If you want to take some beautiful pictures of yourself from your vacation, you might want to bring a curling iron. You could also use hair rollers, but nobody has time for that when you’re traveling. Curling irons are generally allowed on planes, but there are a few important things that you should know.
TSA Rules for Curling Irons
TSA (Transport Security Agency) allows bringing wired curling irons in hand and checked baggage. There aren’t any packing or quantity restrictions for them.
Only wireless curling irons have restrictions, which are powered by lithium batteries or butane gas cartridges. They’re banned from checked bags and only allowed in hand baggage. Only one is allowed per passenger.
When packed in hand luggage, wireless curling irons must be stored in a heat-resistant pouch or container. This is required to keep them from turning on and causing a fire.
Spare butane gas cartridges aren’t allowed either in hand or checked bags.
Traveling With Curling Irons Internationally
The rules for traveling with curling irons are nearly identical across the world. The only difference is that European countries as well as a few other ones also allow packing wireless curling irons in checked baggage.
Other countries may use different electrical socket types, so it’s possible that you won’t be able to plug in your curling iron. To ensure that it’s compatible, get a universal travel adapter that supports all the countries where you’ll be staying in.
You should check that your curling iron is dual voltage. Look at its backside and confirm that it’s compatible with 110V and 220V electrical grids. Otherwise, you’ll ruin it. If it isn’t dual voltage, you’ll need to get a small 110-220V travel transformer.
And lastly, avoid packing expensive curling irons. That’s because you might lose your luggage or someone could steal it. Theft in hotel rooms is also common. That’s why it’s advised to use cheap curling irons when traveling.
How to Pack Curling Irons in Luggage
When packing a wired curling iron, pack it in your hand luggage to reduce the chances of it getting lost or stolen. You don’t need to take out your curling iron when going through security, so you can pack it somewhere deep inside your bag. Wrap some soft clothing around it to avoid damage.
You’re allowed to pack wireless curling irons only in carry-on bags or personal items. You must use a heat-resistant pouch for them to protect against accidental fires. Getting a heat-resistant pouch is beneficial even for wired curling and flat irons. That’s because you can pack them into your bag even when they’re still hot.
The Rules for Bringing Other Hair Styling Tools and Products on Planes
The rules for wired and wireless hair dryers, flat irons, electric heat brushes, hot rollers, and other electronics are identical to curling irons. Wired ones are considered harmless, so they’re allowed in hand and checked bags.
Sharp tools, including hair scissors and rat tail combs, are banned from hand baggage.
All liquids, aerosols, gels, pastes, and lotions must be in 3.4 oz (100 ml) containers or smaller when packed in hand baggage. In checked bags, larger quantities are allowed. Popular examples of hair products that are treated as liquids include heat protectant spray, hairspray, hair gel, dry shampoo, regular shampoo, hair styling paste, and hair straightening oil.
Hair brushes/combs, hair wax, bobby pins, and hair rollers are allowed without any restrictions.
Why Getting a Travel Curling Iron Is Worth It
A few brands make curling irons dedicated to traveling. They’re much smaller in size to save some space and weight in your bags. They’re also dual-voltage, which ensures that they work in most countries around the world. And lastly, most of them come with heat-resistant pouches. They’re useful for when you need to get your hair ready right before checking out of your hotel because you can pack your curling iron inside your bag while it’s still hot.
The only downside to travel curling irons is that they’re weaker than regular curling irons. Due to their limited size, they aren’t able to heat up as quickly and reach high temperatures. The heating element is also a bit smaller, so it takes a bit longer to curl your hair. But for traveling, this isn’t a big issue because saving space and ensuring that they’ll work everywhere is more important.
Summing Up: Traveling With Curling Irons
We recommend bringing only wired plug-in curling irons on your vacation. That’s because wireless ones have certain restrictions, and you might need to bring spare cartridges, which aren’t allowed. You should also make sure that your curling iron is dual-voltage and that you have a travel adapter if needed to ensure that it will work at your destination. And lastly, remember to pack your heat protection spray together with your other liquid toiletries and aerosols if packed in hand baggage. By following this advice, you shouldn’t experience any problems on your trip.