Lipsticks in Hand Luggage

 

The funny guessing game, what can be brought in your hand luggage and what not, can of course also be played when it comes to lipsticks. Why? What speaks against lipsticks in carry-on luggage? Well, there are solid lipsticks and then there are also liquid lipsticks (gel-based lipsticks) and these could, unfortunately, be classified as a liquid by the security staff at the security check. Some even argue that solid lipstick is not that solid after all… So what about these kinds of lipsticks in hand luggage then? Are solid lipsticks allowed in hand luggage and liquid lipsticks need to be placed into the bag of liquids?

I don’t want to keep you in suspense any longer, so let’s find out together!

 

Can I take a lipstick in my hand luggage?

You may bring lipstick that is in a solid form in your hand luggage. This kind of lipstick is usually not treated as a liquid at the security checkpoint and does, therefore, not need to be placed in the bag of liquids. There are no quantity or size limitations for these kinds of lipstick. 

Lipstick that is in a liquid form, as the name suggests, is considered a liquid and, therefore, needs to be placed in the bag of liquids in order to be transported in your hand luggage. The liquids rule essentially states that all liquids (including gels & aerosols) in hand luggage may only be transported in containers with a maximum capacity of 100 ml each and that these containers (e.g. liquid lipstick) must be stored in a transparent, resealable plastic bag (max. 1-litre capacity). Only one such bag per person is allowed.

 

Lipsticks in Hand Luggage in the U. S.

The rules, as formulated in the last section, refer primarily to the facts as they are handled in the European area (EU), including most Non-EU countries such as Switzerland and Norway. But what about lipsticks in hand luggage in the U. S.?

In the U. S., it is the American Transportation Security Administration, TSA, that is in charge of these kinds of matters. And the TSA says that lipsticks are fine, both in hand luggage as well as in checked luggage.

In the case of lipsticks, the TSA does not provide further information or any details about whether certain kinds of lipsticks fall under the liquids rule or not. This is why I made use of their awesome AskTSA service to ask again: Are all kinds of lipsticks OK in hand luggage and are none of them considered to be liquids?

And the answer to this question was simply that lipstick in solid form is allowed in hand luggage (no size or quantity restriction) whereas lipstick in liquid form is allowed as well but only if placed in the bag of liquids (100 ml per container, one bag per person only, etc.). So the rules for lipisticks in hand luggage are exactly the same as for in the EU. 

 

How about Labello in your hand luggage?

The popular lip balm stick “Labello” from Beiersdorf AG can also be transported in hand luggage, as the Labello is a fixed stick. Accordingly, the Labello pen does not have to be placed in the bag for liquids and can be placed anywhere in hand luggage. Consequently, you do not have to have your Labello checked separately at the security checkpoint.

 

Where do you get that bag of liquids from?

In our article “Bag of Liquids | Hand Luggage | Rules & Where to Buy” you will find all the important information about the bag for liquids and you will find information about what other items need to be placed in this bag and where you can actually buy those bags (online/offline points of sale).

 

Lipstick in checked luggage

If you do have checked luggage as well, it might be a good idea to put all your “liquid cosmetic articles” in there instead of squeezing them in your hand luggage. Why? The reason is simple. There is no “liquids rule” for items in checked luggage and so it generally much easier to carry liquids in checked luggage than in hand luggage.

As for cosmetics in solid form, both checked luggage and hand luggage should just do fine.

 

Related Questions

Do I need to store my lipstick in the bag of liquids?

The general rule is that solid lipstick does not need to go in the bag, while liquid lipstick must be placed in the bag of liquids. However, if you want to play it safe, you should put all kinds of lipstick in the zip-top bag. That way, you will most definitely not get into trouble at the security checkpoint.

Is lipstick considered a liquid when travelling with Ryanair? 

The rules as described in this post generally apply to all flights and airlines, as these rules are generally not “airline-specific. Therefore, the main question is not which airline you are flying with but where you are actually flying from/to. In some cases, there can be different rules according to the country of departure/arrival. Most rules are region specific (for instance in the EU, in the US, etc.). As for lipsticks, the rules as documented in this post are applied in the EU, other European countries, U. S. and most other countries in the world.

Can you bring powder makeup on a plane? 

Powder is not a liquid. Therefore you can bring powder makeup on a plane. If you are travelling to the U. S., however, you will need to respect the “powder rule” that has been introduced last year (2018).

Do wet wipes count as a liquid on the plane?

No, they usually don’t. In the EU as well as in the U.S., wet wipes are usually NOT considered to be liquids and can, therefore, be transported in hand luggage without having to be placed in the bag of liquids. You can find more details about this topic in my post: Wet Wipes in Hand Luggage

Which items need to be placed in the bag of liquids?

Generally, all liquids need to be placed in the bag of liquids. For instance, you would need to place your toothpaste, shampoo & air conditioner in the zip-top bag. Also, aerosols like hairspray and deodorant must be safely packed in the bag of liquids. The same also accounts for cremes and gels such as hand cream & hair gel.

Can you bring Mascara in your Hand Luggage? 

Yes, absolutely. However, Mascara is considered to be a liquid at the security checkpoint. Therefore, the transport will need to take place in a transparent, resealable zip-top bag, the so-called bag of liquids. The Mascara container itself must not exceed 100 ml, as the limit for an individual container, as defined by the liquids rule for liquids in hand luggage, is set t 100 ml per container. Only one such zip-top bag is allowed per person. The maximum capacity of this zipper bag must not exceed 1 liter. You can find more info about the bag of liquids in our post: Bag of Liquids | Hand Luggage | Rules & Where to Buy