Rescue 3-1-1

Another scholarly piece from Estylo magazine. This one, alas, never saw the light of day at Centerfold News because our publisher didn't sell enough ads to pay for the July 2008 issue. So for the first time anywhere (unless you're my copy editor) here's my advice on getting your all-important cosmetics past the TSA.

Rescue 3-1-1: How to pack your whole life into a quart-size bag.
by Linda F. Cauthen

The biggest challenge we ladies face in packing for a vacation that involves air travel is the dreaded 3-1-1 rule which forces us to fit a tackle-box sized cosmetic case into a quart-size Ziploc bag with no item containing more than three ounces of liquid or gel. No one wants to raise the suspicions of the Department of Homeland Security—or even worse, lose your most expensive lip gloss. So how do you make all your necessities fit?

#1: Get trial and travel sizes and free samples.
Plan ahead and start stashing away mini sizes of your favorite products. Hit up the department store salespeople for samples of perfume, makeup and skin care products. Check the trial-and-travel bins at your local drugstore, grocery and discount chains. Wal-Mart offers a continually changing array of free samples at http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx. You should be able to find air-legal sizes of your toiletry and skin care staples that will still leave room in your baggie for makeup. Some of it, anyway.

#2: Figure out what restricted items you must have and pack them first to see how much space you have left.
I can’t go anywhere without my waterproof Great Lash mascara, Neutrogena Glow Sheers or Aveeno moisturizer so those so in first. I prefer gel deodorant and must have at least one tube of lipgloss. I put my eye-makeup remover pads in a snack-size baggie so they don’t leak on anything else. My nail polish gets its own baggie because nothing is worse (or smellier) than spilled nail polish. I’ve got mini sizes of my perfumes, skin care products and sunscreen so those are good to go.

#3: Substitute solids for liquids and gels.
Mineral makeup can stand in for sunscreen, liquid foundation and concealer but does not have to go into your 3-1-1 bag. Lipsticks, lip balms and gloss sticks are also considered solids—if you really need goopy gloss like I do, toss a clear or neutral one in the 3-1-1 bag and use it over lipsticks. Pack pencil liners and powder shadow rather than liquid liner and cream shadow.

#4: Save the 3-1-1 bag for liquids and gels by packing a separate bag for items you do not have to declare. You can get through security faster if the stuff you don’t have to declare isn’t mixed in with what you do. Your non-liquid bag can be your regular cosmetic bag and contain powders and solids plus implements like brushes and your eyelash curler. (But not scissors or other sharp objects that must be checked.) After you and your 3-1-1 baggie speed through security, pop it into your cosmetic bag and have a nice, relaxing flight.