We Squeezed and Shook Toiletry Bottles to Determine Which Will Stand the Test of Time — Here Are the Winners (2024)

Our Top Picks

Simple yet very effective, this set of four toiletry bottles comes with two 3-ounce bottles and two 2-ounce bottles. The lids can be unscrewed to easily fill the containers with all types of liquids thanks to the wide-mouth opening that makes cleaning out and drying the bottles a breeze, too. While watery liquids can be risky to pack, these silicone bottles kept oily and runny micellar water perfectly contained, even after we applied intense pressure to the bottles. Plus, the squishy silicone material is ideal for squeezing out every last drop of the product from the dripless valve, which makes them a money-saving travel product.

We tried several silicone bottles over our six-month test to determine which ones were the best. These stood out by being completely leak-proof, pliable yet sturdy, and durable. One of our favorite features is the removable sticker labels that help identify the contents of each bottle with common products like lotion, conditioner, and shampoo pre-printed. If you’ve been searching for no-frills toiletry bottles that get the job done, these are the best ones.

The Details: 4 pieces | Silicone | Removable labels | Suction cup

For short or long trips and everything in between, the Morfone travel bottle set comes with all of the containers you’ll ever need. The 16-piece kit includes silicone bottles, plastic spray bottles, screw-top jars, a funnel, mini spatulas, and a scrub brush for cleaning but, of course, you can easily mix and match the containers to fit your exact needs. Not all of the bottles are the same size with 1- to 3-ounce capacities for storing as much or little product as desired, and all of the bottles have removable lids and wide openings for pouring liquids in or cleaning them out. Plus if you need some help getting liquids into the bottle or extracting the last drops, the mini funnel and spatulas are extremely helpful extras.

When it comes to durability, most of the bottles had no spillage with some rough handling except for one of the plastic jars where the lid did break off.Still, we brought these bottles in carry-on luggage as well as checked bags during our six months of tests and were impressed by their overall quality and the variety in bottle size.

The Details: 16 pieces | Silicone | BPA-free plastic | Bag included

Matador’s toiletry bottles are the ultimate space-saving containers thanks to the fabric pouch design that can lie nearly flat after being filled with liquids. Our favorite part of these 3-ounce pouches is the snap hook at the end of the bag to attach to a backpack or bag. We also loved that the hooks double as labels that can be written on with a permanent marker to quickly identify the contents of each bag.

While we had a bit of trouble getting thicker creams into the bottom of the rectangular-shaped pouch, it was effortless to fill the smaller opening with watery liquids like shampoo. After beating up the bags a bit, there weren’t any spills, ruptures, or breakage so we feel confident that these rugged toiletry pouches have a long life ahead.

The Details: 3 pieces | Cordura nylon | Snap loop with labels

One of the best parts of testing a variety of toiletry bottles is discovering that the least expensive set can still rival a pricier alternative. This 11-piece kit has spray, pump, and screw-top bottles so you can fill each one with various liquids or use the two jars for jewelry and medication. The clear bottles are ideal for being able to see how much product is in each container and when it needs to be refilled.

We had no issues filling each container with micellar water and shampoo but we had a bit of trouble getting the thicker lotion to filter through the funnel. However, once everything was filled up, these budget-friendly bottles stood up against our drops and tosses without even the tiniest droplet escaping. All of the bottles are 1.3 ounces so we wish there was a bit more variety in the capacities but, considering this set is under $1 per bottle, we’re plenty satisfied with the durable and easy-to-use selection.

The Details: 11 pieces | PET | Removable labels | Bag included

For longer trips, you may want some toiletry bottles that can hold the maximum capacity to be TSA-approved so we recommend these hefty 3-ounce ones. The four silicone tubes come with handy label stickers and a zippered case that fits all of the containers for excellent organization. With the wide-mouth openings, it was a breeze to fill up each bottle with shampoo, micellar water, and thick lotion. You can even see all the way inside the bottle when the lid is off which makes filling it up and cleaning it out even easier.

We put quite a bit of pressure on these easy-squeeze bottles and we’re happy to report that, even when filled to the brim, the contents remained in the bottles without any spillage. After six months of regularly using these bottles on weekend and long-term trips, we never suffered any spills and found the bottles to hold plenty of product.

The Details: 4 pieces | Silicone | Removable labels | Bag included

The color palette of this set of four toiletry bottles is one of the prettiest and most helpful of all the toiletry bottles we tried. Each silicone tube is a different shade so it’s easy to designate a specific color to a liquid and tell them apart; and, after six months of use, we loved that we didn't have to worry about missing labels. (There are also additional sets with more colors so you're not limited to just four different hues.) The 3-ounce capacity is ideal for bringing plenty of shampoo, conditioner, or other liquids on both short and long trips, and the squishy silicone material makes it easy to dispense from the no-drip valve.

We did find it a little difficult to squeeze out the remaining product when the bottle was almost empty but that was our only slight issue. However, we’re big fans of the wide-top opening for loading up any product into the tube and cleaning it out after a trip. Best of all, the tubes didn’t leak at all after rough handling, and they’re easy to pack in the included zippered bag.

The Details: 4 pieces | Silicone | No removable labels | Bag included

These aesthetically-pleasing magnetic capsules are the most unique set of toiletry bottles we tried. The small capsules each hold 0.56 ounces and the set comes with six hexagon-shaped containers that conveniently stick to one another via magnets on every side. This allows travelers to alter the shape of the set as needed to fit it into a toiletry bag. And, after six months of near-constant use, the magnets and labels are all holding up. The capsules remained completely sealed when we dropped them onto the floor several times and the thick plastic material wasn’t dented or damaged at all. We love that when you order the set of capsules, you can customize the label printed onto each removable tile so they can be switched between the capsules as needed. Our only gripe is that the capsules are very small so you may need to use multiple to bring enough of the same product for a week-long trip, or opt for one of their larger options instead.

The Details: 6 pieces | BPA-free plastic | Comes with custom labels | No bag included

Frequently Asked Questions

• What makes a toiletry bottle TSA-approved?

  For carrying liquids onto a plane, the TSA requires all containers to be at or under the 3.4-ounce size limitations. All bottles must fit in a quart-sized bag and, if a bottle is larger than 3.4 ounces, it must be checked before going through security. According to the TSA, gels, creams, pastes, and aerosols, all count as liquids and must be in approved bottles.

• Are silicone or plastic toiletry bottles better?

  In general, silicone toiletry bottles are more durable than hard plastic bottles, as they aren’t prone to cracking or breaking like harder plastic materials. However, when it comes to leaking, both can have the potential to expel liquids so it depends on the quality of each product.

• How do I clean toiletry bottles?

  Cleaning out toiletry bottles can be extremely difficult depending on the style of the container. Bottles with wide mouths can be easily rinsed out and dried but other bottles with smaller necks or no cap can make it difficult to switch products. In some cases, it might be easier just to keep refilling the same bottle with the same thing but some sets will come with brushes or spatulas to clean out all of the product.

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