How to Pack Perfume Bottles? [The SAFEST Way!]

It’s a perfume bottle, it is expensive and it usually comes in a glass bottle – all the ingredients that make me paranoid whenever packing perfume for travel. Have you ever experienced the anxiety of packing a perfume bottle in your check-in or hand-luggage? If so, let me please help you soothe your nerves and share with you some useful tips that have helped me oftentimes as a frequent traveler.

Perfume bottles should be packed individually with bubble wrap and placed inside their original boxes for safety. You can use your winter socks if you don’t have bubble wrap. For in-flight travel, it should be sealed inside a transparent 1-quart bag as per TSA regulations.

If original box packaging is lost, then place inside a thick travel pouch or make-up case.

The most popular travel case chosen by buyers on Amazon for packing is the Relavel Travel Cosmetics Organizer. This or similar organizers prevent the bottles from smashing into each other and also keep them in one place and not get lost inside layers of clothing if kept inside a suitcase.

An additional point to note is that perfumes need consistent low temperatures for storage, and need to be kept away from sunlight and humidity. So even after you unpack your perfume bottles, please don’t place them on a dresser, window sill, or leave them inside the bathroom. Keep them upright, and inside a cool, dry, and dark cabinet.

How to Pack Perfumes Safely (Step-by-Step)

Packing, in general, can be a nightmare for some. Add to that the fragile nature of fragrance bottles coupled with multiple regulations and guidelines for carrying perfume, packing a perfume bottle can quickly turn into a headache!

When you are packing for long-haul travel, ensure that you follow the below-mentioned steps –

1. Seal the Perfume Caps with Sellotape

First, use sellotape to seal the perfume bottle caps so that they do not unscrew or fall out during the course of the travel or moving.

2. Bubble Wrap Perfume Bottles

Take a bubble wrap sheet, cut it to a small A4 size typically and tape it all around the perfume bottle. You can further pack the perfume boxes safely inside a bubble-wrap sheet or thick sweater-like clothing or large winter socks for extra comfort.

If you do not have bubble wrap, then use a few thick tissue papers and stick them inside their original box. If you have lost the perfume box, then stuff the tissue-wrapped bottles inside a layer of socks.

3. Vacuum Seal or Box Package Perfume Bottles

Place all of these wrapped perfume bottles inside a snug travel storage box or travel cosmetics organizer; this will prevent them from sliding around inside your luggage or getting lost inside larger boxes. I generally prefer to keep my perfume bottles in travel organizers that come with an additional hanging hook so that once I unpack also at a hotel, I can hang all my bottles together and they stay upright.

If you are on a budget, then you can use a clean shoe-box and line these bottles up. Stick some tissues or soft garments (even undervests work wonders) in between the spaces to ensure the perfume bottles do not rub into each other.

4. Wedge Perfume Bottles between Clothes

Wedge the perfume bottles organizer (or shoe-box) deep between the clothes or other soft and non-fragile items so that they are safe from the common bumps encountered during travel or moving

5. Keep Perfume Away from Heat

Remember to keep them away from any source of direct heat

Pro-Tip!
If you are packing perfume vials, then place them in small vacuum seal boxes or an ammunition box that help keep the vials stay snug and upright.

I prefer packing my perfume vials inside these small vacuum-sealed boxes regardless of how I am moving my perfume vials. There are several reasons for that, but here a couple of good reasons –

Perfume vials will stay inside my purse without getting knocked around
It prevents my kid from getting her hands on it and swallowing the small perfume vials inadvertently.

Now to share very specific tips for each type of perfume packing need!

How to Pack Perfume for a Flight Travel?

Now packing for flights can be a whole different kettle of fish!

There are several rules around carrying perfume on a flight, how much perfume is allowed, and how many bottles can be carried! Furthermore, since the rules vary for checked luggage and hand luggage, it can cause further confusion.

So, in this section, I will not only help you understand how to pack perfumes for flight travel but also things that you should remember when carrying perfume on a plane!

How to Pack Perfume in Checked Luggage?

Perfumes, as you know, are delicate. If a perfume bottle cap becomes loose or cracks during a flight, the entire perfume will evaporate.

If you are packing perfume as part of checked-in luggage, then follow the below mentioned steps –

Tape down the perfume bottle caps.
Place the taped and sealed perfume bottles inside some bubble wrap. Make sure you have at least 2 layers of bubble wrap around the bottles.
You can also use thick winter socks if you don’t have access to some bubble wrap.
Place them inside a travel storage box one by one.
Once all the bottles are have been added to the box, fill the remaining space with a lot of paper, face towels, or even clothes. This usually makes it a snug fit and prevents the bottles from moving and breaking.

Once you have taped the bottles and added the bubble wrap layer, you basically have two options –

Your choice is now to either spread out the perfume bottles boxes individually between layers of clothing (as described above) OR
Buy a travel case, and keep that one travel case safely between the clothes, ideally in the center.

