Can You Bring Nail Polish On A Plane?

November 12, 2024 by Mani Pandey

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You might have seen makeup enthusiasts carrying their whole makeup kit with them when they travel. They take it in their cabin luggage on a flight just in case they need to touch up. It is a good idea to make use of the time on the flight and look fresh and good before getting off.

Even though having a makeup kit handy seems feasible, people still feel hesitant in carrying certain makeup products in their kit and nail polish is one of them. If you wonder, ‘can you bring nail polish on a plane’ we have got you covered and provided detailed information about it in this article.

Keep reading!

Nail polish is also known as nail varnish or nail enamel. It is a lacquer that is applied on the fingernail and the toenail for decoration and grooming purposes.

Article Contains

Are You Bringing Nail Polish on a Plane?
Is It Allowed to Use Nail Polish on a Plane?
Packing Nail Polish Safely for Travel

Apart from its decorative properties, some nail polish also helps strengthen the nails, protecting them from breaking and chipping off. The ingredients in the nail polish include nitrocellulose, which is the most common polymer (1). The nitrocellulose is dissolved in a solvent, which, when applied to the nails, evaporates, and the polymer forms a thin layer of film.

Are You Bringing Nail Polish on a Plane?

We are all aware of the rules and regulations that airlines follow. There are some restrictions on the amount of liquid that you can carry with you in the cabin. Only 100ml per liquid bottle in any form is allowed.

Since lacquers are much smaller than the 100ml, it is considered safe to bring onboard with you. In the checked-in baggage there is no such restriction on the limit to the amount or number of nail polish bottles you carry.

Is It Allowed to Use Nail Polish on a Plane?

Passengers are not allowed to open the nail polish bottle, let alone apply it to their nails on the plane.

Inside an aircraft, it’s just an enclosed cabin with recirculated air. So, when you open a bottle of nail polish, as it contains acetone, it releases a strong odor (2). The smell of the nail polish is enough to make people sick and vomit inside a plane for the entire flight duration. Or may even cause the flight to make an emergency landing in case of emergency.

Packing Nail Polish Safely for Travel

If you are carrying nail polish bottles in cabin luggage or even in checked-in baggage, it is always essential to contain them in a safe package. Due to air pressure or during transit, the bottles might even tend to break, which can cause spillage of paint in all your clothes and stuff inside the bag.

So, it is advised to place your liquid products safely in a transparent zip-lock or bubble wrap to avoid leaking them. So even if it breaks, it won’t damage the other stuff or let the fumes out of the packet.

Conclusion

Different airlines have different sets of rules. Therefore, it is essential to check the protocols of the airlines you are traveling with. Not taking the prohibited products and taking the allowed ones with you within the designated limits will make your travel hassle-free.

To be on the safer side it is better to carry your nail polish bottles on a checked-in baggage and place it safely inside another plastic packet. Do not open your nail polish bottle in the plane as it may cause discomfort to the fellow passengers due to its strong smell.

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