How to Travel With an Aroma Bottle Without Leaks

A weekend away, a festival, Pride, a cruise. Whatever the trip, the last thing you want is to open your suitcase to a soaked shirt and a smell that follows you all weekend. Small bottles and travel are a risky mix, but a few simple habits fix almost all of it.

Before you go: check the rules

Laws on aroma products are different from country to country, and some places restrict them heavily. Before any international trip, check the rules where you're going. If you're not sure, leave it at home. For flights, the usual carry-on liquid limits apply to anything in a bottle.

Why bottles leak when you travel

• Pressure changes on flights push liquid toward a weak seal.
• Heat in cars, trunks and sunny hotel rooms builds pressure inside the bottle.
• Movement. Bags get thrown, squashed and turned upside down.
• Rushed closing. A cap screwed on crooked in a hurry is the number one cause.

How to pack it

1. Start with an airtight cap. A top that snaps fully shut beats a screw cap you might not have tightened all the way.
2. Bag it. Put the bottle in a small zip bag, then in your toiletry bag. Two layers between the bottle and your clothes.
3. Keep it upright and snug. Tuck it in a shoe or a side pocket so it can't roll.
4. Keep it cool. Don't leave your bag in a hot car, and keep the bottle out of direct sun at the hotel or campsite.
5. Bring the smallest bottle you need. Less liquid means less to lose if something goes wrong.

While you're there

• Close it every time, even if you'll "use it again in a minute."
• Don't leave it loose on a hotel nightstand where housekeeping, friends or a stumble can knock it over.
• Repack it the same way for the trip home.

Where Beakr comes in

Beakr permanently replaces your bottle's cap with a leakproof top that opens and closes with one hand and seals airtight when it's shut. No cap to lose in a hotel room and no crooked screw cap leaking into your bag. It fits about 85% of bottles and comes in five colors. Shop Beakr here.

Already had a spill? Here's how to clean it up.

Safety basics

• Never swallow aroma liquids, and keep them off your skin and away from your eyes.
• Never combine them with erection medications like Viagra or Cialis. The combination can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
• Keep bottles away from flames, heat, kids and pets.
• If someone swallows it or feels faint, short of breath or has chest pain, get medical help right away.

Beakr is a cap accessory. The bottle is not included.