Sprays and cosmetics in your carry-on: useful rules

Sprays and perfumes in the cabin

Deodorants, perfumes, and other cosmetic sprays follow the general liquids rule: maximum 100 ml per container, all inside the one-liter transparent bag (see here for complete details on the 100 ml rule). Stick or solid versions of the same product have no quantity limit in the cabin.

As of 2025, some Italian airports, including Fiumicino, Malpensa, Linate, Bergamo, Bologna, Turin, and Catania, have introduced CT scanners that allow you to bring liquids up to 2 liters per container without removing them from your baggage: it's worth checking whether the airport you're using has this already, as the 100 ml rule remains in force elsewhere.

Pressurized bottles: different limits in the hold

Hair spray, shaving foam, and aerosol deodorants respect the 100 ml limit if they stay in the cabin. In the hold, a different threshold applies: generally up to 500 ml per single container and a total of about two liters per passenger among all pressurized products, with the spray valve protected by a cap.

Lighter gas, anti-aggression sprays, and flammable or toxic pressurized products remain prohibited both in the cabin and in the hold, without quantity exceptions.

Sunscreen: the choice that simplifies your baggage

Traditional cream-format sunscreen has no quantity limits if it travels in the hold: buying the family-size bottle before leaving remains the simplest solution for those heading to the beach. Spray versions, being pressurized, follow the double limit just described, so 100 ml travel-size packages or solid formats (shampoo and conditioner in bar form) remain the most practical alternative for carry-on baggage only.

The quickest way to get it right: sprays and perfumes in the cabin always follow the 100 ml rule, while large pressurized bottles like hair spray, shaving foam, or sunscreen spray should be moved to the hold, staying under 500 ml per container and two liters total.