Whether you’re flying hundreds of miles to be home for the holidays, jetting off for a quick business trip, or finally taking that bucket list vacay you’ve always dreamed of, there’s one thing that you’ll likely be packing despite the destination and that’s makeup. It’s not always as easy as throwing your favorite foundation, concealer, setting spray, etc. in a bag and calling it a day because certain rules exist for traveling with liquids on a plane. The rules are important to be mindful of, especially if you’ll be traveling with a carry-on bag, to ensure your makeup faves make it to your destination. To help ease your travel woes, Maybelline has done the legwork for you and answers all your burning “traveling with makeup” questions below.
Can You Bring Makeup on a Plane?
Yes, you can definitely bring makeup on a plane. The rules of how much makeup you can bring on a plane vary from airport to airport, and you will find that other countries have varying guidelines in terms of the amount of makeup/liquids you can travel with. Packing according to their rules and regulations will ensure that you can breeze past security without having your precious makeup products confiscated.
In the United States, TSA counts most cream-based and liquid makeup products as liquids on a plane. This goes for liquid foundation, concealer, cream blush, mascara, and other similar items.
Understanding TSA Liquid Rules for Carry-Ons
When travelling with carry-on luggage (or bringing beauty products on the plane), liquids, gels, and aerosols must be in containers of 100 mL (3.4 oz) or less and placed in a single clear, resealable 1-L bag. This is famously known as the TSA 3-1-1 liquid rule. This regulation is designed to limit the amount of liquids, aerosols, and gels you can bring on board.
The “3” refers to the maximum container size, which is 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters. All of your liquid beauty products must be in containers of this size or smaller. The first “1” means all these small containers must fit comfortably inside one single, clear, quart-sized bag. You’ll need to remove this bag from your carry-on luggage and place it in a separate bin for X-ray screening.
What Qualifies as a Liquid According to TSA?
You might be surprised by what the TSA considers a liquid. It’s not just runny items; the rule applies to anything that lacks a completely solid form. This includes creams, pastes, lotions, and gels. For instance, while a traditional lipstick is considered a solid, a squeezable lip gloss or one with a wand applicator is not. The same applies to foundation, concealer, and even mascara.
Mascara is considered a liquid, as is anything deemed 'spreadable.' Cream makeup is also considered a liquid when flying, so it falls under the 3-1-1 rule.
Can You Bring Powder Makeup on a Plane?
Yes, you can take powder makeup on a plane. In fact, it can be less stressful to travel with mostly powder products rather than liquid ones. Items like pressed or loose powder foundations, blush, bronzers, and eyeshadow palettes are not subject to the 3-1-1 rule. You can pack them in your carry-on bag without worrying about container size restrictions.
Just note that TSA encourages travelers to place non-essential powders greater than 12 oz. If you have a powder product larger than 12 oz (350 ml)-roughly the size of a soda can-the TSA may require it to undergo additional screening.
What About Makeup Tools and Accessories?
Your makeup tools and accessories are generally easy to travel with. Makeup brushes, blending sponges, and eyelash curlers are all permitted in both your carry-on and checked luggage without any specific restrictions. However, some tools with sharp points require a bit more attention. While tweezers and nail clippers are allowed in your carry-on, it’s a good practice to ensure any sharp items are securely wrapped or sheathed. For certain sharp items, it’s best to place them in your checked bag to be safe.
Tips for How to Pack Your Makeup for Travel
Because of the travel regulations that TSA and other government agencies have in place, it is in your best interest to pack smart. A smart packing strategy will not only keep you compliant with airport regulations but also protect your cosmetics from spills, leaks, and breakage.
Opt for Makeup Palettes
One easy way to get around the hassle of traveling with makeup is by packing makeup palettes. There’s no limit to how many you’re allowed to bring, and being that makeup palettes offer multiple shades of makeup-from eye shadow to blush, and more-you’ll be able to create endless looks with just a few palettes.
- Expert Wear® Eyeshadow Quads: These quads come with four shadows that literally say where to apply each formula: “base,” “lid,” “crease,” and “liner,” which are especially helpful for a makeup novice.
- FaceStudio® Master Blush Kit: This palette of three blushes and a highlighter is a perfect travel companion, allowing you to switch up your blush while on-the-go and save space.
The City Mini® Eyeshadow Palette is about the size of a credit card, so you can easily slip it into any carry-on bag or purse.
Prioritize Multi-Use Products
A great way to save space is by choosing multi-purpose products. For example, a lip and cheek stick can serve as both a blush and a lipstick, eliminating the need to pack two separate items. This selective approach not only makes packing easier but also simplifies your routine while you’re away.
- Instant Age Rewind® Eraser Concealer: This do-it-all concealer can be used as a concealer, a brightening color corrector, and a contour. Plus, it’s ultra-moisturizing.
- Sunkisser Liquid Blush and Bronzer: This multi-use formula will make it look like you’ve spent your days basking in the sun.
- Ilia Multi-Stick: Formulated to be used on lips, cheeks, and eyes, this stick provides a dewy wash of color anywhere you need it.
- Charlotte Tilbury Quick & Easy 5-Minute Look: This kit includes a mini eyeshadow stick, lip and cheek stick, and highlighter stick, all fitting nicely in a travel makeup bag.
