Traveling with BPAL

[vampygirl77]

Hey ladies-

 

Tell me the best way to pack my bottles so they stay intact while driving during my move back to Pittsburgh!

 

Thank you!

[Silvertree]

Try the "How do I store my BPAL?" thread!

 

http://www.bpal.org/index.php?showtopic=1035

 

And from a personal standpoint, I would say wrap the bottles individually in bubble wrap and put them in boxes (empty cigar boxes, or maybe cosmetics cases). Then put those boxes on the floor of the passenger seat (depending on how full your car/van is), making sure nothing can fall on them. Or have them sit in the lap of the trusted friend riding shotgun.

[LushNatty]

I personally like medical tape-- you know, the white tape that they sell in drugstores alongside the gauze pads. It's really stretchy and it clings to the contours of what you're trying to tape, so it stays on better and helps prevent leakage.

Tape the lids of each bottle and imp and that'll help.

[shadith]

I think the best way is to make sure everything is tightly closed and stays upright even if shaken a bit (also the imps). Find a box that's just big enough or if there's too much empty space fill it out with newspaper shreddings to make sure the bottles have no room to fall over.

 

If it's only during a drive you can keep the box with the bottles separated from the other stuff- as long it is not ruthlessly crammed together with tons of things in a packing case or similar and can't fall over this really should be enough.

[nowxisxforever]

Oh, yay. Sounds like I won't have to worry overmuch about losing my imps then! /random

[cybra111]

Just want to add a neat trick that I learned from someone. Use something called plumbers tape (found easily) to seal the imps or bottles. It clings like plastic wrap, but it comes on a roll like tape. I use this now every time I ship, so cool!! I never thought about using film canisters to travel, good idea!

[LupaWulf]

That is a REALLY good idea. Teflon Tape would work wonders- especially since it's fairly cheep, eaisly found, and keeps leaks to a minimum in hoses and pipes and whatnot. It's even fairly easy to remove.

 

Good idea!!!

[Malista]

Just thought I'd bump this to point out that as of today, if you are traveling by air in North America or the UK (that I know of -- there are likely more places adding the restriction) you will need to put your BPAL in your checked luggage, as security will not allow anything liquid beyond the checkpoint.

 

I would hate to see anyone forced to throw away a treasured LE because of sudden changes in security measures.

[Silvertree]

I think I'll look into making solid perfumes for travel. My friend gifted me with a wee container of O + shea butter, and it is tres magnifique. In fact, it's the reason I tried (and then bought a 10 mL of) O!

 

And if any security people question its harmlessness, I will rub it all over myself to prove it's not an explosive or dangerous chemical. That'll take care of the "stale airplane air" smell, too.

[evanesce]

That's a pretty good idea Silvertree. I like that

[Silvertree]

Thanks! I'd hate for one of my beloved bottles to burst in the cargo bay of an airplane, and if I can't bring it in my carryon in liquid form, there has to be another way of making it safe!

 

Hmm. I wonder if they would catch imp-pendant jewelry.

 

Another option: pre-soaking pads for a scent locket and putting them in individually sealed plastic bags?

[theshapeshifter]

Just wanted to point out that even deodorant is getting confiscated, so I'm guessing that BPAL-infused shea butter is probably out of the question for carry-on right now too.

[crazyredhead17]

This is the thread I was looking for earlier. Oops.

 

Anyways, the only thing I'm packing in my carry-on that's considered a toiletry is a mostly empty lip gloss. If they make me chuck it at security, I'll do it.. but I don't want to possibly throw anything else out (although I'll be staying at a hotel on a military base in Seoul, so if my luggage gets lost I can pick up stuff on base).

 

As far as solid perfumes and deodorant and such being confiscated, a lot of it is at the disgression of the indivial TSA person searching your luggage.. so I might be able to bring deodorant, but not you. Seeing as how I'm flying out of a NYC-area airport.. I think the lipgloss may push the limits of what's allowed.

 

Also, I'm not packing LE anything, even in my checked bag, just in case someone decides it a risk and chucks it.. If they're GC imps they're a hell of a lot easier (and cheaper) to replace.

 

You might be able to bring the scent pads, but I wouldn't try the imp jewelry. Even if it gets past security, you might get busted by the nosy dude sitting next to you on your flight.

 

Wow, that was fragmented. Back to packing I go.

[crazyredhead17]

Well, my lip gloss made it through the security checkpoint, but only because my purse appears to have eaten it. I told the guy searching my bag that there was one, but he couldn't find it and I still can't find it.

 

The security people were listing cosmetics of all types as things you couldn't pack, so I wouldn't even try the solid perfume, but I don't think they'd mind the scentpads, as long as you didn't wear the locket through the metal detector.

 

edits: And my bpal imps, which were carefully bubble wrapped in a mint tin, were untouched in my checked bag.

Edited August 13, 2006 by crazyredhead17

[euterpe414]

Ah! OK, I'm back to this thread again. So, I need an opinion here:

As mentioned before, I am moving overseas for a few years and am taking my BPAL collection (which is about 90 bottles- aah!). I am going to use the aromatherapy travelling cases most likely (other wise bubble wrap and teflon tape), but was planning to put them in my large suitcase that goes underneath (originally it would be in my carryon, but now that is not possible). Now I am sort of paranoid that they will open my underneath luggage and tamper with my oils, or throw them out etc. Buut, I really don't want to ship them, since there is the huge possibility of it getting lost or whatnot, and I don't have a permanent address in France yet anyhow.

