GatgoounFlying for the holidays? TSA's 3.4-ounce rule and three Korean skincare sizes on Amazon US
Published Oct 28, 2026 · Gatgooun
Written with AI assistance and reviewed by the Gatgooun editor.
This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Holiday flights mean packing your skincare into a carry-on, and that means TSA's liquids rule. Some Korean products come in full sizes labeled at or under TSA's 100 ml figure, so you may not need to decant them, as long as the container itself fits the rule.
Below is what the rule says, three Korean products on Amazon US and what their labels say about size, and how to pack them. We opened TSA's page, every brand page and every listing on October 27, 2026. Rules can change, and TSA says its officers make the final decision at the checkpoint, so check TSA's page before you fly.
Quick picks
- Want a light serum in a 50 ml bottle → Torriden DIVE-IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum (50 ml)Amazon ↗Affiliate
link - Want a cleansing balm the brand calls TSA friendly → Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm (90 g)Amazon ↗Affiliate
link - Want a 100 ml cleansing balm right at the limit → Pyunkang Yul Deep Clear Cleansing Balm (100 ml)Amazon ↗Affiliate
link
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What TSA's rule says
TSA's page on liquids, aerosols and gels says you may bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on. Each item must be in a travel-sized container of 3.4 ounces, or 100 milliliters, or less. Anything in a larger container goes in checked baggage.
Two details trip people up. The limit is about the size of the container, so a big jar that is nearly empty still doesn't qualify. And creams count, not only runny liquids. A cleansing balm feels solid in the jar, but it melts into an oil when you use it, so we'd pack it in the quart bag with everything else rather than risk a second look at the checkpoint.
Check the container you actually have. Watch the units, too: TSA's limit is a volume, 3.4 fluid ounces or 100 milliliters, while some jars are labeled by net weight in grams or ounces, which is not the same measure. A different version or a gift set can also come in another size.
Three Korean picks and their labeled sizes
Torriden DIVE-IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum is a 50 ml (1.69 fl oz) bottle, listed as sold by TORRIDEN. Its labeled volume is well under 100 ml, so it leaves room in the bag. Torriden says it uses five sizes of hyaluronic acid, and its ingredient list also names panthenol. The brand's directions: apply a suitable amount to the face and pat it in lightly.
Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm is the 90 g (3.17 oz) full size, listed as sold by Then I Met You LLC. That figure is a net weight, not the container's volume. On its product page, Then I Met You labels this size TSA friendly; that's the brand's own label, not a TSA ruling. There's also a 20 g travel size. It comes with a spatula. Its directions: scoop a dime-sized amount onto dry skin, massage, add warm water to emulsify, then rinse before your water-based cleanser.
Pyunkang Yul Deep Clear Cleansing Balm is a 100 ml jar, listed as sold by Pyunkang Yul. That matches TSA's 100 ml figure exactly, with no room to spare, so check the jar's label before you pack it. Pyunkang Yul names green tea seed oil, rice bran oil and ceramide as core ingredients, and fragrance appears at the end of its full ingredient list. Scoop it onto dry hands, massage it over dry skin, then add lukewarm water until it turns milky and rinse.
| Product | Size on the label | Compared with TSA's 100 ml | Step in a routine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torriden DIVE-IN Serum | 50 ml (1.69 fl oz) | Under 100 ml | Serum, after toner |
| Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm | 90 g (3.17 oz), net weight | Weight, not volume; the brand labels it TSA friendly | First cleanser |
| Pyunkang Yul Deep Clear Cleansing Balm | 100 ml | Equal to 100 ml | First cleanser |
Packing a carry-on routine
A quart bag fills up quickly, so pack by step. You need one cleanser, one or two leave-on products and whatever you can't skip. Two cleansing balms is one too many for a short trip, and if you don't wear makeup while traveling, the water-based cleanser you already use may be all you need; pick the texture you prefer, or see our cleansing oil and balm guide for how they compare.
Close every lid tightly and keep the bag where you can take it out quickly at security. If a serum is the one product you keep at hand, our hyaluronic acid guide covers how to layer it. If a product is bigger than 3.4 ounces, put it in your checked bag. TSA's rule covers US airport checkpoints; if your return flight leaves from another country, check that airport's rules too, because limits and bag sizes can differ. Finish daytime routines with sunscreen; Gatgooun doesn't cover sunscreen picks.
