How to pack toiletries for a flight without losing anything at security

The queue at security is a poor place to find out that your shampoo is too big. It is also a poor place to discover that the bottle of conditioner you decanted last night has leaked through your clean clothes. Toiletries are small and cheap, but they cause more trouble at the airport than almost anything else in a bag.

Know which rules exist

Airports and governments set rules about liquids, gels, creams and aerosols in hand luggage. They cover how big each container can be, how many you can carry and how they need to be packed for screening. The details differ between countries and change over time, so this page does not quote them. Check the rules on the website of your departure airport and of any airport where you change planes, and on your airline's own page, in the week before you fly.

Three things are true in most places, though:

• Liquids in hand luggage are limited by container size, not by how full the container is. A half-empty large bottle can still be refused.
• The rules apply to things you would not call liquids: toothpaste, mascara, hair gel, lip balm in a pot, sun cream, roll-on deodorant.
• Medication and baby food usually have special arrangements, but you may have to show them separately.

Decide: hand luggage or hold

If you are checking a bag, you have far more freedom. Everything goes in the hold, in leak-proof bags, and you skip the container-size question. If you are travelling hand luggage only, your toiletries need to be small, few and easy to take out.

For a short trip, plan to go hand-luggage only and buy anything missing at the destination. For a longer trip, or one with kids, a checked bag may be easier than shrinking your whole routine.

Turn the routine into travel sizes

Think about what you actually use in a week. Most people need:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo and conditioner, or a two-in-one
• Shower gel or soap
• Deodorant
• Face wash and moisturiser
• Sun cream, depending on the destination
• Any skincare you won't skip
• Razor, hairbrush, contact lens solution

For each, find the smallest container that holds enough for the trip. Reusable travel bottles are cheap, light and let you take just the amount you need. Fill them about three quarters full; air in the bottle absorbs the pressure change in the cabin and the hold.

Solid alternatives

Swap liquids for solids where you can. They do not leak, do not count as liquids in most places, and often last longer:

• Shampoo and conditioner bars
• Solid soap in a tin
• Solid deodorant
• Toothpaste tablets
• Solid perfume
• Lip balm and solid sun stick

A tin or a small silicone case keeps them from making everything else damp.

Stop leaks

A leak at 35,000 feet is not dramatic, but it is unpleasant. Four habits prevent most of them:

1. Put a layer of cling film or tape over the opening before you screw the cap on, for bottles you do not fully trust.
2. Pack lids up in the bag, so gravity and pressure do not push liquid out.
3. Use a waterproof pouch, then put that in a second one if you carry anything messy, such as liquid foundation.
4. Leave some space in each container, as above.

Keep the pouch near the top of the bag, where any leak lands on a towel and not on your clothes. Wrapping the pouch in a spare T-shirt makes it a decent cushion for anything fragile too.

Make security easy

If you are in hand luggage, keep the liquids in a clear bag that you can pull out in a few seconds. Many airports provide one, others ask for you to bring your own. Put it in the top of your bag, or in the outer pocket, so it comes out first. You will probably be asked to place it in a tray, apart from the rest of your luggage.

A few smaller points:

• Buy drinks after security. A refillable bottle can go through empty and be filled at a fountain on the other side.
• Declare medicines, and keep them in their original packaging, with a prescription or letter if you have one.
• If you are changing planes, check whether you will be screened again. Anything you buy in a duty-free shop is usually sealed in a bag you must not open until the end of your journey.

What to buy there instead

Almost every destination sells toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant and sun cream. If you are travelling light, buy the bulky or heavy items on arrival, and take only what you cannot easily replace: a particular skincare product, prescription items, or something you react to.

A pharmacy near your accommodation is a useful place to know about on any trip. For anything medical, travelling with medication covers what to carry and how.

Do not forget the extras

• Anything sharp, like razors and scissors, may have size rules. Check them or leave them in the hold.
• Aerosols are often restricted. Roll-on or stick versions avoid the problem.
• Nail polish remover and other flammable products are often restricted. Check the airline's dangerous goods page, or leave them at home.
• Perfume and aftershave count as liquids and may be restricted by size and by type.

Pack for the return too

On the way home your bag is fuller and your bottles are half-used. Keep the pouch in the same place, and leave the empty bottles at the hotel if they are not worth keeping. Souvenirs that are liquid, such as olive oil, wine or perfume, may be refused in hand luggage, so plan to wrap and check them. The page on what not to pack lists more of what trips up travellers at security.

Before you leave the house

Check the liquids rule once more on the day you fly. Make sure the pouch closes, the bottles are labelled, and everything you need within reach of the airport is in the top of the bag.