Can I Bring Makeup on a Plane?

Key restrictions

Liquid, cream, gel, and paste makeup counts toward the 3.4oz (100ml) carry-on liquids rule.

Solid makeup — lipstick, pressed powders, stick products — has no quantity limit.

Powders over 12oz (350ml) may require separate screening on US-bound flights.

Aerosols like setting spray and dry shampoo are limited in carry-on and capped in checked bags too.

Why this matters

Makeup is where the liquids rule gets genuinely confusing, because a single cosmetics bag mixes physical states: a powder compact, a cream concealer, a liquid foundation, and a gel primer are all "makeup" but are treated three different ways at screening. Knowing which products count as liquids is the difference between a ten-second bag check and unpacking your kit at the front of the line.

For travelers with full beauty kits, the carry-on/checked split matters too: the liquids rule pushes full-size products into checked baggage, where the real enemy is leakage, not confiscation.

Restrictions

Counts as a liquid (3.4oz/100ml max per item in carry-on): foundation, concealer, primer, BB/CC cream, mascara, lip gloss, liquid liner, nail polish, setting spray, cream blush.
Not a liquid (no limit): solid lipstick, lip balm, pressed and loose powders, powder blush and bronzer, eyeshadow palettes, solid foundation sticks, makeup brushes and tools.
Powders: containers over 12oz (350ml) may be pulled for separate screening on flights to/within the US — relevant for large loose-powder tubs.
Aerosols: setting sprays and dry shampoo follow liquid limits in carry-on; even in checked bags, toiletry aerosols are capped (17oz per container under FAA rules).

What the official guidance says

TSA's makeup entry allows cosmetics in both bag types, applying the standard liquids rule to anything liquid, cream, gel, or paste in carry-on. The 12oz powder screening guidance and the checked-baggage aerosol limits come from TSA and FAA hazmat rules respectively. Retail-size liquid makeup almost always fits the rule — the products that get binned are full-size bottles in a carry-on-only trip.

Frequently asked questions

Is mascara a liquid under TSA rules?

Yes — mascara, lip gloss, and liquid eyeliner all count as liquids. Standard retail sizes are well under 3.4oz, so in practice they pass; they just need to fit in your quart-size liquids bag.

Does lipstick count as a liquid?

No. Solid lipstick, lip balm sticks, pressed powder, and solid foundation sticks are not liquids and don't go in the liquids bag. Liquid lipstick and glosses do.

Can I bring full-size foundation in checked baggage?

Yes. The 3.4oz rule only applies at the checkpoint. Pack full-size liquids in checked bags inside a zip bag — cabin pressure changes make pumps and droppers leak.