💨 Hairspray

A full-size hairspray can is typically 200ml to 400ml — significantly over the 100ml carry-on limit — and will be confiscated at the checkpoint. The screener will identify it on X-ray and remove it from your bag. To bring hairspray in carry-on, you need a travel-size can of 100ml or less that fits in your clear liquids bag.

Yes — India's DGCA and China's CAAC apply strict limits on aerosols, and large cans of hairspray in checked baggage may face additional restrictions beyond the standard IATA allowances. Most regions follow IATA's total flammable aerosol limit of 0.5kg or 500ml per passenger in checked baggage, but India and China require you to check with your specific airline before packing large aerosol cans. This is worth verifying before you fly on those routes.

In practice, checked bag aerosol quantities are rarely verified by screeners unless a bag is opened for inspection and the contents are counted. However, if a pressurised can ruptures or causes a problem in the hold, travelling with undeclared excess aerosols creates liability. The sensible approach is to stay within the 0.5kg or 500ml total across all your aerosols — hairspray, deodorant, insect repellent, and others combined.

For a travel-size can of 100ml or less, carry-on is convenient and perfectly fine. For anything larger, checked baggage is the only option. If you are checking a large can, protect the nozzle with a cap or tape to prevent accidental discharge, and place it upright where it will not be crushed. Hairspray cans can lose pressure or leak in the hold, so wrapping the cap in a small plastic bag is a sensible precaution.