Travelling with fragrance and decanting

You can travel with fragrance without packing a fragile, expensive bottle. A little planning keeps it safe and lets you take what you need.

Why decant

A small travel atomiser is lighter, easier to fit in hand luggage and a lot less upsetting if it gets lost or broken. It also means you can take two or three scents without bringing three bottles.

How to decant

1. Use a clean, empty glass or good-quality travel atomiser.
2. Many atomisers have a small filling hole or a funnel. If yours does not, you can often fill it by pressing the atomiser's nozzle into the bottle's sprayer and pumping, depending on the design.
3. Label the atomiser with the name of the fragrance so you do not forget what it is.
4. Do not fill to the very top, to leave a small amount of space.

Flying with fragrance

Perfume contains alcohol and is a liquid, so airlines and airports have rules. Many airports limit liquids in hand luggage to small containers, often 100 ml each, and there are also rules for flammable liquids and aerosols in checked luggage. Rules differ by country and airline, so check the airline and airport guidance before you travel.

Protect it on the move

• Keep it out of the sun and away from a hot car.
• Wrap bottles in clothing, or use a padded case.
• Put atomisers in a zip bag in case of leaks.

A note on buying decants

Decanting your own bottle is simple. Buying decants from other people is different: you cannot always check what is in them or how they were stored. Prefer samples from the brand or an authorised retailer.

See also how to store perfume.

Some pages on this site may include affiliate links. If you buy through one, Layer may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.