Carry-on skincare: liquid rules, sunscreen and a 4-item kit

Yes, your moisturizer is a liquid at airport security. So are serums, gels, lotions, face oils, liquid foundation, mascara, lip gloss and sunscreen. In the US, and at any UK or EU airport that hasn’t switched to newer scanners, each has to be in a container of 100 mL (3.4 oz) or less, all together in one clear bag of about a liter (a quart in the US). With a couple of solid swaps, though, your whole routine still fits.

Is moisturizer a liquid at airport security?

Yes, and so is pretty much anything you pump, squeeze or scoop. The TSA’s rule covers liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes, and the UK government’s list names creams, lotions, oils, mascara and lip gloss outright. The trap people fall into is the half-empty bottle. The limit is about the size of the container, not what’s inside it, and GOV.UK says it still applies when a container is only part full. So a 150 mL tube with two squeezes left still counts as 150 mL. Decant it, or put it in your checked bag.

The 100 mL rule in 2026: US, UK and EU

This is where things stand, last checked on November 5, 2026. Rules keep changing, so check the airport you’re flying from, every connection and your flight home before you pack.

The tricky part is the round trip. An airport with new scanners might let your 200 mL cream through on the way out, while the airport at the other end still runs the 100 mL rule. Which? makes exactly that point about return flights. If in doubt, pack for the stricter airport.

Bought skincare in duty-free?

Creams and serums bought after security can fly with you in their sealed shop bag, with the receipt inside, and GOV.UK says not to open that bag until your final destination. Connecting through the US? The TSA allows duty-free liquids over 3.4 oz only in a tamper-evident bag with a receipt from the last 48 hours, screens them again, and still recommends packing them in checked bags. Anything that can’t be cleared at that checkpoint stays behind.

Can you bring sunscreen on a plane?

Yes. Lotion, cream and gel sunscreens go in the liquids bag in containers of 100 mL (3.4 oz) or less, and bigger bottles go in your checked bag. Sprays count too: the TSA rule includes aerosols, and the UK list includes sprays. A stick sunscreen is a solid, which isn’t on any of those lists, so it can usually travel outside the bag.

One thing not to do: decant sunscreen into a little pot. The Skin Cancer Foundation says removing sunscreen from its intended packaging isn’t recommended, so buy a travel size, bring a stick or pick up a full bottle when you land. And don’t leave it baking in a rental car. The Foundation’s advice is to keep it somewhere cool and dry, in your bag rather than the car.

A 4-item carry-on skincare kit

The AAD’s travel advice is to make your routine on the road look like your routine at home, using travel-size containers. Four things cover it, and up to three of them can stay out of the liquids bag.

Using a prescription cream? Keep it in your hand luggage, in its labeled box, so a lost suitcase can’t take it with it. Medicines have their own allowance at security in the US, UK and EU.

How to decant skincare without it going off

Wash travel bottles in hot, soapy water and let them dry completely before you fill them. Fill them just before you go, label each one, and don’t top up last trip’s bottle: empty it, wash it and start fresh. Skip the hotel minis, too. The AAD notes they tend to contain fragrance, which can irritate.

If you use Nubia, your routine is already built from the product types on your Shelf, so it doubles as your packing list.

Safety note: If a product stings, burns or brings out a rash while you’re away, stop using it. If the rash hangs around, see a doctor or dermatologist and say where you’ve been.