You have probably seen Cadence travel capsules in a perfectly organized toiletry bag on Instagram or floating across your FYP under clean girl aesthetic videos. I saw them too and thought the same thing you probably did: they look adorable, they scream put-together traveler energy, and they also cost way more than travel shampoo containers you can pick up at CVS. 

So I finally bought a set to see if the hype was real. This is my honest Cadence Capsules review after taking them on real trips, filling them with everything from face serums to curl cream, and living with them long enough to decide if they are worth the splurge. Consider this an honest review from someone who travels a lot and has tested way too many travel containers over the years.

If you are wondering whether these aesthetic magnetic pods actually make travel easier, or if they are just cute on TikTok, keep reading. I have thoughts on the original capsules and the newer Flex sizes.

At A Glance: Are Cadence Capsules Worth It?

If you want the quick answer, here it is. Cadence Capsules are amazing if you care about organized, aesthetic travel containers and you pack a lot of skincare, hair care, or personal care products for every trip. They are leakproof, magnetic, durable and genuinely pleasant to use. The Flex system solves the size issue and lets you carry more product without bulky bottles.

You probably do not need these if you are the type of traveler who is happy using hotel shampoo or you only bring a couple of items in your toiletry bag. Cadence Capsules are a luxury product. They are not the cheapest option, but they make travel feel smoother if you love a beautiful system and want everything in its place.

Use code WHIMSY15 for 15% off your Cadence Capsules! 

What Are Cadence Capsules?

Cadence Capsules are small, modular, leakproof capsules made from recycled material. Think of them as elevated travel containers that replace those cheap plastic bottles in your toiletry bag.

The shells include bound plastic (plastic collected before it hits oceans and beaches) and reusable manufacturing scraps. Each capsule snaps to the others magnetically, so you can create a little honeycomb of toiletries that stays neatly together in your bag during a trip.

The brand positions these as TSA-approved, magnetic, self-organizing containers you can fill with anything. And it’s true, I’ve packed these on my carry-on too many times to count and airports around the world let me travel with them.

This small capsule is BPA-free, double walled, and designed to handle everything from serums and lip balm to vitamins without cracking or leaking.

Cadence also has over ten thousand 5 star reviews, so it’s not just a viral moment. It’s not just me who actually uses this travel gear long term, across a lot of different products and routines.

When you buy a set, you choose the colors and pick labels for labeling your containers. You can choose standard labels like shampoo and moisturizer, or customize them fully with icons or text. The whole system is designed to help you keep your cadence. Consider it your little routine keeper that keeps all your personal care products in one place.

The brand offers seven product lines you can mix and match into your own travel gear system:

Core Cadence Products

• The Capsule for à la carte add-ons
• Build Your 6 a customizable starter pack
• Build Your 12 for more complex routines
• A Capsule A Day designed for weekly use
• Weekend a small essentials set
• Get Outside for adventure and everyday use
• Iconic for open ended organization

On paper it sounds simple. In real life it is a lifestyle level product. If you are someone who loves to pack every serum, hair products, or body wash for a trip, these little travel capsules can become weirdly addictive.

Cadence Capsules Design: Why They Feel So Different

The design is truly the selling point. The hexagon shape, the magnetic click, the twist of the lid when you open it. Everything feels intentional and elevated, like someone finally fixed the ugly drugstore bottles situation that has haunted our toiletry bags for decades.

Each capsule is engineered with a patented leakproof seal, multi rotational threads, and double walled protection. This is not the flimsy little drugstore bottle that cracks after two uses. These containers are meant to hold your shampoo, body lotion, makeup remover, jewelry, supplements and other small personal care items without leaking all over everything.

You could easily build an entire travel routine inside a single stack of capsules.

Shape, Size and Weight

Each original capsule holds 0.56 ounces, so think long golf ball size. Not huge, but enough for serums, supplements, rings, jewelry, balms or small amounts of hair or body products.

They are TSA friendly and light enough, though not lighter than a basic plastic travel bottle. The small size is still the core of the system and works well for shorter trips.

The current small capsules are designed with a slightly wide opening, which is helpful for thicker products like body wash, makeup remover, or balms. You can usually scoop or squeeze product out without needing tiny funnels.

Inside, the capsules are rounded for easy scooping. I appreciate this because I never want to fight through corners to get the last drop of moisturizer or body wash.

The downside is that the rounded interior reduces capacity slightly. It reminds me of beauty brands that make packaging look bigger than it is. The original Cadence capsules can be a little small but that’s why they introduced the Flex (more on that later).  

The magnets keep the pods together in your bag and in use. They are safe next to electronics and behave like a little pack of puzzle pieces that refuses to roll off hotel counters.

Packaging and Labels

Cadence packaging is recyclable and surprisingly cute. I have seen some people receive seed paper welcome cards. Mine was cardboard but still charming. If you care about reducing single-use plastic in your travel gear, the whole unboxing experience leans into that.