 

So is it safe to bring oils in your cargo suitcase? especially in such large quantities?

[spark]

Ah! OK, I'm back to this thread again. So, I need an opinion here:

As mentioned before, I am moving overseas for a few years and am taking my BPAL collection (which is about 90 bottles- aah!). I am going to use the aromatherapy travelling cases most likely (other wise bubble wrap and teflon tape), but was planning to put them in my large suitcase that goes underneath (originally it would be in my carryon, but now that is not possible). Now I am sort of paranoid that they will open my underneath luggage and tamper with my oils, or throw them out etc. Buut, I really don't want to ship them, since there is the huge possibility of it getting lost or whatnot, and I don't have a permanent address in France yet anyhow.

 

So is it safe to bring oils in your cargo suitcase? especially in such large quantities?

 

Well, TECHNICALLY, and strictly from a "value" standpoint, you are probably better off having someone ship them to you, insured, once you have arrived in France. I mean, that's $1500 (at minimum!) worth of BPAL. If they DO lose your suitcase -- much less if they throw it out -- there's no way you will get that much $$ back from the airlines. Whereas if you FedEx them or something, at least you could insure them for the full value.

[Teggy]

 

So true. Ship your bottles to yourself by your most trusted method. Insure them, get delivery confirmation, whatever. Don't be afraid to spend a few extra dollars making sure your collection is protected.

 

For short term traveling (when you can't live without a scent for that special occasion you're attending), I reccomend decanting maybe half an imp of whatever you want. Are you really going to need more than that for your trip? Then if it gets lost, stolen, or confiscated, then it's no big loss.

[mimulus]

Oi, I'm glad I found this thread. I'm moving to Germany for 3 months this spring. It's an awkward amount of time, and I'm thinking I might need more than imps. I'll probably take a couple of bottles with me, very protected, in my checked luggage. The rest of my collection will probably be kept here in a safe spot.

 

I'm curious to hear what euterpe414 ended up doing.

[ariosa]

Hi everyone --

 

I read through this whole thread, and have a question for those people who have traveled since the huge restriction was lifted to the point where everything has to be 100ml or less and in a ziploc baggie...

 

Have people still brought their imps/bottles with them in their carry on, and just put it in the ziploc baggie for inspection at the airports? Or have people just been avoiding that altogether and putting your BPAL in your checked luggage?

[hackess]

I went to Europe in May and carried a handful of imps in my ziploc baggie -- we didn't check any luggage at any point during our trip. When I went to San Francisco the month prior, I even included a bottle. They didn't bat an eye.

[Browneyes]

Argh I'm moving country too.. I'm planning to wrap all the bottles up in bubble wrap, secure them in my bottle box (wooden), pack that into my luggage and hope for the best.

[euterpe414]

Oi, I'm glad I found this thread. I'm moving to Germany for 3 months this spring. It's an awkward amount of time, and I'm thinking I might need more than imps. I'll probably take a couple of bottles with me, very protected, in my checked luggage. The rest of my collection will probably be kept here in a safe spot.

 

I'm curious to hear what euterpe414 ended up doing.

 

Sorry I never saw this sooner! Anyway, for anyone else who is curious, I sealed the bottles with plumbers tape, put them in one (umm, it turned out to be two, eek!) of those essential oil travelling cases with some bubble wrap inside to cushion and packed them in between lots of sweaters in my suitcase- the one that went in the luggage area. Nothing was damaged when I arrived in France, so I'd say the method worked very very well. I'm definitely going to do it that way again when I move back to the US.

[mimulus]

Oi, I'm glad I found this thread. I'm moving to Germany for 3 months this spring. It's an awkward amount of time, and I'm thinking I might need more than imps. I'll probably take a couple of bottles with me, very protected, in my checked luggage. The rest of my collection will probably be kept here in a safe spot.

 

I'm curious to hear what euterpe414 ended up doing.

 

Sorry I never saw this sooner! Anyway, for anyone else who is curious, I sealed the bottles with plumbers tape, put them in one (umm, it turned out to be two, eek!) of those essential oil travelling cases with some bubble wrap inside to cushion and packed them in between lots of sweaters in my suitcase- the one that went in the luggage area. Nothing was damaged when I arrived in France, so I'd say the method worked very very well. I'm definitely going to do it that way again when I move back to the US.

That's okay!

 

What I ended up doing, and this wasn't for my entire collection but for about 15 bottles. I got some tupperware containers, and stuck in the bottles that were wrapped in bubble wrap. Then I stuck them in my luggage (checked) in between the softest bits. Everything managed ok!

[sedona]

I've travelled twice to the US from the UK this year and both times put my imps in the ziplock bag that goes through the scanner. No-one questioned them so I'm assuming that's an okay thing to do now. Hope that helps!

[enui]

I've travelled twice to the US from the UK this year and both times put my imps in the ziplock bag that goes through the scanner. No-one questioned them so I'm assuming that's an okay thing to do now. Hope that helps!

 

 

I did the same for Milan - Frankfurt and back, twice, with no problem at all