What Counts as a Liquid at Airport Security? UK Hand Luggage Guide 2026
- Aug 11
- 10 min read
Packing your hand luggage can become surprisingly confusing once you start thinking about liquids.
Shampoo obviously looks like a liquid. But what about toothpaste? Roll-on deodorant? Mascara? Moisturiser? Sun cream? Shaving foam?
Airport security uses a much broader definition of a liquid than many travellers expect.
Liquids can include gels, creams, pastes, lotions, sprays and aerosols as well as products that are obviously liquid.
That means many everyday toiletries need to be considered when you're preparing your hand luggage.
In this guide, we'll explain what counts as a liquid at UK airport security, which common toiletries are affected, how the 100ml rule works and which products can be easier to pack when travelling with cabin baggage.
Quick Answer: What Counts as a Liquid at Airport Security?
For airport security purposes, the term "liquid" covers much more than water and other products you can pour.
UK government guidance includes:
Drinks
Liquid and semi-liquid foods
Creams
Lotions
Oils
Perfumes
Mascara
Lip gloss
Sprays
Shaving foam
Hairspray
Spray deodorant
Pastes
Toothpaste
Gels
Hair gel
Shower gel
Contact lens solution
Products with a similar consistency
So if a toiletry can be poured, squeezed, sprayed or spread, there is a good chance it will be treated as a liquid, gel, paste or aerosol at airport security.
This is why a toiletries bag can fill up much faster than travellers expect.
Does the 100ml Liquid Rule Still Apply at UK Airports?
This is where the answer has become more complicated.
Liquid rules are no longer necessarily identical at every UK airport.
At most UK airports, liquids carried through security cannot be in containers larger than 100ml.
However, newer security screening equipment means some airports may permit liquids in containers holding up to 2 litres.
You may also find differences in whether liquids need to be removed from your cabin bag or placed into a separate transparent plastic bag.
The safest approach is therefore to check the current rules for:
Your departure airport
Any airport where you will transfer or pass through security
Your return airport
Do this shortly before travelling rather than relying on what happened on your previous trip.
For more information read our Liquid Rules Guide for UK Airports
Even where a UK departure airport permits larger containers, remember that another airport on your journey may operate different rules.
For travellers taking connecting flights or travelling internationally, packing essential toiletries in containers of 100ml or less can therefore remain a convenient way to prepare for different security requirements.
The Container Size Matters — Not How Much Is Left Inside
This is one of the most common misunderstandings about airport liquids.
Where a 100ml container limit applies, security looks at the capacity of the container rather than trying to calculate how much product remains inside it.
Imagine you have a 200ml bottle of shampoo with only a quarter of the shampoo remaining.
There may be less than 100ml of shampoo inside the bottle, but it is still a 200ml container.
The same principle can apply to:
Shampoo bottles
Shower gel
Sun cream
Mouthwash
Moisturiser
Hairspray
Deodorant sprays
Perfume
Aftershave
Where the 100ml restriction applies, using half of a larger product before travelling does not make the container compliant.
Choose a container whose stated capacity meets the applicable airport rules.
Toiletries That Count as Liquids at Airport Security
This is where many travellers get caught out.
Some products are obvious. Others don't look much like a conventional liquid at all.
Let's look at some of the toiletries people most frequently ask about.
Does Toothpaste Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
Toothpaste is treated as a paste under airport liquid rules.
Where the 100ml restriction applies, your toothpaste tube should therefore have a capacity of no more than 100ml and should be packed according to the airport's liquids procedure.
Does Deodorant Count as a Liquid?
It depends on the type.
Spray deodorant: treated as an aerosol and subject to liquid restrictions.
Roll-on deodorant: generally treated as a liquid.
Solid deodorant stick: generally does not need to be treated as a liquid.
This means switching from a spray or roll-on to a solid deodorant can help if you're trying to reduce the number of products using space in your liquids bag.
Does Shampoo Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
Standard liquid shampoo is subject to airport liquid restrictions.
The same applies to liquid conditioner.
Where the 100ml rule applies, each container should have a capacity of no more than 100ml.
Does Shower Gel Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
The clue is in the word "gel".
Shower gel is specifically the type of product covered by airport liquid, aerosol and gel restrictions.
Where the 100ml restriction applies, choose a travel-size container of 100ml or less.
Does Sun Cream Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
Sun cream, sunscreen lotions and many spray sunscreens fall within airport liquid restrictions.
This can catch travellers out because sun protection is often bought in considerably larger bottles for a holiday.
If you're travelling with hand luggage only, check the size before packing it.
Does Moisturiser Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
Creams and lotions are included within airport liquid restrictions, so facial moisturiser, body lotion and similar skincare products should be treated as liquids.
