Common items like nail polish, perfume, and hair spray are considered hazardous material, and require special procedures when shipping them.
Shipping Hazardous Materials with USPS®
It's important to read all the USPS rules about Hazardous Materials when shipping anything considered dangerous. You are liable for any failure to follow the rules.
For common, less-hazardous items like perfume or hand sanitizer, you're simply not allowed to use air-based services like First Class Package, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express. This means Parcel Select Ground is your only option. You also need to follow a few steps, explained below.
How to ship hazardous materials
If you want to ship hazardous materials with USPS, you’ll need to abide by the following guidelines:
Choose Parcel Select Ground as your service
Place a "limited quantity" sticker on the label side of your package. You can buy them here.
Common hazardous materials
Aerosols, like hair spray
Cleaning agents and solvents
Cigarette lighter fluid
Compressed oxygen
Fuels
Lithium ion batteries (if not installed within the device they power)
Inks
Matches
Paint
Perfumes/colognes
Nail polish
Prohibited items
There are some products that you’re not able to ship at all, no matter what. Find out if USPS prohibits the shipment of your items.
Shipping Hazardous Materials with UPS®
Like USPS, UPS also considers common items like nail polish, perfume, and hair spray hazardous materials, and requires special procedures when shipping them.
It's important to familiarize yourself with the UPS Guide for Transporting Hazardous Materials when shipping anything UPS considers dangerous. You are liable for any failure to follow the rules.
For common, less-hazardous items like perfume or hand sanitizer, you're simply not allowed to use air-based services like 3 Day Select®, 2nd Day Air®, and Next Day Air®. This means UPS Ground is your only option. You also need to follow a few steps, explained below.
How to ship hazardous materials
If you want to ship hazardous materials with UPS, you’ll need to abide by the following guidelines:
First, select the "Hazardous Materials" checkbox located underneath the Extra Services menu when creating your label. This will automatically limit you to ground service: either UPS Ground, or Parcel Select Ground with USPS.
Here's how that looks:
Next, place a "limited quantity" sticker on the label side of your package. You can buy them here.
Common hazardous materials
Aerosols, like hair spray
Cleaning agents and solvents
Cigarette lighter fluid
Compressed oxygen
Fuels
Lithium ion batteries (if not installed within the device they power)
Inks
Matches
Paint
Perfumes/colognes
Nail polish
You can't send any of these items internationally
Since UPS only allows you to ship these items via domestic Ground service, you can't send any of them to international destinations. That includes Canada and Mexico 😅
Prohibited items
There are some items and articles that UPS doesn't allow you to ship at all, no matter what. Find out if UPS prohibits the shipment of your items.