Flying hand luggage - liquids panic!

[iamclaireandfleabag]

I'm going away for 4 days with hand luggage only. I am totally panicking re liquids! I can cope buying shower gel and deodorant over there but when I add up all my face products, hair styling bits and make up I just can't fit everything within the limit no matter how small I try and decant everything. Any experienced travellers out there who can advise?

Honestly see if you can get some of the small clear pots/tubes from Superdrug or Boots.
Mascara see if you can get a trial sized one from your makeup counter.
Toner - leave that out and take make up remover wipes with you.
Honestly you can get all that in I think.
I was surprised quite how much I managed to cram into my freezer bag though I did have to re-arrange and re-stack several times before I could get it closed but I did it eventually.

Also : remember that what you buy after security won’t necessarily come back with you - aka lovely stuff in duty free is ok one way only

DH is a security guard at Gatwick. Have just asked him to clarify. You can have as many 100ml bottles/tubes/ whatever as you like as long as they all fit into the plastic bag that is provided and you can close the seal on the bag. Hth and have a great holiday 😀

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. Eye cream is essential or I will look a hundred years older instantly! I have some super tiny pots and will try my best to decant. I hadn't even thought about perfume!

DD has really dry skin around her eyes. Would you recommend your cream? Can you say what brand it is.

Which airline are you flying with? If the alternative is buying loads of stuff after security that you won't be able to bring back, it's sometimes worth paying to put a small case into the hold, as this means you can take as much as you like with no 100 ml limit.

EasyJet call this hands free, or Ryanair do something similar, cost is around £10-20 return. You have to wait at the carousel but it does make things easier.

@TapasForTwo it's boots no7 protect and perfect eye cream. Used it for years and it's honestly amazing! If I don't use it I look terrible!

@TapasForTwo it's boots no7 protect and perfect eye cream. Used it for years and it's honestly amazing! If I don't use it I look terrible!

@BarbaraofSevillle I'm thinking along the same lines as you. Friend has booked the flights so will double check the carrier and may well do that. I like my own stuff :-) plus I could pack an extra pair of shoes

My advice, stop caring what others think and have a great holiday. No one is looking at you because you don’t have face full of make up,

Internal flight or abroad? I flew domestic the other day, forgot I had a 250ml body spray in my handbag, nobody noticed. I did, however, manage to ping the metal detector, given I wasn’t wearing anything metal, I dunno how. Got the full hands over head body scan and a full pat down. Fun times.

@areukiddingme I don't wear make up for others but because I like it. Not a full face but enough for me to be happy :-)

Of course they are going to be strict. It is not to be awkward. Liquid bombs, almost caused the biggest air disaster in history.

Take what you really need that is not readily available in marked 100 ml containers. Ideally have your clear bag packed and sorted before you leave home.

Buy the basics airside when you have gone through.

You can put an online boots order in to collect at air side. So you're guaranteed to have the products you want (as long as boots sells them).

When coming back you'd need to leave stuff behind or post it to yourself.

Whether the flight is internal or abroad is irrelevent. The people on the X-ray machines searching your hand luggage don't know where you are going.

I flew through Leeds Bradford a few weeks ago and while I was waiting for DP to have the super special 'you look suspicious' search that he always gets because he insists on filling his bag with every bit of electronics gubbins known to man I watched one of the X-ray people go through a bag of normal sized toiletries with a couple who had clearly lived on Mars for the last 10 years. Most items were taken off them.

@beeyourself that is an awesome idea!!!! I may be able to reserve some smaller versions of my usual stuff to save waste. That reply is why I posted on here!!!!

I've done it before and it works really well

Just be aware that some airlines insist that anything you buy in the airport still fits into the hand luggage you have brought through security. They may not allow you to take an extra carrier bag onto the plane as well as your hand luggage.

If you do an order to collect airside make sure you leave plenty of time, the lead times for it to be ready to collect are often much longer than the usual click and collect!

Check the airport restrictions on line - I flew from Manchester last week, and they now say that stick deodorants and lipsticks aren't classified as liquids, so don't need to be put onto the clear plastic bag. I also bought cheap cleanser and tweezers in the flightside Boots

Also, it’s a risk, but you can take two bags and put them in different trays... if you get caught you’ll loose you’re stuff tho.

Last time I flew from Glasgow I saw a woman collect three plastic bags with cosmetics from different trays and stash them into her bag. She looked utterly calm, I'm sure she is doing this every time she flies. I could never pull that off.

Who are you flying with? Easyjet do "hands free" where you pay about £4 each way for your hand luggage case to go in the hold. We have done this as you don't have any liquid restrictions then.

Yes to the suggestion about Boots - I always buy some essential bits in there after security.

Do you really need more than that for four days ?

Depends when you are going - You can order online from Boots and just pick it up airside, that way you will get the brands you want.
I go fortnight in Turkey hand luggage only and do this so I can get all my sun creams sorted.
Not relevant to you but I buy towels once out there and then leave them for the hotel. £5 -10 for new towels is a helluva lot cheaper than checking in luggage. Sometimes I couple of extra tops too but that's not essential as I can get a load of clothes washed and ironed for about £10