Most toiletry bags fail in one of two ways. Either something leaks over everything else, or you get to airport security and have to dig through socks to find the liquids. Both are easy to avoid.
The liquids rule, quickly
Flying out of a US airport with only a carry-on, every liquid, gel, cream, paste or spray has to be in a bottle of 3.4 oz (100 ml) or smaller. All of them together go in one clear quart-size bag, one bag per person. That's TSA's 3-1-1 rule, and it hasn't changed in 2026 despite the rumors.
Two things catch people out. TSA looks at the size printed on the bottle, so a big shampoo bottle with an inch left in it still gets taken. And toothpaste counts as a liquid. Bar soap, stick deodorant and lipstick don't. Medicine you need is allowed in larger amounts; tell the officer. If you want to double-check before a trip, TSA's own page is the one to trust.
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What to pack
Start with what you touch every morning and night at home, then shrink it. For most people that's:
- shampoo, conditioner, and body wash or a bar of soap
- toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
- face wash, moisturizer, sunscreen, lip balm
- deodorant, a razor, nail clippers, tweezers
- a hairbrush and a few hair ties
Then the stuff you'll wish you had at 11pm in a hotel: pain reliever, a couple of bandages, earplugs, cotton pads. Keep any regular medication in its original packaging.
Driving instead of flying? Ignore the size rules and bring the full bottles.
Stopping leaks
Don't fill travel bottles to the top. Air pressure drops on a plane, the air inside expands, and the shampoo comes out the cap. Leave some room and squeeze a little air out before closing.
Keep the liquids in their own clear bag inside the bigger one, away from razors and brushes. At security you pull out one thing, and if something does leak it stays contained.
Label the bottles. Shampoo and conditioner look identical in matching bottles, and you'll find out the hard way in the shower.
Where you can, switch to solids. A bar of soap and a deodorant stick take up no space in the liquids bag.
And a bag that hangs from a hook is worth it. Hotel bathroom counters are small and usually wet.
A few things we sell that fit this list
For decanting: four 60ml squeeze bottles for $6.89, or 90ml silicone bottles if you want a bit more shampoo. Both are under the 100 ml limit.
If you'd rather skip decanting, our Victor shampoo, shower gel and soap minis are 1.35 fl oz each and 30% off while they last.
For the bag itself, a waterproof one with a hook, or a clear double bag that keeps wet things apart from dry. Toothbrushes travel better in a case with air holes, or an electric toothbrush case if that's what you use.
Free US shipping over $50. More on the basics in what counts as toiletries.