Tiles attach magnetically to the top so you always know what is inside. I chose icons for mine, but as a chaotic traveler, I also wrote temporary labels on the underside of tiles with a dry erase marker so I could reuse a “shampoo” tile for shaving cream. Highly recommend this hack if you do not want to buy custom tiles for everything.

Color Options

There are seven colors and often exclusive, limited-time drops, all earthy and soothing. I bought the color Sand, which matches my other travel gear perfectly. I also love Eucalyptus, Lavender and Terracotta. They feel soft and modern rather than neon or plasticky.

The brand regularly launches limited edition shades, like a wintry Snow color that looks so clean and pretty in a toiletry bag.

Cadence Flex Capsules: Small, Medium And Large Sizes

Since I wrote my original notes, Cadence has introduced the Flex collection, which honestly fixed some of my biggest complaints about capacity. Instead of only having the original small capsule size, you now have:

• Flex Small (about the same as the original capsules at 0.56 oz)
• Flex Medium (around 1.32 oz)
• Flex Large (a medium capsule plus extender, about 2.75 oz total)
• A Flex extender that you can twist between pieces to increase capacity when you need more product

The extender adds about 1.43 ounces to other sizes while still staying within TSA-compliant rules. You get more product capacity without suddenly carrying huge bottles.

The new Flex design has a nice wide opening, which makes it much easier to fill with thicker products like body lotion, shampoo or makeup remover without funnels or mini spatulas. You still get the magnetic honeycomb effect, but you can customize the size of each capsule depending on the product and the length of your trip.

Personally, I love using a flex medium or flex large specifically for body lotion because I plow through that. My skin just drinks lotion, so the original capsules never held enough for me. Being able to attach a flex extender and instantly turn my flex small into a larger container changed how I pack my personal care products.

If you are someone who needs more product for longer trips but still wants pretty, refillable travel containers, the Flex system might be the sweet spot.

Parcels: Cadence’s Magnetic Bags That Work With Capsules

Cadence also makes Parcels, which are magnetic, modular, durable bags designed to hold your capsule system and other travel gear. Think of Parcels as the organizational shell around your capsules. They snap together, stack, and keep everything from cables to skincare in place.

If you like the idea of a toiletry bag that is not just a black hole of random bottles and containers, Parcels plus capsules can turn your entire carry-on into a tiny, organized grid. You do not have to buy Parcels to use the system, but they complete the “everything has a place” vibe that Cadence pushes.

The Cadence Lifestyle: Who These Capsules Are Really For

Cadence leans into the idea of keeping your life organized. The brand calls this Cadence Calm. As a frequent traveler who hates exploding my suitcase across a hotel room within ten seconds of arrival, I get it.

These pods appeal to anyone who wants a system. They give you the feeling that your life is together, even if the reality is that you left your charging cable at home again.

If you simply want cheap, functional travel containers or random plastic bottles from the drugstore, Cadence is probably not your brand. If you love beautiful objects, pack often, or crave some order in the chaos of travel, this is where Cadence shines. Think gym bags, carry-on toiletry bags, diaper bags and work totes that suddenly feel more curated.

How I Actually Used My Cadence Capsules

The tricky part was figuring out what to put in mine. I am not precious about shampoo or conditioner since I can buy those anywhere, so I saved the pods for things that are harder to replace or heavier to pack.

On my summer trip to Denmark, I filled mine with:

• Saie Super Glowy Gel
• Versed face moisturizer
• Tower28 Face Wash
• My favorite shaving cream
• My special color-saving hair dye conditioner
• DIVI Leave-In Conditioner 
• Cetaphil body lotion 

This instantly cut several pounds out of my suitcase since I did not have to pack full bottles. And yet I also immediately discovered the biggest limitation. I ran out of my curl cream about a week into the trip. These containers look larger than they are.

I also used one capsule for jewelry and one for a little celebratory tequila shot while abroad in Cabo. They hold nearly anything small. You could easily turn one into a vitamin container, body wash mini, or stash of makeup remover pads.

Cadence Capsules Review: Pros and Cons

Here is the honest part. I like these capsules a lot. I do not love everything about them. This Cadence capsules review needs both sides, especially if you are trying to decide what you actually need to buy for your next trip.

Pros

• Eco friendly with recycled and beach-bound bound plastic.
• Extremely aesthetic and instantly organize your toiletries.
• Leakproof which matters if you have ever had shampoo or body lotion explode in your toiletry bag.
• Magnetic design keeps your pods together in your luggage and while using them.
• Customizable labels for type-A travelers or anyone who wants a clean system.
• Wide opening design on the newer Flex system that makes filling and cleaning easier.
• Durable construction with double walled sides and strong materials that hold up to drops and frequent use.
• TSA compliant sizes so you are not guessing what will get pulled at security.

Cons

• Cost. A set of six is currently around eighty four dollars. These are a luxury product, not a necessity.
• Only one size on the original capsules, which limits how much you can bring unless you invest in Flex.
• Small capacity in the original capsules, enough for short trips, not always long ones.
• Weight. One pod is heavier than a basic travel bottle. Two pods can weigh as much as one full size product.
• Airport security questions. They are TSA friendly but I have seen travelers flagged because of magnets. It’s never happened to me, though. 

