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Packing perfume for carry-on---any tips?

Packing perfume for carry-on---any tips?

Old Apr 25, 2008, 9:28 am
  #1  
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Packing perfume for carry-on---any tips?

I routinely pack carry-on only, and find that one of the hardest items to work around is perfume bottles. They're lovely on my dresser, but the ornate, heavy glass bottles aren't nearly so welcome in my 1 qt ziploc, where they occupy valuable real estate. Even travel sizes tend to be bulkier than necessary, and many of my favorite fragrances aren't readily available in travel sizes (and if they are available may come in a set with scents I don't like all that well).

Any ideas?

(oh, and never mind the suggestion about not bringing or wearing perfume )

Last edited by yamakake; Apr 25, 2008 at 9:28 am Reason: typo
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Old Apr 25, 2008, 9:40 am
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What brand of perfume do you wear? If you can find it at a department store, I would just go to the fragrance counter and ask for a sample. They're usually happy to oblige.

You can buy empty purse atomizers, (Sephora has a few -- like this one) but I think they're too big, unless you go through a huge amount of perfume.

Beauty Encounter also has a pretty good selection of samples and miniature bottles.

You could also go the solid perfume route, and then you wouldn't have to worry about spills or leaks.

Originally Posted by yamakake
I routinely pack carry-on only, and find that one of the hardest items to work around is perfume bottles. They're lovely on my dresser, but the ornate, heavy glass bottles aren't nearly so welcome in my 1 qt ziploc, where they occupy valuable real estate. Even travel sizes tend to be bulkier than necessary, and many of my favorite fragrances aren't readily available in travel sizes (and if they are available may come in a set with scents I don't like all that well).
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Old Apr 25, 2008, 9:41 am
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Have you tried Sephora.com? They have lots of sample sizes of things.
In fact, the next time that you buy perfume ask at the counter if you can have a few samples for travel. They are usually pretty good about handing out samples at Nieman's and Macy's if you ask and if you are a regular customer!
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Old Apr 25, 2008, 8:40 pm
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I usually don't wear perfume. I use body lotion instead. Same smell!
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Old Apr 25, 2008, 8:50 pm
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You don't need to fit all your liquids into the 1 quart ziplock bag. I routinely have my <3.5 oz bottles all over my carryon (eg whereever it was most convenient to pack them) and have never been stopped. This includes bringing enough small bottles that would fill a gallon sized bag just this past weekend. I think the screeners basically ignore small bottles. However, if you try to bring an obviously large bottle (eg 6oz worth of sunscreen), that does get tagged and removed.

I would suggest that you put your perfume container in the ziploc bag (since the bottle might look pretty large) along with some other stuff, but don't worry about fitting the rest of your liquids in that quart sized bag.
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Old Apr 26, 2008, 7:39 am
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Lots of good suggestions here, and I've considered all of them. Solid perfume will end up being the easiest of all I think, as I don't even have to think about it. Now all I have to do is find one that I like. The only one of my usual perfumes that comes in a solid is Jean Patou's Sublime. Gwen Stefani and Sarah Jessica Parker have ones that sound (on paper) like I might like them. I'll be visiting Sephora in the near future.

As for the other options, the drawbacks are...

1. Samples: only available for some perfumes, typically (though not always) those that are recently released. The only one that I could find of my usual perfumes was Chanel's Chance.

2. Purse-size atomizers: Sephora's got several of these that would suit, but the problem is getting the perfume out of the original bottle, as I typically buy atomizers. So this option is only available for atomizers that can be opened (the only one of mine that worked was Thierry Mugler's Cologne) or for those products that are available in non-atomizer form (and then I'll have to buy those separately). Dior's Tendre Poison, Chanel's Chance, Patou's Sublime, and Burberry Brit all sealed in such as way that they can't be opened for decanting into another container.

3. Lotion: not always available in the desired scent, and typically require using a larger volume, so not ideal for compact packing. Not always the same scent, I find: I much prefer Dior's Dune lotion to the actual perfume/cologne, for instance.

