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How to pass your carry on of toiletries with flying colors!

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After 3 weeks of brutal illness and work travel, I am back! I am now writing from my parents home in Longview, WA, capital of bad chinese food, meth addicts and paper mill polluted skies. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

If anyone is about to brave travelling during the holidays and stand in those long, noisy security lines, this topic is just for you!

Today, I would like to discuss how to make your life easier when travelling with beauty/toiletries. I wasn't sure how to pack after they banned liquid items and especially after friends were telling me that their expensive makeup, cleansers and moisturizers had been confiscated. Honestly, I think some of the TSA employees used this to their advantage and I wasn't about to let them take my favorite expensive tube of lipstick.

If you are like me and refuse to stand in long lines to check your small bag knowing you'll just have to wait again upon arrival to pick through all the other bags that look just like yours, then these tips will be useful and save you from crying over your favorite moisturizer that was taken away from "Dry skin Deanna," who works for TSA just so she can steal your beauty bag. Not this time!

1. Check TSA's guidelines. Then print them out with the TSA logo showing. That way, if they do question your favorite shampoo under 3 oz., you can remind them of THEIR rules and regulations, that you did follow them and then throw out the word, THIEF!

2. Head to your nearest beauty counter, esthetician and hair stylist for samples of the products that you use. They'll be much easier to fit into that quart sized ziplock bag, than trying to cram all your 1 to 3 oz. sizes of shampoos, moisturizers, cleansers and lipgloss....it's just not going to happen!

3. If you can't get any samples, then I recommend heading to the Container Store. Find small containers, to put your beauty products in, and label them. Not only for the sake of getting it through security, but so you don't end up applying your hair gel to your face, mistaking it for your makeup remover.

4. Don't think that just because the tube or bottle is half empty that it qualifies for sample size. Oh no, it will get thrown away. That expensive tube of whitening toothpaste will end up in the toiletry graveyard for sure!

5. Check your drugstore or places such like Target for travel sizes of toiletries. I was at Sally's Beauty Supply and they had a wonderful display of tiny lipsticks, glosses and nail polish next to the register.

6. Personal creams and lubricants should be 3 oz. or smaller and if they are not, they will get confiscated. A well suited man behind me was quite angry for losing his KY jelly. That's no joke! Again, place it in a smaller container or make sure the tube is travel size.

Make sure you drink up your coffee, juice, water or self medicating shots of liquor before you enter the security line because it will get thrown away. I saw a woman used as an example yesterday for holding up the line because she forgot to remove her juice bottle from her bag. And be prepared to spend no less than $2.00 on a small bottle of water. I spent $3.25 yesterday for my small bottle of Fuji.

Also, wear comfortable clothes, clean socks and stink free shoes! I think the man, who was in front of me, had been wearing his socks for about a week.

My bag passed with no problems and it was loaded with 2 bags of samples. (Yes, I'm gutsy.) Make sure to print out those guidelines and highlight any that apply to your bag.

Happy flying and safe travels!!

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Mistress Of The Dorkness 5 pts

DH and I are flying out on Friday. I end up packing all of my cosmetics and checking them. The only thing I carry on the plane is the absolute essentials... aka, my cell phone, ID and laptop. ;)

But, we will be gone for over a week, so have plenty to take along and noone I need to impress for at least three days.

I am SOOOOOOOOOO excited to get away for a little while, even though 4 days will be jam-packed with training and industry schmoozing.

I heard on the radio this morning one of the DJ's was saying he was given a hard time about his stuff in baggies... why? because the bag wasn't one-liter. It wasn't bigger... it was smaller. gah. Some people need to learn to be reasonable, you know, I am a rule-follower, but, getting onto someone about their bag being too small? Geesh.

Wish me luck for an easy security jaunt. (I always wear clean socks, even before the crackdown my boots and belt stop me, but, a girl like me needs rugged stuff)

Melanie Perry
*not all who wander are lost*
Mistress of the Dorkness ( http://mistressofthedorkness.blogspot.com )

Debra Roby 5 pts

I heard a story today that to me took the TSA regulations way too far. A mother had to throw away the sandwich she packed for her child to eat on the plane. It was peanut-butter and jelly.

The peanut-butter wasn't a problem.. but the jelly should have been in a container and in her quart ziploc bag.

Glad you're feeling better.. and enjoy the holiday with your family.

Debra
A Stitch In Time ( http://astitchintime.blogspot.com )
Deb's Daily Distractions ( http://debsdistractions.blogspot.com )

Lisa Stone 6 pts

Glad you're feeling better. :)

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder ( http://www.blogher.com/member/lisa-stone )
Surfette ( http://surfette.typepad.com )

Jen M. 5 pts

I just joined BlogHer, and yours is the first blog I read! I must secretly need a massage or something.

Anyway: My mom had her Chapstick confiscated at Heathrow a couple months back, so when we got ready to fly for Thanksgiving (LAX-OHare-Syracuse, oh the misery), I took a lot of time preparing for that judgement by the TSA. But I forgot to clean out my purse, of all things! The lady looked through it, held my Clarins hand lotion for a sec, my pot of Carmex for maybe 1/2 a second, and my travel-size sunblock left over from the summer for even less time. All that work for nothing! :)
Jen

My Travel Site ( http://luxuryresorttravel.suite101.com )