Shea Butter, carry-on?

March 20, 2015 5:54 PM

I have a 16-oz tub of raw, unrefined shea butter that I'd like to bring with me. I don't have a checked bag. Does anyone know if 1) shea butter is considered solid enough to fly as is or 2) if I can pack it into 5 smaller jars and put them all into a zip-loc bag? Is it ok to have multiple jars of the same thing?

shea butter is solid in room temperature, but can get a little soft in heated rooms.

posted by atetrachordofthree to Travel & Transportation (18 answers total)

It conforms to the shape of the container, so it's very likely to be considered a liquid. There's discretion there for the TSA agents, so it might make it through, but it might not, either and there's virtually no way to know ahead of time which it will be.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:01 PM on March 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

As far as I know, you can have as many containers of the same thing as you want, as long as the containers can all fit together in the same 1-quart ziploc.
posted by dorque at 6:02 PM on March 20, 2015

I have had TSA lecture me about how tubes of Chapstick and lipstick should have been included in my zip-loc with liquids instead of loose in my purse. They didn't make me throw them out, they just made me shove them in the zip-loc. Yay for security theater! YMMV.

Yes, it's ok to have multiple containers of the same thing. You could fill your entire zip-loc with airplane-sized bottles of vodka and they'd be ok with it ("Travelers may carry as many 3.4 ounce bottles of liquid (mini bottles of liquor are 1.7 ounces) that fit comfortably in one, quart sized, clear plastic, zip-top bag."). Yay again for security theater!
posted by erst at 6:03 PM on March 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

You can try to get away with it just stuffing it in your bag and hoping no one notices. I've had Silly Putty confiscated before, though, so if someone sees it it'll probably get tossed.

if I can pack it into 5 smaller jars and put them all into a zip-loc bag

Yup! This is completely ok because the world is dumb.
posted by phunniemee at 6:03 PM on March 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

I have had a small container of peanut butter confiscated under the rationale that "if you can spread it, it could be dangerous." Just pack it in smaller jars in your clear ziplock bag.
posted by charmedimsure at 6:17 PM on March 20, 2015

I had a jar of coconut butter taken away even tho it was in a solid state due to cold temps. It was a bummer!
posted by TheClonusHorror at 6:25 PM on March 20, 2015

Well, this was in Canada about 5 years ago, so your MMV, but I did get extra attention and was pulled aside for a purse search while going thru the bag x-ray. Something was flagged which turned out to be a plastic tub of Cake brand shea butter. I think the weird density must have looked like an explosive or something. However, it didn't get confiscated after they were satisfied it wasn't anything nefarious.
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 6:29 PM on March 20, 2015

I should add that the shea butter was in a lard-like solid state at the time.
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 6:48 PM on March 20, 2015

Rather than fiddle with multiple small containers or risking confiscation, why not just mail it to yourself?
posted by easily confused at 6:54 PM on March 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: In my experience, the TSA is extremely generous in its classification of "liquid". I once got into an ill-advised philosophical argument in airport security about the nature of liquids, involving discussions of viscous solids, non-Newtonian fluids, and application of shear stress. Long story short, I arrived at my destination with no toothpaste. I totally wouldn't risk it if I were you. You've been warned. :-)
posted by ClaireBear at 6:58 PM on March 20, 2015 [17 favorites]

Best answer: Also, just to confirm posters above:

Does anyone know ... if I can pack it into 5 smaller jars and put them all into a zip-loc bag? Is it ok to have multiple jars of the same thing?

Yep, and yep. As long as they're all in 3.4 oz (or smaller) containers that fit into a clear plastic Ziploc bag, this is totally allowed. Welcome to the Kafkaesque bureaucracies of the modern transportation experience.
posted by ClaireBear at 7:02 PM on March 20, 2015

Technically and rationally it ought to be fine, but really it's going to come down to the custom official's mood that day. Take your chances, why not, you lose the stuff if you don't take it with you anyway (unless you mail it to yourself, in which case you lose a bit of money, which will probably amount to more than it cost). So, take it.
posted by cotton dress sock at 7:04 PM on March 20, 2015

I have gone through security at several airports with small tubs of shea butter based lotion outside of my ziplock, with no consequences. I was curious and could have shoved them into the ziplock if necessary. Same with toothpaste. But I also totally believe everyone above who was stopped. TSA is inconsistent.
posted by ecsh at 7:27 PM on March 20, 2015

I've gotten salsa through checkpoints on more than 20 occasions in the last year (I'm stuck in an area with terrible salsa). Here's the trick: freeze it. As long as it stays frozen, you're good. I know there isn't much difference between 65 degree shea butter and frozen shea butter, but the thought might count - I'd freeze it and pack it with ice packs in your bag and explain it is frozen when they ask so it is not easily lumped into "beauty product over 3oz"
posted by arnicae at 8:20 PM on March 20, 2015

Best answer: Oh also frozen salsa successfully taken through LAX, SFO, SEA and several other large airports. TSA never batted a lash, and SEA TSA are notably assholish.
posted by arnicae at 8:21 PM on March 20, 2015

Divy it up, take it out of your bag, put it in the tray, and you will be fine.

Otherwise, you may get someone who is on a power trip or doesn't know their SOP. Or both.
posted by "friend" of a TSA Agent at 10:45 PM on March 20, 2015

Best answer: To confirm arnicae's experience with freezing liquids, I have flown several times with frozen ice packs. I was pulled aside each time for a search but was told by the TSA agents that frozen = solid and that's OK.

I stopped the practice because it was a hassle to have my bag searched every single time.

I'm wondering if shea butter would get hard enough to count as "frozen" to a TSA officer. Would also be worried that it might change the product's consistency permanently.
posted by dweingart at 6:06 AM on March 21, 2015 [2 favorites]

Imported Nutella had to be tossed at TSA. It made me very, very sad.
posted by shinynewnick at 4:20 PM on March 21, 2015 [1 favorite]