Does Perfume Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
Perfume and aftershave are liquids.
Small bottles can therefore be carried subject to the liquid restrictions applying at your airport.
Products purchased after security, including duty-free perfume, can be subject to different provisions.
Does Makeup Count as a Liquid?
Some makeup does and some doesn't.
Products that can fall within the liquid restrictions include:
Mascara
Liquid foundation
Cream foundation
Concealer
Lip gloss
Cream cosmetics
Liquid eyeliner
Dry powder cosmetics are generally different because they are not liquids.
This makes makeup one of the easiest areas to underestimate when you're trying to work out how much will need to fit within your liquids allowance.
Do Aerosols Count as Liquids?
Aerosols are included within airport liquid restrictions.
Common toiletry aerosols include:
Spray deodorant
Hairspray
Dry shampoo
Shaving foam
Body spray
Spray sunscreen
Where the 100ml container restriction applies, your cabin-baggage aerosol should therefore comply with that limit.
Airline dangerous-goods rules can also apply to aerosols, particularly when carrying larger products or packing them in checked baggage.
Does Mouthwash Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
Mouthwash is a liquid and therefore falls within the relevant airport security restrictions.
Travel-size mouthwash can be useful for longer journeys, but it still uses space within your liquids allowance where one applies.
Does Shaving Foam Count as a Liquid?
Shaving foam is included within the liquids, aerosols and gels rules.
The same broad principle applies to shaving gel and many shaving creams.
Where the 100ml container restriction applies, choose an appropriately sized travel product.
Does Contact Lens Solution Count as a Liquid?
Yes.
Contact lens solution is specifically included within UK government liquid guidance.
If you need contact lens solution for medical reasons, additional provisions may apply, particularly when you need to carry a larger quantity.
Products Travellers Often Don't Realise Count as Liquids
Once you understand how broadly airport security defines liquids, some of the more surprising examples make sense.
Products people frequently overlook include:
Toothpaste
Mascara
Lip gloss
Roll-on deodorant
Moisturiser
Face cream
Liquid foundation
Shaving foam
Hair gel
Hairspray
Dry shampoo aerosols
Sun cream
Contact lens solution
Hand sanitiser
Individually, these products may be small.
Put them together, however, and they can occupy a significant amount of space.
That's why planning your toiletries before you reach the airport can make cabin-only travel considerably easier.
What Doesn't Normally Count as a Liquid?
Solid toiletries can make packing considerably easier because they do not generally fall within the liquids, aerosols and gels restrictions.
Examples can include:
Solid deodorant sticks
Bar soap
Powder makeup
Toothbrushes
Combs
Disposable razors
Solid cosmetic products
Be careful with products described as "solid", however.
A product's marketing description is less important than its actual consistency. A soft cream, gel or paste does not become exempt simply because the manufacturer describes it as a stick or balm.
If you're unsure about an unusual product, check with your departure airport before travelling.
How Many 100ml Bottles Can You Take Through Airport Security?
There isn't simply a universal rule saying you can take a particular number of 100ml bottles.
At airports using the traditional liquids-bag system, your containers must fit comfortably inside a single transparent, resealable plastic bag with a maximum capacity of one litre.
The bag is approximately 20cm x 20cm and must be capable of closing properly.
You are limited to one such bag per person where this system applies.
This means the practical number of bottles depends partly on their shape and how efficiently they fit inside the bag.
Ten 100ml containers may sound like the obvious mathematical answer to a one-litre allowance, but real toiletries aren't conveniently shaped cubes. Bottles, tubes and aerosols all take up different amounts of space.
The better question is therefore not:
"How many bottles am I allowed?"
but:
"Can all of my permitted liquids fit comfortably inside the required bag?"
What About Medicines, Baby Milk and Essential Liquids?
Not every liquid is treated in exactly the same way.
UK security rules provide exemptions for certain essential liquids.
These can include:
Essential liquid medicines
Special dietary liquids
Baby food
Baby milk
Essential liquid medicines can be carried in quantities greater than the standard 100ml restriction, although supporting evidence may be required in certain circumstances.
Baby food, milk and sterilised water also have specific provisions.
These are genuine exemptions rather than a way of increasing your ordinary toiletries allowance.
Always check the current official guidance before travelling with essential medical, dietary or baby-related liquids.
What About Duty-Free Liquids?
Liquids purchased after airport security can be treated differently.
This is particularly relevant to products such as:
Perfume
Aftershave
Cosmetics
Drinks
UK guidance allows qualifying duty-free liquids through security when they remain sealed inside the security bag provided at purchase and the receipt is sealed inside and visible.
Connecting journeys require more care.
