Knowledge Base › Compliance › Flag international orders containing aerosols, sprays, or perfume
Aerosol Restriction

How to flag aerosol and perfume orders shipping internationally

Flag international orders containing aerosols, sprays, or perfume

Badges any international order that includes products from the Aerosols, Sprays, or Perfume category. Pressurised containers and alcohol-based fragrances are classified as dangerous goods under IATA regulations, and many carriers restrict or prohibit them on international air freight.

Compliance warning
Part of: How to enforce compliance checks on WooCommerce orders
The problem

Beauty and cosmetics retailers routinely stock pressurised hairsprays, deodorant aerosols, and alcohol-heavy perfumes alongside non-restricted products. When a customer abroad orders a perfume bundled with skincare items, the entire shipment can be rejected at the carrier depot or held at customs. The cost is not just a failed delivery - it includes return freight, customer refunds, and potential regulatory fines.

The solution

OrderBadger can automatically flag international orders that contain aerosols, sprays, or perfumes so your team can check carrier restrictions before dispatch.

Who this is for

Beauty retailers, fragrance boutiques, and cosmetics brands that sell aerosol or alcohol-based products and ship to international customers.

At a glance
International shipping only Aerosols, Sprays, or Perfume category IATA dangerous goods relevance Routes to inbox for compliance check Badge: Aerosol Restriction (red)
People also search for
WooCommerce restricted goods international shipping alert flag perfume orders going abroad for compliance aerosol dangerous goods shipping check WooCommerce international beauty order hazmat compliance badge prevent carrier rejection for aerosol shipments overseas

How it works

Scans every incoming order for products in the Aerosols, Sprays, or Perfume category and checks whether the shipping destination is international. When both conditions are true, a red warning badge is applied and the order appears in your inbox for compliance review.

Check your carrier's dangerous goods policy for the destination country. Some carriers offer ground-only international routes for restricted items. If air freight is the only option, you may need to remove the restricted items, offer a domestic-only alternative, or cancel that portion of the order and notify the customer.

Rule template

Plain English rule At least one product is in the Aerosols, Sprays, or Perfume category and shipping is international

Write this (or something similar) in the OrderBadger rule builder. The AI compiler turns it into executable logic automatically.

Make it yours

Adjust thresholds
  • Add more category names to the rule text (e.g., 'Nail Polish' or 'Flammable') if your store carries other restricted beauty products beyond aerosols and perfumes.
  • Narrow the category list to just 'Aerosols' if your pump sprays and non-pressurised products are already in separate categories and rarely cause carrier issues.
Add or remove conditions
  • Remove 'and shipping is international' to also flag domestic orders if your domestic carrier has its own aerosol handling procedures.
  • Add 'and order total is over £100' to focus the flag on higher-value international orders where a failed delivery would cause the most financial damage. …s, Sprays, or Perfume category and shipping is international and order total is over £100

Badge preview

Default: Aerosol Restriction

When this rule matches

Perfume International Us
Ship to: US
The order contains a Perfume category item and ships internationally to the US - both conditions are met.
Aerosol Hairspray International De
Ship to: DE
Contains an Aerosols item (dry shampoo) shipping to Germany - aerosol condition and international condition both satisfied.
Spray Toner International Au
Ship to: AU
Contains a Sprays category product heading to Australia - the spray and international conditions are both true.

When this rule does not match

Perfume Domestic Uk
Ship to: GB
Order contains a Perfume item but ships domestically within the UK - the international condition is not met.
Skincare International No Aerosol
Ship to: FR
Order ships internationally but all products are in Skincare - no Aerosols, Sprays, or Perfume items present.
Aerosol Domestic Only
Ship to: GB
Order contains an Aerosols item but is a domestic shipment - the international condition fails.

Workflow

This rule includes workflow features that help your team act on flagged orders.

Inbox
Yes

Good to know

  • The rule relies on products being assigned to the Aerosols, Sprays, or Perfume categories. A mislabelled perfume sitting in the Gifts category will not trigger the flag.
  • Not all sprays are pressurised - pump sprays are generally safe for air freight. If you want to exclude pump sprays, maintain a separate non-aerosol Sprays subcategory.
  • Country-specific regulations vary. This rule flags all international destinations equally and does not distinguish between countries with lenient vs. strict aerosol import rules.

Frequently asked questions

  • Are all perfumes restricted for international shipping?
    Most perfumes contain alcohol (ethanol) and are classified as flammable liquids (Class 3 dangerous goods). Solid perfume and oil-based fragrances without alcohol are generally exempt, but it depends on the carrier and destination country.
  • What about pump sprays that are not pressurised?
    Pump sprays without a propellant gas are usually safe for air freight. If you categorise them separately from pressurised aerosols, they will not trigger this rule. Otherwise, consider splitting your Sprays category.
  • Can I ship aerosols internationally by ground?
    Some carriers offer ground-based international services (e.g., road freight within Europe). These routes typically allow dangerous goods that air freight does not. Check your carrier's DG policy for ground options.
  • Will this catch gift sets that include a perfume sample?
    Only if the gift set product is assigned to the Perfume, Aerosols, or Sprays category. Gift sets in a generic Gifts category will not be flagged unless you recategorise them or add Gifts to the rule.

Related rules

How to automatically flag international orders in WooCommerce How to flag hazmat items in international WooCommerce orders

Try this rule in your store

OrderBadger is free on WordPress.org. Install it and create this rule in minutes - no code required.

Install OrderBadger Free