How to Pack Toiletries in Your Carry-On (TSA Rules)

Packing toiletries for a carry-on trip is one of the most common sources of airport stress — and one of the most avoidable. TSA confiscated more than 600,000 bottles of oversized liquids in 2024 alone. Most of those belonged to travelers who either didn't know the rules or assumed their products would slide through. This guide gives you the complete picture.

The TSA 3-1-1 Rule Explained

The 3-1-1 rule is simple in principle:

• 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less per container
• 1 quart-sized clear, zip-top bag
• 1 bag per passenger

Anything that flows, spreads, squirts, or is gel-like counts as a liquid. That includes shampoo, conditioner, face wash, lotion, toothpaste, lip gloss, mascara, foundation, sunscreen, mouthwash, hair gel, and shaving cream. If it would spill if you tipped it upside down, it's a liquid.

The quart bag must be removed from your carry-on and placed in a separate bin at the checkpoint. A standard quart zip-lock bag holds about eight to ten small containers if you pack efficiently.

What Goes in the Quart Bag

Focus on products you can't easily replace at your destination or products where solids aren't practical:

Must-haves for most travelers:

• Toothpaste (travel-size tubes are widely available)
• Face moisturizer or sunscreen (decant into a small refillable bottle)
• Contact lens solution (if you wear contacts — this can get bulky)
• Prescription liquid medications (these are exempt but still worth flagging)
• Hair styling product if you use one

Skip if you can:

• Full-size shampoo and conditioner (go solid or use hotel products)
• Mouthwash (use airport or hotel toothpaste more, or grab a small bottle after security)
• Perfume (unless under 3.4 oz — airport duty-free buys can go in a sealed bag)

Solid Alternatives That Beat the Quart Bag Rule

The biggest shift in travel toiletries over the past five years has been the quality of solid products. They no longer mean compromise.

Solid shampoo bars from brands like Ethique, Lush, and HiBar work just as well as bottled shampoo on most hair types. One bar lasts as long as two to three bottles. They go in your main bag with no restrictions.

Solid conditioner bars have caught up with liquid versions. If you have fine hair, look for a lightweight formula. For thick or curly hair, some travelers still prefer a small amount of liquid leave-in conditioner (under 3.4 oz).

Solid deodorant has no restrictions regardless of form — stick, crystal, or paste in a tin. Spray deodorant counts as a liquid.

Solid sunscreen sticks (SPF 50 from Neutrogena, Supergoop, or Coola) are TSA-compliant and surprisingly effective for face and body. They're especially useful on beach trips where you'd otherwise blow your entire liquid allowance on sunscreen.

Toothpaste tablets are a solid alternative to tubes. Brands like Bite and Archie's work well. No quart bag needed.

Beauty Products: What Security Actually Flags

The checkpoint is where beauty routines get complicated. Here's what actually causes problems:

Foundation and tinted moisturizer — liquid or cream formulas are subject to 3-1-1. Powder foundation has no restriction.

Mascara — counts as a liquid. Keep it under 3.4 oz (almost all mascaras are well under this, typically 0.3–0.5 oz).

Lip gloss and liquid lipstick — count as liquids. Most tubes are small enough, but if you carry five or six, they take up quart bag space. Matte lipstick bullets are solids.

Setting spray — liquid. Decant into a small bottle or buy a travel size.

Dry shampoo — aerosol sprays are subject to 3-1-1 by volume. Powder dry shampoos (like Batiste Dry Shampoo Powder) are exempt.

Sheet masks — typically contain liquid serum. TSA officers can flag them. Pack them in your quart bag or be prepared to remove them for inspection.

Perfume — liquid. Most travel-size perfumes are 0.5–1 oz, which fits easily. Solid perfume in a compact is not subject to the rule.

Best Mini Containers for Decanting

Buying travel-size products at full retail price is expensive over time. Decanting your regular products into reusable bottles saves money and lets you use products you trust.

Look for GoToob+ silicone bottles (available in 1.25 oz and 3 oz sizes) — they're leak-proof, easy to fill, and durable. The wide opening makes them easy to clean.

Humangear GoTubb small containers work well for thicker creams and balms.

Nalgene 1 oz dropper bottles are good for serums and oils.

Label everything with a small piece of medical tape and a Sharpie. After a trip, you'll forget what's in which bottle.

What Airlines Confiscate Beyond TSA

International flights add a layer of complexity. Many countries have their own liquid rules that mirror TSA's, but enforcement varies.

UK and EU airports apply a 100 ml per container rule identical to TSA's. Enforcement at places like Heathrow and Frankfurt tends to be strict.

Australia applies the same 100 ml rule and is particularly vigilant about food products (jams, sauces, honey) — which count as liquids.

Japan enforces 100 ml rules and also screens duty-free liquids purchased in transit if you have a connecting flight.

Duty-free purchases: If you buy liquids after security in an airport, they must be in a sealed, tamper-evident bag (STEB) to pass connecting airport security. Keep the receipt in the bag. This matters most if you're flying home through a third country.

Packing the Quart Bag Efficiently

Lay out everything you plan to bring before you pack. You'll almost always find things to cut.

Put the quart bag in an outer pocket of your carry-on so you can grab it quickly at security without unpacking everything. A dedicated toiletry pouch for your solids and non-liquids keeps the rest organized.

If you're traveling with a partner and you're both overstuffed on liquids, combine into one shared quart bag and carry fewer redundant products. You're each allowed one bag, so two travelers can carry two bags between them.

The goal: get to a point where your quart bag is half empty. That leaves room for purchases, flexibility, and the inevitable spill inside the bag itself.