By now I’m sure you know all about the TSA’s rules for bringing liquids in your carry-on—and in case you haven’t heard, I’ll go ahead and mention it anyway so you don’t feel awkward (you’re not the only one I’ve encountered who wasn’t aware of this rule!). Often referred to as the 3-1-1 rule, in order to bring most liquids into the cabin of an aircraft, they must be in a container of 3.4 oz/100 ml or less, and they all must fit into one quart-sized bag, and each person is allotted one bag.
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The rule has been in place for a decade now, but I still recall packing for the first time under the new restriction. I felt anxious simply looking at all of the full-size shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and body wash bottles staring at me in my bathroom, so I went out and bought the cheapest empty travel-sized bottles and a box of store-brand quart bags. I filled every bottle to the brim and stuffed my flimsy plastic bag as full as I possibly could.
As you can probably guess, it was a disaster. The bottles leaked and the bag ripped, spilling all kinds of goop into my tote bag. I don’t know about you, but I can list many different things I would rather be doing at the start of my vacation than cleaning my belongings, many of which I shouldn’t have even packed in the first place.
Well, lesson learned.
These days, I try to keep things simple. I bought a sturdy, reusable quart-sized bag and filled it with dedicated mini bottles of the products I actually use every day. After I return home, I assess if any products need to be refilled or replaced, and then I stash them away until the next trip.
While many people choose to buy refillable bottles for travel (and I’m sure the ones on the market have drastically improved over the past decade!), I haven’t bothered trying again. For the must-have things that I use daily at home, I try to snag a miniature version of the product when the maker is running a sale and refill it out of the product I already use.
And for overnight trips or flights on budget airlines, I particularly love those little foil pouches and mini vials that come free with any Sephora order.
So what’s inside my bag this summer?
(note, some links direct to full-size products)
-
- Shampoo (foil pouch, bottle*)
- Conditioner (foil pouch, bottle*)
- Face wash (foil pouch, bottle*)
- Body wash*
- Face sunscreen
- Body sunscreen*
- Hand sanitizer spray*
- Rollerball Perfume*
- Mascara* (yep, technically a liquid!)
- Eyebrow gel
- Eye drops (the best thing to make you look awake after a long flight or waking up at 3:30 a.m.)
- Hair oil
- Hair texture spray* (makes the messy hair after an overnight flight look intentional)
- Foundation
- Face lotion
- Hand cream
- Body lotion
- Micellar water (removes makeup and anything sticky or gross you may accidentally encounter on the airplane)
- Hydrocortisone (the best in a pinch for bug bites, pimples, sunburn, etc.)
Okay, you can go ahead and disqualify me as a minimalist packer because I’ve listed three different lotions above, but packing all of those items works for me as I want to be able to feel as comfortable on the road as I do at home. That being said, there are lots of things that seem essential at home, but for me, they’re really not while I’m traveling. So what’s missing from my bag?
- Serums, oils, night creams, day creams, etc. My routine at home is fairly minimal, but I often alternate or layer skin products each day. However, when we’re on vacation, I keep things as simple as possible.
- Nail polish. You won’t find me sitting in my Airbnb in Paris painting my toenails, that’s for sure!
- Liquid eyeliner, roll-on deodorant, lip balm in a squeeze tube, aerosol dry shampoos, etc. These are items available in non-liquid forms, so when I find a non-liquid version of a product I love, I take full advantage!
- Other first-aid ointments and creams. These are usually just used in an emergency, and many hotels and Airbnbs have them available.
- Bug spray. Unless I’m going to a tropical location or one that has the potential for Zika, I leave this at home. If we encounter bugs, we can always pick some bug spray up at the drugstore.
Final thoughts on packing a liquids bag
Because of the hassle of packing and going through security at the airport, I’m reluctant to give the TSA praise – but in the long run, I think it’s wise to pack your liquids separately from your other items in case of spillage. So for that reason, I always bring my quart bag, even when I’m driving to a destination.
What about the rest of your makeup and stuff? The rest of my toiletries are packed separately in other small pouches, and I place them all into my “personal item” (a Longchamp Le Pliage Tote, in case you’re wondering) for easy access while at the airport. Fortunately, though, we no longer need to worry about pulling out our liquids bags and setting them in the bin, since we have TSA Precheck included with the Global Entry program.
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Questions for you
Have you ever struggled trying to pull together your liquids when carrying your bag on the plane?
What are your tips for surviving the 3-1-1 rule?
*This item is no longer available from the retailer and I've linked a similar product
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