If you will pass through security again at another airport, the rules applying there may affect what happens to your duty-free purchase.
Keep qualifying purchases sealed and consider the complete journey before buying a large liquid product.
Travelling Through More Than One Airport? Check Every Stage
One of the most important changes in the way travellers should think about liquids is that passing security once does not necessarily settle the question for your entire trip.
You might:
Depart from a UK airport with newer security scanners
Connect through another country
Pass through transfer security
Take a domestic connecting flight
Return from an airport operating the traditional 100ml rules
A larger toiletry accepted at the beginning of your journey may therefore create a problem later.
For multi-airport journeys, sticking to travel-size containers of 100ml or less for ordinary cabin toiletries remains a simple way of preparing for airports operating more restrictive rules.
But always check the actual requirements for your itinerary before travelling.
How to Make Your Cabin Toiletries Easier to Pack
The simplest approach isn't necessarily to eliminate every liquid.
Instead, think about which products you genuinely need.
1. Take travel-size versions of everyday essentials
Toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, face wash and other frequently used toiletries are readily available in compact sizes.
2. Replace selected liquids with solids
A solid deodorant or bar soap can reduce the number of liquid products you need to accommodate.
3. Don't pack products you won't use during the journey
If you're checking a suitcase, larger toiletries can often travel in the hold instead.
4. Check container sizes
Don't rely on how full a bottle feels. Check the capacity printed on the packaging.
5. Think about the return journey
The security rules at your destination may differ from those at the UK airport you departed from.
6. Keep essentials organised
Having your travel toiletries together makes it easier to follow whatever security procedure applies at your airport.
What Counts as a Liquid? Quick Reference
Usually treated as liquids, gels, pastes or aerosols:
Toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner
Shower gel
Roll-on deodorant
Spray deodorant
Hairspray
Dry shampoo aerosol
Shaving foam and gel
Moisturiser
Face cream
Sun cream
Perfume
Aftershave
Mascara
Liquid foundation
Lip gloss
Hair gel
Mouthwash
Hand sanitiser
Contact lens solution
Generally not treated as liquids:
Solid deodorant
Bar soap
Powder makeup
Toothbrushes
Combs
Disposable razors
If you're uncertain about a particular product, check with the airport you're departing from before travelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does toothpaste count as a liquid at airport security?
Yes. Toothpaste is treated as a paste and falls within airport liquid restrictions.
Does roll-on deodorant count as a liquid?
Yes. Roll-on deodorant is generally treated as a liquid. Solid deodorant sticks generally are not.
Does mascara count as a liquid?
Yes. UK government guidance specifically includes mascara within cosmetics and toiletries treated as liquids.
Does moisturiser count as a liquid?
Yes. Creams and lotions fall within airport liquid restrictions.
Does lipstick count as a liquid?
Traditional solid lipstick is generally different from liquid products such as lip gloss. Lip gloss is specifically included within UK liquid guidance. If the consistency of a particular product is unclear, check with your departure airport.
Can I take a half-full 200ml bottle through security?
Where the airport operates a 100ml container limit, no. The capacity of the container matters, not how much product remains inside.
Do all UK airports still have a 100ml limit?
No. Current UK government guidance says the rules depend on the airport. At most airports containers larger than 100ml cannot be taken through security, while some airports may allow containers holding up to 2 litres. Check your departure airport before travelling.
Do liquids still have to go in a clear plastic bag?
Not at every UK airport. Where a separate bag is required, current UK guidance specifies a single transparent resealable bag of no more than one litre, approximately 20cm x 20cm.
Can I take toiletries in checked baggage instead?
Most normal toiletries can be packed in checked baggage, although restrictions still apply to certain aerosols, flammable products and dangerous goods.
Should I still use 100ml toiletries if my airport allows larger liquids?
You don't necessarily have to if both airport and airline requirements allow otherwise. However, travel-size containers can make a multi-airport journey simpler because another airport on your outbound, connecting or return itinerary may apply more restrictive rules.
Final Thoughts
The biggest misconception about airport liquids is the word "liquid" itself.
Airport security isn't only concerned with bottles of water, shampoo and other obviously liquid products.
Creams, gels, pastes, sprays and aerosols can all fall within the rules. That means everyday products such as toothpaste, mascara, moisturiser, roll-on deodorant, sun cream and shaving foam need to be considered when packing your cabin bag.
UK airport procedures are also changing as newer security equipment is introduced, so don't assume that the rules you encountered on your last flight will necessarily apply to your next one.
Check your departure airport, consider any connections and remember to check the rules for your return journey.
Once you know which of your toiletries count as liquids, packing becomes considerably easier — and you're much less likely to discover the problem when your bag reaches airport security.
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