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Love Island: Which items are banned from The Villa?

Contraband list the Islanders cannot take onto the dating reality show.

The cast of Love Island South Africa 2023. (ITV)
What are the cast of Love Island South Africa 2023 NOT packing in their suitcases this year? (ITV)

Love Island is gearing up for its ninth series and as the latest line-up of love hopefuls prepare to enter The Villa there are certain things they cannot pack in their suitcases.

During their time on the dating reality show contestants are cut off from the outside world and so some things considered contraband may be obvious.

But on an island inhabited by influencers and models other items not permitted are a little more surprising.

Read more: Love Island winter 2023 line-up: All the contestants revealed

Here is the list of Love Island banned items:

Smartphones

While the Love Islanders never seem to stop texting each other on the show they use phones provided by the producers that have been disabled so they can only be used for internal messaging and taking photos. The contestants have no access to the internet or phones calls in order to keep them cut off from the outside world and unaware of what might be going on behind their backs.

Love Island Villa winter 2023 pool loungers
No reading by the pool in Love Island allowed. (UTV)

Books and magazines

There is no time for literature or catching up on the latest celebrity news in The Villa. The only people the Love Islanders are allowed to gossip about is each other, and bedtime is not for reading...

Fake tan

The Islanders may appear to look glossy and glowing in their skimpy swimwear, but any bronzing they show off cannot come from a bottle, as Love Island 2021 runner-up Clue Burrows previously let slip. This is because producers don't want fake tan stripes all over the shiny white sheets ruining the look of the bedroom.

Love Island winter 2023 villa bedroom.
Love Island bosses don't want fake tan streaks on the sheets. (ITV)

Water bottles

If contestants want to keep hydrated they cannot bring in their own favourite water bottles. Any sipping is restricted to the Official Love Island Water Bottle, available at the LoveIslandshop.co.uk. The personalised bottles, with contestants names printed on in the Love Island font, were introduced in 2016 and quickly became a hit with fans. Almost a million of the signature bottles have now been sold.

Beauty products

Love Islanders, both male and female, love to preen and they certainly know how to pile on the slap. But contestants cannot pack their favourite toiletries as the dressing room is stocked with everything they need from official sponsors Boots, from sun cream to perfume. If viewers spot a look they want to recreate in the Beach Hut Tutorials they can buy the products they need via the Love Island app or a dedicated hub on Boots.com.

The Love Island dressing room
The Love Island dressing room is stocked with official sponsored beauty products and pre-loved clothes. (ITV)

New clothes

Viewers might think contestants go shopping for a whole new wardrobe to ensure they turn heads on the Island. But the First Look style is as much about sustainability as it is about sexy this year, with a shared wardrobe sticked with pre-loved outfits from sponsor eBay.

Watches

Contestants are not allowed to wear watches and there are no clocks on the Island. Even the timers on the oven and hot tub are reportedly covered up so that the Islanders have no concept of the real time. That way they wake up when told to and go to bed when producers say. With no idea of the real time a bad date could really start to drag...

Love Island kitchen
Love Islanders are not expected to spend all day snacking when there is dating to be done. (ITV)

Snacks

Love Islanders is all about snogging not snacking. Contestants can request certain food from producers on the shopping list but they can't spend all day in the kitchen when they could be out by the pool.

Read more: Love Island's updated duty of care policy

Excessive alcohol

One way to help prevent heated tempers getting out of control is to make sure no one gets too drunk, so contestants are limited to two drinks per person at the evening events.

Love Island returns on 16 January at 9pm on ITV2.

Watch: Meet the cast of Love Island Winter 2023