Last Updated on August 31, 2022
Your face care routine shouldn’t need to change when you travel.
But can you take your favorite face wash, face cleanser, or face scrub with you when you fly?
Let’s find out.
TSA Face Wash Rules
The Transportation Security Administration screens both carry-on luggage and checked luggage, it’s their job to prevent passengers taking prohibited items on to planes.
Different TSA rules apply to different types of face wash because face wash comes in different forms – e.g. gel, foam, gel, lotion, bar, powder.
Also, some face wash products turn into foam when you pump them from the bottle and that can be confusing as to whether face wash is considered a liquid by the TSA.
The TSA doesn’t mention face wash specifically but here are the 2 relevant rules.
The first one applies to liquid face wash:
And this rule applies to face wash bars:
It doesn’t matter what if you use CeraVe, Cetaphil, or La Roche Posay, what matters is the fluidity of your face wash product.
The TSA often says “If you can squeeze it, smear it, pump it, spread it, spray it, or spill it then it’s considered a liquid”.
You can bring liquid, foam, gel, or cream face wash products through airport security in containers less than or equal to 3.4 oz or 100 ml.
These face wash containers should be packed in your one quart size bag.
On the other hand, solid face wash bars are permitted in carry-on luggage in unrestricted quantities. So you could pack this hydrating face soap in your carry-on and it would free up space in your toiletries bag.
You can also pack face wash powder in your carry on luggage and it does not need to go in your quart size bag:
You can take any form of face in checked luggage without restriction since the TSA liquids rule only applies to hand luggage.
Medically Necessary Face Wash
The TSA always has an exemption for any medically necessary liquid.
So if you need to bring your face wash for a medical reason then you can bring it in quantities greater than 3.4 oz.
You simply need to tell the TSA agent at the airport security checkpoint that your face wash is medically necessary and they will inspect it and should let it through.
The Bottom Line
For carry-on luggage liquid face wash needs to go in your quart bag and your containers can’t be larger than 3.4 ounces.
Solid bars or face wash soap or dry face wash powders can be packed in your carry-on bag without restriction.
There are no limits on packing face wash in checked baggage.