I like to keep all the perfume bottles in a single travel organizer case. Remember to take that snug box or travel case and wrap it inside a thick sweater or a shawl, and wedge it deep between some other soft clothing items that you are carrying. This will likely prevent it from cracking.

Pro Tip!
During flights, it is best to bubblewrap and place perfume bottles inside either original box packaging or inside a snug box that will prevent it from sliding around during the course of the trip.

Tips from my personal experience –

I prefer carrying a case of perfume vials packed inside small vacuum-sealed boxes.
If I have multiple perfume vials or have more than one mid-to-large perfume bottle including some other lotions or shampoo bottles as well to pack, then I prefer to further pack them inside a large travel toiletries case.
I highly recommend that you carry a toiletry case as it is not only leak-proof but it also allows me to keep all my toiletries together neatly! In fact, this particular toiletry case is pretty useful and I use the 10 x 9.4-inch bag when traveling alone.
When I’m traveling with my spouse, then we expand it to its full 16 x 9.4inch length and use one organizer for both of us. It also comes with a sturdy hook to hang, which is pretty useful as I like to hang the toiletries upright.

So, this type of travel case allows me to keep all my toiletries and bottles together even when unpacking at a hotel – so I like the general ease of use, very much!

Restrictions on Carrying Perfume in Checked Baggage

I used to think that the limitations for carrying perfume bottles only applied on hand baggage until I learned it the hard way!

There are restrictions on the number of perfume bottles that can be packed in checked luggage as well!

Important Note:
There is a restriction on the quantity of perfume that can be packed in checked-in luggage as these are considered hazardous or dangerous goods due to their flammable nature.

In fact, I reached out to the Tranportation Security Administration (TSA) to get a confirmation on the quantity of perfume that can be carried out in checked baggage! (Check the screenshot below)

Current Federal Aviation Adminstration guidelines for toiletry articles are:

No bottle can be larger than 17 fluid ounces (500 ml), and
Total amount of perfume quantity allowed is 68 fluid ounces (2 liters) total per person

So by that mathematics, if you are carrying only carrying say 3.4 oz (100ml) sized perfume bottles in your checked in luggage, you will not be able to exceed more than 20 per person.

These guidelines are subject to change, so best to check the TSA website or you can choose to directly ask the @AskTSA Twitter handle. They’re very responsive!

Of course, any commercial imports will always attract customs duty and must be declared at the airport – both at the source and destination country.

How to Pack Perfume in Carry On or Hand Luggage?

If you are packing for carry-on luggage, then you will have to remember that you have to follow the airline TSA 3-1-1 liquid rule for packing perfume. This means:

For hand luggage, seal and pack your perfume bottles that are no larger than 3.4 oz (100ml) in a transparent 1-quart sized toiletry bag. Only one such bag is allowed per person, so all perfume bottles, vials or any other toiletries need to be planned accordingly.

To be extra safe, I recommend wrapping this quart bag inside a shawl or sweater that you’re carrying in your hand luggage.

As a frequent traveler, I have often used food-storage ziplock bags in the past.

However, as a savvy traveler, I now have discovered that rectangular quart-sized transparent toiletry bags have far more room than food bags. The rectangular toiletry bags allow me to neatly stack my bottles and sprays. Even place a few extra items like small lip balms etc, without it all squishing into each other.

The best part is that these are compliant with the TSA guidelines while still letting me pack a few more items. Here is a link to one such popular TSA-approved airport toiletry bag that you can consider.

How to Pack Perfume When Moving?

When you are moving houses within the city, then you can usually get away with transporting perfume bottles inside your clothes suitcases. You can pack them similar to the way you would pack for checked-in luggage.

If you are moving to another city and packing these yourselves, I would personally recommend buying a polystyrene ice-chiller box to pack perfumes. These are also called thermocool or foam boxes.

Follow these steps for packing perfume for moving within or outside the city:

1. Sellotape the Perfume Bottle Caps:

Use a clear or paper sellotape and stick the caps to the neck of the bottle. In case you have lost a bottle cap, then ensure you have double taped the spray nozzle. Do not skip this step – especially when you are packing dab-on only splash perfumes. The tape will prevent as far as possible for the perfume bottle caps or spray nozzles to not come loose during the transportation.

2. Safely Wrap Each Perfume Bottle:

Take paper tissues, newspaper, foam sheets or bubble wrap and cover the entire perfume bottle with it. If you are using bubble wrap or foam sheets then remember to tape them again so they do not slip off the bottle.

3. Place Perfume Inside a Polystyrene Box:

Image of ICE AGE ON17F/2 Thermo Chill Overnite Container

Ok, so you can even reuse multiple shoe boxes, but I prefer using polystyrene ice boxes (thermocool ice-chillers) because they are so perfect!

