Have traveled abroad quite a bit in the last 5 years. Am wondering, has anything changed regarding ladies items like hard pressed eye shadow and face powder? I'm still having trouble figuring how TSA thinks my Revlon lipstick, mascara and last darkener can be a threat, but have always dutifully put it in my plastic zip lock. The past several trips I haven't had one bit of trouble with regular lip stick and chap stick, it goes right through in my purse.
Dee
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
The TSA website has the latest info about any changes that might have occurred.
Click here:
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10629 posts
Eye shadow and face powder? Those aren't liquids. If your lipstick is in a tube with an applicator you pull out to apply it, it is considered a liquid. The same with mascara. I'm not sure what last darkener is.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
"I'm not sure what last darkener is."
I assume it's lash darkener, after Auto-Correct got through with it.
As said above, it the lash darkener is a liquid that requires a wand to apply (like mascara), it needs to be in your 3-1-1 bag. If it's a solid (like a pencil), it doesn't.
Powders like the two you asked about do not need to go in the 3-1-1 bag. This is not a change in the last 5 years; they were never considered liquids.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10629 posts
Lash darkener - that makes sense Harold. I guess I don't spend enough time in the make-up section. I thought mascara was a lash darkener. Does that mean one is meant to wear both?
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10672 posts
Powders set off alarms because the anthrax was in powder. They swab your case if powder is detected. That stopped my use of talcum while traveling.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
I have never put chapstick, mascara, or powder makeup in the quart bag with my other liquids and creams and have never had any enquiries about them. (But don't keep them in your pockets when you go through an x-ray body scanner; you can't even have a Kleenex.)
Posted by
San Jose
1194 posts
Per the TSA website, solid lipstick isn't an issue but the liquid lip gloss would qualify. If it flows, it goes... into the bag. So yes, mascara and lash darkener need to go in the liquids bag.
TSA prefers that powders go into containers Vs bags, but that is a preference not a requirement. Put it in your makeup bag and/or toilet kit and they probably won't even react to it. One problem I've had is TSA agents that make up rules to enforce their own preferences. The rules are on the TSA website, and it may be worth while to download a soft copy and put it on your iPhone. Also know that TSA can stop you for anything perceived as a threat. Then you can elevate to a supervisor to get a ruling.
TSA website is here:
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/3-1-1-carry-ons