Lipstick - allowed as carry on, or not?
 

Lipstick is not a liquid or a gel; yet yesterday I heard recordings of airport screeners telling folks that they could not bring on "anything that goes on your face."

Is lipstick allowed as a carry on, or not?

One of the reporters on this mornings TV......check EVERYTHING......The TSA is in no mood to split hairs.

I've read stories of flyers having to abandon lipstick and deodorants, as well as perfumes and hair gels.

I think we are in a period where general instructions have been issued, but it is up to the individual screeners to decide the nitty gritty, so one can anticipate different results from different screeners.

As I age, I become more and more forgetful, so I bought a stamped padded envelope, addressed to my home, big enough to hold my treasured Swiss army knife, knowing that eventually I would forget to transfer it to my checked luggage. While I know that TSA is supposed to seize such items, I hope to be able to beg and plead my way into having them mail the knife in my envelope. With these new procedures, I think I need a much bigger envelope.

NO,

and please, let's not start a new thread about every little item. There are other threads with links to the official TSA site......

ClevelendBrown, you reminded me of my friend who was traveling in China(I think it was China) with the little Swiss Army knife I had given her one Christmas. She forgot to put it in her checked luggage & it was confiscated.

After she finished with the inspection she discovered the knives being sold in the airport shops after the security check.

I flew yesterday and all lipsticks, lipglosses, mascaras and other gels were confiscated.

I know lipstick/chapstick may seem like an amenity to some, but believe it or not many women are pretty much addicted to it–very uncomfortable to go without.

I'm in New Zealand and need to fly back to California next week (12+ hours). Since I'm one of those who would go nuts w/out something for the lips, I'm going to try rolling some qtips in chapstick and storing them in a plastic bag. Hopefully that will be acceptable.

Lipsticks, chapstick, lip gloss...all were taken.

I ran into a friend who flew from Dallas to Austin and back yesterday on Southwest. Her lipstick sailed through; her husband flew in from Phoenix and had his chapstick taken.

phyl, I am right there with you. I'm also addicted to Chapstick. Airplane cabins are so dry that without it for 4 hours, my lips will crack!

I'm also mad that they are starting to question medications, too. I will NOT put my medications in checked baggage!

I've read that meds are okay as long as they're in labeled prescription bottles. I think the airlines would be in a world of hurt if they couldn't allow those on board. Maybe it's OTC that they're questioning? In which case...take the Dramamine before security LOL!

Phylgardner....after you fly please post again. I am very interested in knowing if the q-tips worked for you.

I use blistex "herbal answer", it's like chapstick, very comforting, and I consider it a necessity. I'm assuming that it is vulnerable to the new TSA rules and might be taken from me next time I fly.

Tomorrow I am flying Singapore airlines from Manchester to Singapore. I will stick to the instuctions issued and not discuss and go but please, please...

I will carry travel documents, passports, my purse, my old pair of specs (without it's case), in a transparent drawstring bag (saved from the Virgin Atlantic economy class)

I have to manage without my Evian spray, moisturiser, hand cream, lipstick, the book I had planned to read,

lipstick is not listed as allowed carry on,

thankfully I had my period last week, so will not be embarassed by displaying my tampons in the clear plastic bag (boxes not allowed).

I'll manage, and will be able to buy a book and magasines after the security point,

which just made me wonder, is the CLarins shop open?

This is such a serious subject it would be inappropriate to make jokes about it, I suppose, so I won't ask about breast implants: they are cosmetic and made of gel, but I suppose they are not something that "goes on your face", so I also won't mention cheek and chin implants that are cosmetic, are made of gel, and DO go on your face.

One silver lining here is that people will not be able to "refresh" their overload of perfume, cologne, or aftershave while in flight.

On the other hand, some may feel compelled to double the dose before they check in. Too bad the fragrances don't trip security detection machines, too.

My elderly Aunt flew from Calgary to Winnipeg and they took her lipstick. Apparently she could pay a $3.00 fee and have it returned to her upon arrival home, but she didn't bother.

What about glasses? Glasses go on your face. Sorry, this is off-topic maybe I should start a new thread?

I wonder who is the big political contributor to the ruling party after my experience with TSA on Sunday evening?

Had a very expensive 3.5 bottle(.5 over the limit) of cologne in the plastic bag along with the 2-3 oz. containers of all the other stuff a man needs. The colgne was about 1/3 full and it was very much visible.

I was told by the ANC TSA that I can't take it with me, but it was ok with the TPA TSA few days earlier, just because it was 1/3 full.

Anyways, and this was new to me, they offered a shipping service for the item. I had to provide my CC# or give them cash and fill out a form, but for $7.50 (insurance was another $1.50 and I declined) the service will ship stuff that's confiscated by TSA.

