the backer and bag straight back into the same pocket, zipper toward the opening; clip back the carabiner for travel-ready placement.
Medications, Infant Supplies and Duty-Free Liquid Exceptions
Keep prescription medications in their original, pharmacy-labelled containers with a printed prescription or physician letter; present them separately at security and declare any liquid doses exceeding 100 ml for secondary inspection.
Prescription drugs and medical devices
Liquid medicines: not subject to the 100 ml limit when declared as medication. Recommended documentation: original bottle label, prescription, and a brief note from the prescriber for controlled substances. Insulin and injectables: allowed in hand carriage with needles/syringes if accompanied by a prescription or letter; place sharps in a puncture-resistant case and request manual inspection if alarmed during screening. Temperature-sensitive meds: use an insulated case with frozen gel packs; if gel packs defrost at screening, request alternative screening rather than disposal. Pocket inhalers and nebulizer solutions: allowed beyond the 100 ml rule if declared; carry device and medication separately for testing.
Infant feeds, baby supplies and duty-free purchases
Baby food, formula, breast milk and sterilized water: permitted in quantities required for the journey and are exempt from the 100 ml restriction when declared. Frozen breast milk and pumped milk may undergo explosive trace screening or visual inspection; keep samples accessible and have measuring bottles clearly labelled. Baby medicines and baby food should be in original packaging when possible; combine small jars into a single, clearly separated bin for inspection.
Duty-free liquids bought beyond security must remain in a tamper-evident sealed bag (STEB) with the original receipt visible to qualify for the exemption. If a transfer involves a re-screening point that will open the STEB, expect the possibility of secondary screening or restriction; verify transfer-country and airline rules before departure. For weather-sensitive infant gear, consider a compact travel umbrella – see best umbrella for wind kolumbo for a wind-resistant option.
FAQ:
Can I bring full-size shampoo and conditioner in my carry-on?
Airport security limits liquid containers to 3.4 oz (100 ml) each, and all such items must fit inside a single quart-size clear resealable bag per passenger. Most full-size bottles exceed that volume, so they won’t meet the rule. If your bottles are 3.4 oz or smaller and fit in the bag, you may carry them. To save space, transfer product into travel-sized containers or use solid alternatives such as shampoo bars. Items bought after security in duty-free shops are generally allowed in carry-on if they remain sealed in the tamper-evident bag with the receipt.
How can I stop liquid toiletries from leaking in my carry-on?
Tighten caps and close pump tops with their locking collars. For extra protection, place a piece of plastic wrap or cling film under a screw cap before closing it, then secure the cap. Put all liquid items inside a sealed zip-top bag and position that bag in the center of your carry-on, surrounded by clothing to cushion it. Use travel bottles with leakproof valves or silicone bottles with secure lids. Carry-on spills can be reduced further by keeping heavier bottles upright and by placing a small absorbent towel or packet near them. If an item is prone to spilling, consider replacing it with a solid version or check it in.
Are aerosol sprays and medical inhalers allowed in cabin luggage?
Personal aerosol cans such as travel-size deodorant or hair spray are permitted if each container is 3.4 oz (100 ml) or smaller and fits in the single clear bag. Flammable aerosols and pressurized containers with hazardous contents are banned. Medical inhalers and other necessary medications are usually exempt from the liquid container limit; carry them in their original packaging if possible and be prepared to declare them at security. Rules can vary by airline and country, so check with your carrier or the airport security website before flying.
Will solid toiletries and powders avoid the liquid restrictions?
Yes. Solid items—bar soap, shampoo bars, solid deodorant, solid perfume, and toothpaste tablets—are not counted as liquids and can be carried without the liquid bag. Fine powders and dry goods are treated differently: some airports require powders over 12 oz (around 350 ml) to undergo additional screening and may ask you to put them in checked baggage. If you prefer to minimize screening delays, choose compact solid products or keep powder containers under the 12 oz threshold.