Instant Age Rewind Perfector® is another great multitasking face makeup product that’s only 0.68 ounces, falling way under the 3.4oz limit. It can be used as a primer, concealer, BB cream, and/or highlighter.
Embrace Solid Formulations
If a product comes in a powder instead of a liquid, you can guarantee you’re bringing it on a trip. This hack allows you to bring all of your extra-very-important beauty steps without sacrificing the precious space in your 1 qt. liquids bag. Nowadays, a lot of products-exfoliators, cleansers, body washes, serums-come in powders that you can just mix with water to get your desired effect. I also opt for powders over aerosol cans for hair products like texturizing spray and dry shampoo.
When in doubt, grab a solid version of your favorite products and call it a day. Look for shampoo and conditioner bars, sunscreen sticks, toothpaste tablets, and solid soaps and facial cleansers.
- The Rootist Dry Shampoo Powder: This talc-free formula is applied with a built-in brush and instantly absorbs oil, sweat, and odors without any telltale residue.
- Sun Bum Sunscreen Face Stick SPF 30: With a solid sunscreen stick, you can save room in your liquids bag. This broad-spectrum sunscreen is water-resistant and small enough that you can toss it in your purse.
- Ember Wellness Sculpt & Glow Bar: This moisturizing bar is shaped like a gua sha tool.
Utilize Samples and Refillable Bottles
If you’re anything like me, you have a stash of beauty samples stockpiled somewhere in your home, and traveling is the best time to use them. Bring all of your sample shampoos and conditioners, foundations, primers, perfumes, cleansers, and more any time you leave your house. These take up practically no space and are perfect for short trips when you’ll only need to wash your face a handful of times. Hoard all of your sample perfumes for this exact reason; there’s no reason to ever bring a full-size perfume with you on a trip.
Having refillable travel-size bottles on hand for your favorite cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, and more will not only make the days before your trip easier but will also ensure you have the best skin and hair you could ask for on your trip. The key is to fill as much as you actually think you’ll use. If you’re only going away for three days, you probably won’t use up a full 3 oz.
Invest in good quality travel-size bottles and fill them with your favourite full-size liquid skincare products. If you don't have containers on hand and your go-to products are bestsellers, you'll likely be able to get your hands on minis.
Pack Smartly with Organization
To keep your packing organized and make the airport screening process as smooth as possible, it’s best to pack your powder makeup and tools in a separate pouch from your liquids. Use a good-quality makeup bag, preferably one that is waterproof and easy to wipe clean, for your powder makeup, makeup brushes, and other accessories.
Some airports will require that all of your liquids fit in one clear plastic bag- TSA says that all of the liquids that you’re traveling with in your carry-on must fit in 1 quart sized, clear, plastic, zipped bag- so it’s smart to have that handled before departure. By keeping all of your makeup in a clear bag, it makes it easier for you and a security agent to see what you packed without having to rummage through your packed bag.
Much like it helps to know what you’re going to be wearing clothes-wise on a trip, knowing which makeup you want to wear will make traveling easier, too. Some people like to snap pics of each outfit or take notes of the items that pair well together, so we suggest extending the same practice to your makeup.
Because liquids are usually the culprit for setting off the x-ray machines when your bag goes through, it can be helpful to separate your liquid makeup from your solid makeup. Packing your makeup tools separately goes hand in hand with separating your liquid makeup from solid makeup. The less clutter you have surrounding your liquid products, the more streamlined your security experience will be.
Pro tip: Keep your toiletry bag in your personal item for quick access when going through security.
Coordinate with Travel Companions
Not everyone on your girls’ trip needs to bring their own personal Dyson Airwrap, flat iron, 1 in. curling iron, hairspray, and dry shampoo. If you’re going on a trip with other people, coordinate with each other before packing so everyone isn’t bringing doubles. Have one person bring a flat iron, one bring a blow dryer, one bring a curling iron, and another bring dry shampoo.
Consider Using Contact Solution Cases
Arguably my most genius hack of all time (you’re welcome), I keep contact solution cases in my travel drawer at all times to use for filling up travel sizes of foundation, concealer, powder-any makeup products I own that I don’t need to bring the full container of. A contact case is the perfect size to fit enough makeup for a few days, and it saves me tons of space in my liquids bag (or overall makeup bag in general).
What About Checked Luggage?
Conversely, if you need to bring full-sized liquid products or simply don’t want to bother with travel-sized containers, packing them in your checked suitcase is the easiest solution. In checked luggage, there are no restrictions on the amount or size of your liquid makeup.
It’s also important to keep in mind that traveling with glass bottles can get heavy quickly, so if you have multiple, you may want to transfer to plastic bottles. Some airlines will also have a weight limit for your bag, so this comes into play there, too.
Final Checks Before Heading to the Airport
Before you zip up your suitcase, do one final review to ensure everything is packed according to TSA standards. This last check can save you from stress and potential issues at the security checkpoint. Run through this quick checklist to confirm you are ready to go. If any of your items exceed the carry-on liquid limits, you’ll likely have to surrender them.
Remember to select only what you need, use TSA-approved containers, and double-check your items before heading to the airport. With the right preparation, you can keep your beauty routine intact while traveling.