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Can You Take Eyeshadow Palettes On A Plane? TSA Rules 2024

Have you ever wondered if you can bring your beloved eyeshadow palettes on a plane?

Well, fear not because I’ve got you covered! This post is all about the TSA rules and how they apply to your makeup collection.

Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with the nitty-gritty details. Instead, I’ll break it down for you in simple terms.

Just keep in mind that the rules are different depending on whether you want to pack your palettes in your carry-on or checked bag. But no worries, I’ll cover all of that below!

Can You Take Eyeshadow Palettes On A Plane?

You can take eyeshadow palettes on a plane but there are some restrictions on how much you can take.

If you’re taking an eyeshadow palette in your carry-on, you need to check the weight.

If it contains more than 12 oz (350 ml) you need to remove it from your bag for screening.

If you’re taking eyeshadow palettes in your checked bag then there are no restrictions.

Does Eyeshadow Have To Be In A Plastic Bag On A Plane?

For any toiletries that you take on a plane, it is important to know whether TSA requires you to place them into your liquids bag or not. 

According to the official TSA rules, eyeshadow is not considered a liquid so it does not need to be placed in a clear plastic bag during airport security screening.

TSA does have a liquids rule which limits the amount of liquids you can bring on a plane but as eyeshadow is classed as ‘powder makeup’ by TSA, it does not fall under this rule.

I cover if lipstick & chapstick count as liquids in my complete guide! (the answer may surprise you)

Can You Take An Eyeshadow Palette In A Carry-On?

can you take an eyeshadow palette in a carry on - yes!

As I said, you can take an eyeshadow palette in your carry-on but there are some restrictions you need to be aware of.

For most eyeshadows and small eyeshadow palettes, you can just place these in your carry-on as normal.

TSA do state that any powder-like substances (including eyeshadow) that are greater than 12 oz (350 ml) must be placed in a separate bin for X-ray screening. 

You need to check if your eyeshadow palette contains less than 12 oz (350 ml). All eyeshadow palettes will clearly state how much they weigh on the back so you can easily check this beforehand.

I checked all of my palettes and found that most eyeshadow palettes contain between 0.25 oz – 1.7 oz (7 ml – 50 ml) so they should easily fall below the 12 oz (350 ml) limit.

If you do have a large makeup palette that is over 12 oz (350ml) then you can still bring it with you but you just need to take it out of your bag when you go through airport securty.

TSA do recommend that you place these into your checked bag if possible for your own convenience but this is optional. It’s completely up to you.

In the past, I’ve had several eyeshadow palettes that have smashed during travel but there is a particular way to pack them to avoid this.

Read my guide on how to pack an eyeshadow palette for travel to find out how.

Can You Take Eyeshadow Palettes In Checked Luggage?

You can take eyeshadow palettes in your checked luggage and there are no size restrictions at all so you don’t need to worry about the size/weight.


And that’s it!

Thanks for reading this post on if you can take eyeshadow palettes on a plane. 

All of the information in this article was taken from the official TSA rules. You can visit their website for any additional queries.

Wondering if you can take nail polish on a plane? I cover that (and more) in my guide.

Megan

Megan Jones is a travel expert and founder of Traveller's Elixir, who has been travelling the world full time since 2021. Megan's travel tips been featured in numerous media outlets including Metro, Timeout, Thrillist and more.

Learn more about the Traveller's Elixir Team.

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