Can you bring dry shampoo on plane

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Alert

• Be prepared for screening.  Please ensure that all liquids, gels and aerosols in your carry-on baggage are in containers of 100ml or less and placed in a clear, 1L resealable bag. Click here for more information about carry-on baggage requirements.

• CATSA encourages all passengers to arrive at their departing airport well in advance of their flight. Many airlines advise passengers to arrive two hours in advance for domestic flights and three hours in advance for US and international flights.

Powder: Certain powders and granular materials in your carry-on are limited to a total quantity of 350 ml (roughly the size of a soda can).

Aerosol: 100 ml (3.4 oz.) or smaller container permitted in carry-on.

If you are going on a long flight then you may well feel like you might want to do something with your hair before you arrive at your destination to stop yourself from looking like you have been dragged through a hedge backward. Obviously you cannot wash your hair conventionally with normal liquid shampoo but using dry shampoo might be an option.

The TSA allow you to bring dry shampoo on a plane but it will be subject to certain rules, particularly in carry on bags where the container it is in will have to be no larger than 3.4 ounces (100ml) in aerosol form and be packed in a quart-sized liquid bag. Powdered dry shampoo can be larger.

So to make sure that you don’t have your dry shampoo confiscated by a security agent at the security checkpoint I have tried to explain the rules below as simply as possible.

Is dry shampoo considered a liquid on a plane?

Whether dry shampoo is considered a liquid or not depends on whether it is in aerosol bottles or in powder form:

Aerosol dry shampoo

Dry shampoo in an aerosol can is considered to be a liquid so needs to be treated as such, which means it can be no larger than 3.4 ounces (100ml) and must go in your quart-sized liquid bag.

So therefore it cannot be carried through a security checkpoint in your hand luggage if it is greater than 3.4oz/100ml so you should pack it in your checked luggage.

This size restriction does not apply to aerosol dry shampoos in your checked bag so you can pack larger ones in there quite happily.

Powdered dry shampoo

Dry shampoo carried in powdered form is not considered a liquid. However, that does not mean that it can be carried through security without restriction.

On June 30, 2018 the TSA powder rule was introduced. Under these new TSA guidelines, you can only take powder-based substances such as coffee, spices etc and including dry shampoo, through airport security if they are less than 12oz/350ml without going through additional screening to identify the powder.

If the powder can be identified as being “safe” by the TSA officer then it will be allowed in whatever quantity. However, if the TSA agents cannot identify the powder, it may be confiscated and destroyed.

This is a reply from the TSA

So basically you do not need to worry about taking powdered dry shampoo on a plane in your carry on luggage to use on a flight as you can take it without restriction. Just remember to remove it from your carry on luggage for separate screening at the security checkpoint if it is in a container that is larger than 12 ounces.

Does dry shampoo have to go in liquids bag?

If it is in an aerosol then under the liquids rule it is treated as a liquid so has to go in your quart-sized liquid bag. Of course, if it is larger than 3.4oz/100ml then it cannot go in your hand luggage at all so put it in your checked luggage.

You can take more than one 3.4oz aerosol can dry shampoo with you provided that they all fit inside your one resealable quart-size liquid bag, along with your other liquids.

The following was a question by a passenger on the AskTSA Twitter service asking if they can pack dry shampoo in hand luggage and the TSA’s response.

If it is in powdered form then it does not have to go in your quart-sized liquid bag. If it is over 12oz then you should put it through the X-ray machine separately.

Can I bring dry shampoo in my checked luggage?

You can pack dry shampoo in your checked baggage. Each container of dry shampoo is limited to 18 ounces (500ml) in your checked luggage and a total of 70 ounces for all powders you are carrying.

Obviously it won’t be of any use to you on the flight if it is in the hold though but at least you can use it at your destination.

Other options to take dry shampoo on a plane with you

Apart from taking aerosol dry shampoo onboard the flight with you that conforms to all of the TSA rules above by being rather small, it is possible to take larger aerosol dry shampoos with you, that you cannot take through security.

Most large airports these days have many different types of stores where you can be relieved of your money while bored and passing the time waiting for your flight.

Some of these will sell toiletries and any you buy in these stores can be taken on board with you, no matter how large they may be, since you have already passed through airport security.

Can you take Batiste on a plane?

Batiste is a very popular brand of dry shampoo. You can take it on a plane with you but to actually take it in your carry on bag it needs to be smaller than 100ml/3.4oz.

Fortunately Batiste produces smaller versions which they call Batiste Minis that are 50ml/1.6oz so are allowed through the security checkpoints at the airport.

You can buy a travel pack of Batiste Minis on Amazon.

If you do not need to be able to use the dry shampoo on board, and have booked checked bags, you can pack standard size Batiste aerosols in your hold luggage.

Other dry shampoos for travel

I must confess, in order to provide some suggestions for this I had to ask my wife and some female friends as I had no clue – no great surprise there then.

The consensus of opinion was as follows:

No nothing – Very Sensitive Dry Shampoo
Fragrance-Free, 100% Vegan (who would have thought it wouldn’t be), Hypoallergenic, Unscented, Gluten Free, Soy Free, 1.058oz so travel size.

I hope this makes this clearer for you and answers your question can you bring dry shampoo on a plane.

Further security posts

You may wish to read my other security articles to see what you can carry on a plane in carry on and checked baggage:

The complete guide to passing through airport security quickly

Will aerosols explode in checked luggage?

Can you take vape on a plane?

Can you take lithium batteries on a plane?

What items are not allowed in hand luggage?

I have been traveling around the world by air since the early 70s and living overseas too. I worked for British Airways for a number of years and I am also a private pilot.