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Can you take lotion on a plane?

In Japan lotion and toner are allowed in carry-on and checked bags, with conditions. Carry-on: Yes. Toner, lotion and creams are toiletries: 0.5 litres or 0.5kg per container, 2 litres or 2kg per person. Japan's liquids list names ointment, hand cream and skin lotion, so on international flights each carry-on container must be 100ml or less. Checked baggage: Yes, within the 0.5 litre per container and 2 litre per person limits.

Updated

Yes, within limitsCarry-on in Japan
ConditionsChecked bag in Japan
9countries compared

Carry-on: conditionsChecked bag: conditions

Lotion and toner on flights in and from Japan

On a domestic flight only the quantity limits apply. On an international flight the liquid rule comes on top.

Toner and lotion: carry-on and checked baggage in Japan
WhereAllowed?What applies
In the cabinYes, within limitsYes. Toner, lotion and creams are toiletries: 0.5 litres or 0.5kg per container, 2 litres or 2kg per person. Japan's liquids list names ointment, hand cream and skin lotion, so on international flights each carry-on container must be 100ml or less.
In checked baggageConditionsYes, within the 0.5 litre per container and 2 litre per person limits.
Domestic flights in Japan
The 100ml liquid limit does not apply.
International flights from Japan
Each container 100ml or less, all of them inside one transparent re-sealable bag of 1 litre or less, one bag per person.

Lotion, cream and toner: what counts as a liquid

Whether a skincare product is treated as a liquid depends on its form, not on what the label calls it.

Named on Japan's liquids list
Japan's list for international flights has a row called Creams, Lotions, and gives ointment, hand cream and skin lotion as its examples. Anything in that row has to follow the 100 ml container rule in carry-on. The main list of restricted items files toner under skincare products, next to face wash and sunscreen.
The size of the bottle is what counts
Narita Airport words the rule by container: liquids stored in containers with a capacity exceeding 100 ml (g) cannot be brought on board an international flight. A large bottle of toner that is nearly empty is still judged by the size of the bottle. GOV.UK says the same for most UK airports: the limit still applies if the container is only part full.
Sheet masks and cotton pads are not liquids
The same Japanese list sets out what falls outside the liquid restriction. Wet tissues, cleansing cotton sheets and sheet-type facial masks are on it, so they can go in carry-on in any quantity and do not need to be shown separately at the checkpoint.
One shared allowance for toiletries
The 2 litre or 2 kg per person figure is not a lotion allowance. Japan's list counts toiletries, medicines and spray cans together against that single total, with each container capped at 0.5 litres or 0.5 kg. Australia's CASA uses the same pair of numbers: 0.5 kg or 0.5L per item and 2kg or 2L per person.

Lotion and toner: the rule country by country

The carry-on answer for lotion and toner is the same in all 8 other places we checked. The limits themselves are not identical, so read the row for the country you fly from.

Toner and lotion: carry-on and checked baggage rules by country
Flying fromCarry-onChecked bagWhat the authority says
JapanCivil Aviation BureauWith limitsWith limitsToner, lotion and creams are toiletries: 0.5 litres or 0.5kg per container, 2 litres or 2kg per person. Source
United StatesTSAWith limitsYesLotion and cream are allowed in carry-on bags only in containers of 3.4oz/100 ml or less.TSA entry: Lotion, Cream Source
European UnionEuropean Commission, EASAWith limits—Lotions count as liquids. Hand luggage: 100 ml per container, all in one re-sealable one-litre bag. Source
United KingdomUK GovernmentWith limitsYesLotions are listed as liquids. Hand luggage: 100ml per container at most airports, up to 2 litres at some. Source
South KoreaMOLIT Aviation Security 365With limitsYesToner and lotion fall under liquids, aerosols and gels. Carry-on is restricted on international flights only. Source
TaiwanCivil Aviation AdministrationWith limitsYesInternational flights only: 100 ml per carry-on container, in one resealable 1 litre bag. Source
Hong KongCivil Aviation DepartmentWith limitsWith limitsCovered as a toiletry article. Carry-on: containers of 100 ml or less in one re-sealable 1-litre bag. Carry-on or checked: no more than 0.5 kg or 0.5 L per article (a per-person total also applies). Source
Mainland ChinaCAACWith limitsYesDomestic flights: no liquids in carry-on except cosmetics for the trip (one of each type, container up to 100mL). International and regional flights: containers up to 100mL in one resealable 1L clear bag. Source
AustraliaHome Affairs, CASAWith limitsWith limitsCounts as a toiletry: 0.5 kg or 0.5 L per item and 2 kg or 2 L in total per person, in carry-on and checked bags. On international flights carry-on containers must be 100 mL or 100 g or less; most domestic flights have no limit.CASA Pack Right entry: Toiletries including perfumes, aerosols, hairsprays and colognes Source

Each row comes from that authority's own page. Airlines can be stricter, and the screening officer has the final say.

If security in Japan will not let lotion and toner through

What to do
Move lotion and toner to the bag you check in before you reach security, within the checked-baggage limits above. Narita Airport states that anything given up at the checkpoint is discarded and cannot be returned.

Buying lotion and toner in Japan

Where to buy
Drugstores and hundred-yen shops.

Frequently asked questions

Can you take lotion on a plane?

On flights in and from Japan: Yes. Toner, lotion and creams are toiletries: 0.5 litres or 0.5kg per container, 2 litres or 2kg per person. Japan's liquids list names ointment, hand cream and skin lotion, so on international flights each carry-on container must be 100ml or less. In checked baggage: Yes, within the 0.5 litre per container and 2 litre per person limits.

Does hand cream count as a liquid on a plane?

Yes. Japan's liquids list for international flights names hand cream, ointment and skin lotion in its Creams, Lotions row, so each container in carry-on must be 100 ml or less and fit in the 1 litre bag. The TSA lists Cream as its own item with the same carry-on limit of 3.4oz/100 ml.

Do face sheet masks count as liquids at airport security in Japan?

No. Japan's list of items that are not included in the liquid restriction names sheet-type facial masks, cleansing cotton sheets and wet tissues. They can be carried into the cabin regardless of quantity, and no particular declaration is required at the security checkpoint.

Does the TSA allow lotion in carry-on bags?

Lotion and cream are allowed in carry-on bags only in containers of 3.4oz/100 ml or less.

Can you take lotion in hand luggage in the UK or Europe?

The United Kingdom: Lotions are listed as liquids. Hand luggage: 100ml per container at most airports, up to 2 litres at some. The European Union: Lotions count as liquids. Hand luggage: 100 ml per container, all in one re-sealable one-litre bag.

Can you put lotion in checked luggage?

Yes, within the 0.5 litre per container and 2 litre per person limits.

What is the rule for lotion and toner on flights from Taiwan?

Taiwan: International flights only: 100 ml per carry-on container, in one resealable 1 litre bag.

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Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026