They are very thick yet so light. You can stack the bottles neatly inside and even add an ice-gel pack / dry-ice to keep them cool during the time of transportation. The boxes also come in multiple sizes and are quite affordable. I mean look, my flatscreen TV even came from overseas packed in polystyrene in a ship, so my perfume bottles would be safe during a drive!

4. Use Tissues as an Extra Layer to Fill in the Gaps

So once you stack the first layer of perfume bottles inside the box, use tissues or newspaper or underwear to fill in the gaps. You can then take a piece of thin cardboard or newspaper and stack the second layer. Repeat till it is all full. Just remember to put in the extra stuffing of clothes / underwear, tissues or plain old newspaper into the gaps as you pack to prevent the bottles from rubbing into each other.

5. Label the Carton or Suitcase!

Pack these polystyrene boxes (or shoe boxes) into a stroller or a large suitcase and carry them with you to your new home. If you are moving them inside a larger carton with other items such as dishes or crystal, then remember to label the carton as: Fragile, This Way Up, and Perfume Bottles.

Pro Tip!
1. Always, ALWAYS, label your boxes so you know where to look
2. Use polystyrene ice boxes to transport perfumes as they are light, very good at protecting the perfumes from bumps and cracks, and can also be lined with iced-gel packs to keep the perfume cool if you are expecting serious heat that will destroy the delicate balance.

How to Pack Perfume for Shipping?

When you are carrying your own perfume, you are quite careful. But, when the perfume bottles are being shipped, it is a completely different ball game! You literally have no control over the care taken by the handler of the box containing the shipment.

So, you need to step it up a notch!

Here’s a video demonstration of how you should be packing your perfume bottles for shipping!

List of things that you would need for packing –

Original Box of the Perfume Bottle (If you don’t have it, it is totally okay. Just follow the rest of the steps)
A cardboard box – use a corrugated cardboard box if possible. Otherwise, any other packaging box will do. (size of the box will vary based on the number of bottles that you plan to ship)
Bubblewrap
Packaging Foam (I would recommend going with the foam peanuts than the foam sheets)
Polystyrene Box or Sheets
A Good Scissor
Some Sellotape
Permanent Marker
Thin Plastic Wrap
A Sharp Knife

Follow the steps mentioned in the video. If you have multiple bottles, then take a bigger box. You can pack multiple perfume bottles in the same box. However, remember to stuff some packaging foam below and above each bottle. Furthermore, bubblewrap the perfume bottles properly to avoid any chances of accidental breakage.

How to Pack Perfume for Gift?

When you love perfume, you naturally tend to gift your loved ones a perfume as well! But, before you share it with them, it is always a good idea that you gift wrap it properly!

There are several ways to pack perfume as a gift. The safest method is when you use the box of the perfume bottle, bubble wrap it properly, then place it inside a cardboard box. Make sure that you fill up the empty space inside the cardboard box with packaging foam.

Once you have done that, you can know use a nice fancy wrapping paper to wrap the box and make it look pretty!

Check out this video demonstration below that shows how to pack a perfume gift –

Best method to gift wrap a perfume bottle to keep it safe!

While using the technique mentioned in the above video, you can surely not only make the box look good, but you also make sure that the perfume bottle will remain safe inside!

However, sometimes, you may care more about the looks of the gift wrapping than the safety of the perfume bottle! For such scenarios, you can use different methods to make your perfume gift stand out!

Check out this interesting method of packing a perfume bottle in the video below –

An example of wrapping a perfume bottle as a gift to make it look good!

There are quite a good number of examples that you may be able to get on YouTube. Thus, I won’t be laying out the step by step process here as it is better understood through a video.

Quick Recap of Recommend Products

I know I have provided you with quite a good number of tips and suggested products! But, that’s exactly what it takes to pack perfume efficiently, and effectively! So, let me do a quick recap of various products that I recommend you use –

Relavel Travel Cosmetics Organizer – Prevents perfume bottles from smashing into each other and keeps them safe.
Small Vacuum Seal Boxes or an Ammunition Box – Great for carrying small vials of perfumes either in your handbag (use vacuum seal) or even when moving places (use ammunition box).
Travel Toiletries Bag (Large Size) – A leakproof way to carry perfume bottles (or toiletries) when traveling. Comes with a hook to hang the toiletries upright for easy removal and storage.
Travel Toiletries Bag (Expandable) – A perfectly suited gender-neutral travel toiletries bag. It comes with an expandable space along with a sturdy hook, and can easily fit in any travel bag.
TSA-approved Airport Toiletry Bag – Allows to neatly pack perfume bottles while adhering to TSA guidelines. Best suited for a handful of perfume bottles.

How to Pack Perfume Bottles? [The SAFEST Way!]