Feel very secure......

If the chapstick is in a plastic cover, keep it in your pocket. The metal detector won't pick it up. It worked for me.

If your lipstick is in a metal container, it could be a problem.

wally, would you happen to know if the metal cap on one of those mini-size airline whiskey bottles sets off the metal detector? if not, then a guy could put some cologne in an empty one of those, put it in his pocket and sure to be smelling good when he reaches his final destination.

My thinking too. And I'm sure one could find a plastic bottle with a plastic cap.

Went to TSA sight--lip gels etc. are allowed--did not see a clear cut guideline
for lipstick----

Is lipstick allowed????????????

Have your boyfriend or husband put it in his front pocket. When security pats him down, well, they will think they felt something else.

I flew four flights in September and lipstick and chapstick were allowed. Both are considered solids, not cream or liquid.

From TSA.gov:

"You are permitted to bring solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items as such lipstick, lip balm and similar solids."

We are traveling on Contitnental to Puerto Rico next week. The TSA website and Continental's did not seem to answer some of my questions. Maybe someone here can help.

Can lipstick, moisturizing eye drops, mascara, and a tube tube of a vitamin E cream for under eyes be put in my purse? What about vitamins and other meds - can they go in my carry-on? My husband is telling me to take nothing on board with me and check everything in my suitcase. He says lines of people with items in clear plastic bags are usually very long. Thanks for any advice from recent travelers.

Marianna --
The plastic bags are looked at as you make your way through the regular security lines -- it is not a separate line.

From tsa.gov:

&quot;<i> The following rules apply to all liquids, gels, and aerosols you want to carry through a security checkpoint.

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.
All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.
Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.&quot;</i>

For exactly what you can and cannot take in your carry-on, read this:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...d-items.shtm#1

I suggest putting cosmetics you don't need on the plane in your checked luggage as you will not have alot of space in that 1 quart baggie.

I would carry meds with you in your carry on. Read the above page on how to handle meds.

Hope this helps...
Debi

Marianna,

Your husband may have seen long lines of people holding the plastic bags on TV, but as Debi wrote, it's the same security line that you will have to go through anyway.

You'd probably be better off putting your lipstick and eye drops in the plastic bag since they'll be x-raying your purse and may stop you to inspect it. The purpose of the clear plastic bags is that the inspectors can see immediately what you have so it saves them time checking carryons.
Absolutely do not pack your meds in your checked luggage.

Have a great trip.

The public is being very ill served by the arbitrary and useless rules enforced by arrogant, stupid people. They have yet to intercept a terrorist or find a serious threat. That is not to say that there have not been any terrorists nor serious threats, just that the TSA hasn't detected them. They seem to be operating under the notion that travelers will feel safer if they are seriously inconvenienced, even if they (the travelers) know that the hassle doesn't do any good.

It is time that this whole gang of fools was turned out on the street. Please write a letter to your congressman.

Although I was thoroughly enjoying all the jest and mockery of this discussion, (mrwunrfl's bottle comment cracks me up,) as well as practical first-hand advice, I want to say:

Hear, hear, motorguy. It's true. I don't feel ANY safer. But I do feel INCREDIBLY inconvenienced and EMBARASSED at the FARCE that airport security has become. How did the policy-makers get so obsessed with &quot;preventing&quot; attacks that have ALREADY occured that they are still completely blind to the real prevention: understanding.

I am now motivated to write in and request that airports stop wasting billions of world citizens' time, money, and sanity on useless security precautions and, instead, try to actually educate themselves on where strife, desperation, activism, and extremism comes from.

:: steps down from soapbox ::

OK: I been told. Just as long as you make the proper stink to your congressperson.

<i>&quot;try to actually educate themselves on where strife, desperation, activism, and extremism comes from.&quot;</i>

Oh, yeah I get it. It's the US' fault crazed nutbars drove planes into the Pentagon &amp; the Twin Towers. They weren't nutbars, just desperate activists. 8-|

Marianna,

<i>&quot;Can lipstick, moisturizing eye drops, mascara, and a tube tube of a vitamin E cream for under eyes be put in my purse? What about vitamins and other meds - can they go in my carry-on? &quot;</i>

Lipstick--regular carry-on, UNLESS it's a gloss. Lipgloss goes into the plastic ziplock bag.
Mascara, eye-drop, VE cream--Liquid. So all go into the plastic ziplock bag.
Vitamin/medicine--regular carry-on, UNLESS it's liquid/gel, in which case goes into the plastic ziplock bag.

These are the logical conclusions from both my experience and reading the rules. However, you can still be subject to ignorant airport security staff with arbitrary interpretation.

I realize, in retrospect, that Fodor's is not the place for political &quot;soapboxing.&quot;

My apologies! Won't happen again. :)