Cadence Capsules Review: A Small Fortune, But I Regret Nothing

Cadence Capsules have a few clever features that have ruined those cheap drugstore toiletry bottles for me.

Unlike the conventional squeezy toiletry tubes, Cadence Capsules are little jars with twist-off lids. On each vessel, the wide mouth makes transferring products a breeze. In my experience, the lids are leakproof, too—I’ve yet to experience a liquid disaster, even in pressurized cabins. (For the record, some users—including Carlye Wisel—have mentioned minor leakages. She said she saw slight leakage when she filled her capsules with oil.)

Each capsule has a rounded well, so it’s easy to scoop and scrape out every last bit of thicker products, like moisturizer. And for thinner liquids, like toner, the flat-sided vessels are small and easy to grip, so you have plenty of control when you’re pouring the product right into your palms or onto a cotton pad.

And every vessel comes with a customizable tile that slots neatly into the lid and cleanly labels its contents, so you no longer have to scribble information on tape with a Sharpie. (Those who are less picky can buy pre-labeled ones, too.) “I love the little flippable label magnets—very handy,” said gifts and beauty supervising editor Hannah Morrill.

Their hexagonal shape means the cases won’t roll around, even if you’re playing esthetician on the side of a tiny Airbnb sink. Each vessel is magnetic, so multiple cases snap together into a compact unit that can be easily stowed in your toiletry bag. This capsule honeycomb takes up way less space than my usual mish-mosh of irregularly shaped bottles. Once a lumpy, jam-packed mess, my dopp kit is now a lightweight dream with a thin, flat profile. Besides, when the capsules are click-clacking together, it’s simply “a stimulating sensory experience,” as Hannah puts it.

But maybe my favorite thing about Cadence Capsules is that they’re beautiful—even just sitting on a dinky hotel vanity. I can’t overstate how much more pleasing it is to look upon a matte sage-green and eggshell-white honeycomb than at a jumble of ugly, branded bottles. “Overall, my travel bag is much less cluttered and junky,” Hannah said.

When I’m at home, my skin-care routine is a familiar, calming, and lovely ritual. Cadence Capsules preserve that experience, even when I’m hundreds of miles away.