4. Ignoring the 1 qt ziploc bag rule: nope, not going there. I've had screeners miss or ignore all sorts of stuff that I've inadvertently left in bags, but that doesn't mean that they won't object the next time I'm at TSA. I'm a follow-the-rules sort of person, and bending them would make me so anxious I'd likely be pegged as a cocaine mule.
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Old Apr 26, 2008, 7:48 am
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Buy a small bottle of perfume in any scent, throw it out or put it in another bottle, wash the bottle, and fill it with the perfume you want to take. I have several small bottles of perfume I bought in Hawaii that are the perfect size for the ziploc bag when I use it up.
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Old Apr 26, 2008, 1:38 pm
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I've never had a problem with Nordstrom and Macy's making a sample of any perfume for me. If they don't have a sample, they typically offer to make one for me. I use them for my trips.
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Old Apr 26, 2008, 2:45 pm
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Why not put a little of the perfume on a cotton ball and put it in a little zip-lock? Then maybe wrap that in aluminum foil so the scent doesn't migrate through the plastic. Just a tiny little packet. Still in your 1-quart since technically it still is a liquid.

Romelle
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Old Apr 27, 2008, 4:11 am
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Pick up a bunch of sample bottles of whatever brand, dump their contents and wash/dry them thoroughly. Then refill with your favorite scent using a clean eye dropper or decant into a perfume funnel.
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Old Apr 27, 2008, 5:10 pm
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I have a larger size that stays home and went and purchased a 3 oz size to travel with. It always just stays in the suitcase......
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Old Apr 28, 2008, 10:42 am
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Back from Sephora, and ready to report.

I tried the solid perfumes that were in stock in this particular location and wasn't blown away by any of them, so didn't pursue that route any farther.

I asked for a sample of a perfume that I've been meaning to try, the Eau Fraiche version of Chance, and watched the saleswoman prepare it for me: she spritzes the atomizer into a small funnel, minimizing the spray and thereby minimizing the evaporation. So I guess I don't need to worry about tracking down non-atomizer versions.

I got two of the pink purse-size atomizers from Sephora that panicked had pointed out. I haven't yet filled them, but they look like they'll work nicely. There's a shorter, slightly larger in diameter silver version, but it didn't look as well made, so I stuck with the pink one. I think the volume will work out fine---I travel carry-on even for longer trips of one to three weeks, so this volume is not excessive.
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Old Apr 28, 2008, 10:45 am
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Originally Posted by Emeraldcity
I have a larger size that stays home and went and purchased a 3 oz size to travel with. It always just stays in the suitcase......
A three oz size of perfume? Most of my "large" perfumes are under 3 oz and I still consider them too large for travel (mostly because the bottles tend to be bulky). But then I wear lots of different scents, so would worry that they'd go "off" if I bought larger sizes.
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Old Apr 28, 2008, 12:17 pm
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Originally Posted by yamakake
Back from Sephora, and ready to report.
I asked for a sample of a perfume that I've been meaning to try, the Eau Fraiche version of Chance, and watched the saleswoman prepare it for me: she spritzes the atomizer into a small funnel, minimizing the spray and thereby minimizing the evaporation. So I guess I don't need to worry about tracking down non-atomizer versions.

I got two of the pink purse-size atomizers from Sephora that panicked had pointed out. I haven't yet filled them, but they look like they'll work nicely. There's a shorter, slightly larger in diameter silver version, but it didn't look as well made, so I stuck with the pink one. I think the volume will work out fine---I travel carry-on even for longer trips of one to three weeks, so this volume is not excessive.
I've never had a problem transferring perfume into a purse atomizer, even without the funnel. You have to be a little careful, but it's easy, and you don't have to use or wash a funnel. Just hold the sprayer right up against the mouth of the purse atomizer insert, and carefully spray until it's filled.
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Old Apr 29, 2008, 2:23 pm
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Originally Posted by yamakake
A three oz size of perfume? Most of my "large" perfumes are under 3 oz and I still consider them too large for travel (mostly because the bottles tend to be bulky). But then I wear lots of different scents, so would worry that they'd go "off" if I bought larger sizes.
I have never had a problem with a scent going off. I guess the scents I use just come in practicle slim bottles... LOL.... The 3oz size just travels with me, but then again, I do travel every weekend so it does get used regularly, so it really doesn't have a chance to go off....shrugs......
The main scents I use are Elizabeth Taylor's Passion or "So You" by Giorgio Beverly Hills. The smaller bottles are great for travel. I put them in checked bags even and they don't leak.

I don't like atomizers as they tend to leak and it seems like the perfume evaporates out of the bottle because the ones I have gotten don't seem to seal that well.
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