If you are planning a Europe backpacking trip, you probably need larger containers or a mix of flex small, flex medium and flex large sizes. If you are flying to see your partner and want a few days of personal care products in a cute little stack, Cadence works beautifully.

Does Cadence Make Travel Easier?

It depends on your travel style and budget. For me, these pods make packing feel calmer. They cut down on weight sometimes and help me maintain my skincare routine across time zones. They also keep me from losing jewelry or bobby pins. I think of them as part of my core travel gear now.

There are cheaper solutions. You can absolutely use contact lens cases for serums. I have for weekend trips. But the experience is not the same. Cadence is the aesthetic, organized, elevated version of that trick. It is like the glow-up version of all the random bottles, containers, and hotel samples I used to toss in my toiletry bag without a plan.

If that matters to you, they will make travel easier. If not, you will think they are cute but unnecessary. For more general travel tips, you might be happier skipping the splurge and buying basic Amazon travel bottles.

My Final Verdict: Should You Buy Cadence Capsules?

Here is the truth. You do not need Cadence capsules. You might, however, really love them.

They are sturdy, beautiful, thoughtfully designed and genuinely pleasant to use. They also hold less product than you expect and cost more than most travel containers on the market. The Flex system helps a lot if you want more size options like flex small, flex medium, flex large, and the flex extender.

I will keep watching for larger sizes and lighter-weight products because if Cadence introduced a medium or large option across the board, they could dominate the travel container world even more than they already do. For now, one pack is not quite enough for long trips, but perfect for shorter ones.

As a frequent traveler, I am glad I own them. I use them on nearly every trip. They spark joy. They are tiny, expensive, travel-loving joy.

Where To Buy Cadence Capsules

You can purchase Cadence capsules directly at keepyourcadence.com or through GOOP. They often offer bundles, seasonal colors, and sometimes promotions like free shipping in the U.S. over a certain threshold. You can also find holiday bundle deals where the system, capsules, and sometimes Parcels are discounted together.

Shipping options usually include standard, expedited and even overnight in the U.S., plus international shipping with duties calculated at checkout. Returns are available for around 30 days, so you have a little window to decide if this product fits your routine.

If you are shopping for a travel lover, I also have a full list of travel gifts and other travel containers on Whimsy Soul so you can decide which product makes the most sense for your routine.

FAQ: Cadence Capsules

Do Cadence Capsules leak?

No. In my experience they do not leak. Cadence engineered a patented leakproof seal, double walled protection and multi rotational threads. I have taken them through altitude changes, long flights and hot bathrooms and I have never had product seep into my bag. Some people online have reported leaks, but that has not been my personal experience.

Are Cadence Capsules TSA approved?

Yes. The original small capsules and the Flex sizes are TSA compliant. I have packed them in my carry-on many times. I have seen a handful of reviews where security flagged magnets, but I have personally never been stopped or questioned.

How much product does each capsule hold?

The original capsule holds 0.56 ounces. Flex sizes add more capacity.
Flex Small is about the same as the original.
Flex Medium holds around 1.32 ounces.
Flex Large holds about 2.75 ounces when you combine a medium with an extender.
A single extender adds about 1.43 ounces of space.

What products work best in Cadence Capsules?

Serums, face creams, body lotion, hair masks, curl cream, supplements, jewelry, rings, lip balm and ointments all travel well. Thicker products are easier to load into the Flex system because of the wide opening. The capsules can hold shampoo and conditioner, but you will run out faster than you think.

Are Cadence Capsules worth the price?

If you are a frequent traveler or someone who loves high-quality travel gear, yes. If you only pack a couple of toiletries and do not care about aesthetics or organization, you might prefer inexpensive travel bottles.

Can I wash Cadence Capsules in the dishwasher?

Yes. Cadence says the capsules are top rack dishwasher safe. I usually hand wash mine because the wide opening makes cleaning fast.

Do the magnetic labels come off?

The labels attach magnetically and stay in place during travel. You can swap them easily when building a new system. I sometimes write temporary labels on the underside of tiles with a dry erase marker to reuse designs.

What is the difference between the original capsules and the Flex system?

The original capsules come in one standard size. The Flex system allows you to adjust capacity with Flex Small, Flex Medium, Flex Large and extenders. Flex designs also have a wider opening, which makes them easier to fill and clean.

Is there a Cadence Capsule discount code?

Yes! Use code WHIMSY15 for 15% off! 

Pricing and Availability Disclaimer

Cadence frequently updates its colors, limited edition drops, bundles and seasonal promotions. All pricing and offers mentioned in this review reflect what I have personally seen at the time of writing. Prices, shades, shipping thresholds and bundle deals may change, so always check keepyourcadence.com for the most current information.

Have you tried Cadence or the Flex system yet? Or found a good Cadence alternative? Drop a comment below so we can compare notes and keep this Cadence review up to date for other travelers.