Packing toiletries for travel can often feel like a chaotic puzzle. Between worrying about leaks, bulky bottles, and TSA regulations, it’s easy to get stressed before your trip even begins. Finding the Best Travel Toiletry Bottles that are both practical and reliable can truly transform your packing experience. In this review, we delve into Cadence Capsules, a system designed to streamline your travel beauty and personal care routine, and explore why they might just be the perfect solution you’ve been searching for.
The beauty of Cadence Capsules lies in their customizable and modular design. Even the smallest Cadence Capsule, though compact, offers a surprisingly generous capacity, and the ability to choose different sizes for different products is a major advantage. Initially, I experimented with six of the Original Capsules, each holding just over half an ounce. For my journey to Asia, these proved invaluable for carrying essentials like moisturizer, cleanser, and makeup remover. Beyond toiletries, I discovered an ingenious use for one of these small containers: jewelry storage. It was a far superior solution to having delicate rings and earrings bouncing around loose in my bag. While the Original line is no longer available, the Flex Small size has stepped in as its worthy successor, maintaining the same volume and versatility. The Flex Small design, being flat, is particularly convenient for scooping out thicker products. I found it ideal for a thick serum with a honey-like texture and imagine it would be equally effective for balms or pomades.
A hand holding a medium-sized Cadence Capsule, highlighting its practical design as one of the best travel toiletry bottles.
Moving up in size, the 1.32-ounce Flex Medium capsule became my go-to for body lotion, holding enough to last my entire trip. Another Flex Medium served as a handy container for antacids. Both sizes were impressively lightweight and compact enough to carry in my purse or tote bag daily, proving their practicality extends beyond just packing. Plus, the volume was perfect for sharing products with family, a lifesaver when my sisters inevitably forgot their own toiletries. For hair care, the 2.75-ounce Flex Large size was a revelation for shampoo and conditioner. The relief of not having to pack bulky, full-sized bottles was immense. These larger capsules truly minimize space without sacrificing the amount of product you can bring.
Cadence also offers the Flex Extender, an add-on tube that screws onto any Flex Capsule, adding an extra 1.43 ounces of capacity. I tested these extenders with my shampoo and conditioner capsules, as these are typically the products I use most of. However, I found that the extenders made the bottles almost too large, at least for the duration of my trip. Reaching the bottom of the extended capsule to scoop out conditioner became difficult, requiring me to shake the bottle to dispense the thick product. Ultimately, I didn’t need the extra volume. Unless you genuinely require a large quantity of a specific product, the extenders might be unnecessary.
The ingenious honeycomb design of all Flex vessels allows them to magnetically snap together neatly. Crucially for air travel, all individual capsules are TSA-compliant, making them ideal TSA approved travel bottles. (Note that the Large capsule with the Flex Extender attached would exceed carry-on liquid limits and need to be checked). In my travels, I’ve simply placed a set of Cadence Capsules in my clear toiletry bag and had no issues at airport security. Travel expert Kit Dillon from Wirecutter recommends keeping all toiletries easily accessible within a clear case or zip-top bag inside your dopp kit. While I’ve never been questioned by TSA, for extra precaution, Cadence suggests placing the capsules in a separate tray during security checks for easier inspection.
Even if I overestimate the amount of product needed for a trip, I appreciate that I can simply continue using my Cadence Capsules at home for a few days after returning. This is a welcome contrast to using disposable drugstore travel bottles, which often feel flimsy and inconvenient for extended use. Cadence Capsules stand out as durable, reusable, and truly the best refillable travel bottles for anyone seeking organized and efficient toiletry packing. They are a worthwhile investment for frequent travelers looking to upgrade their travel experience.
