Childless Travel & Cadence Capsules: Both are freakin’ fabulous!

This birthday post is a bit different. I decided that in honor of my 46th, I’m going to tell you about two of my favorite things—childless travel & Cadence capsules! There are lots of links in this post, but none of them are affiliate links. I won’t earn a penny if you decide to purchase something. I just want to share about childless travel & Cadence capsules. Because both are freakin’ fabulous! So… Read on, fabulous ones!

For many in our community, the freedom to travel is one of the bright sides of a childless not by choice life. In fact, there is even a closed Facebook group dedicated to childless travel—Travel Friends (Childless Not By Choice)—with 400+ members. (I happen to be one of them.) Travel is definitely a big part of Dane and my “beyond childless” life. We have visited New York City, Chicago, Disney World, Key West, England, and Brazil—just to name a few. Last year, we took our first trip to Mexico—a beach vacay at an all-inclusive, adults-only resort. (That was a first, too.) Though I absolutely adore traveling with my hubby… (In fact, we are celebrating my 46th back at that all-inclusive, adults-only beach resort!) I realized that I was getting anxious before trips. A large part of this anxiety was brought about by packing.

Childless Travel & the Anxiety of Packing…

Yes, packing can cause anxiety for childless travel, too! Well, at least it does for me. You see, packing for vacation is my job. I pack everyone—me, Dane, & Maddie. And I pack everything—clothes, toiletries, snacks… I’m always worried that I’m going to forget something. Dane reasons, “There’s always a Wal-Mart.” Perhaps true, but we’ve spent time on vacations searching for a Wal-Mart or drug store or someplace to get whatever we needed that I didn’t pack. And I don’t want to waste time doing that! Plus, last year, we were going to be out of the country. So, purchasing items that I forgot to pack… Well, that wasn’t likely to be easy.

Improving How I Pack…

Last summer, I decided to improve how I pack. So, I created a “Travel Checklist.” This two page chart includes columns for me, Dane, and Maddie with “toiletries,” “items to pack,” “right before we leave,” “out of country,” and “to-do” sections.

Packing toiletries was always a headache. Adhering to the 3-1-1 TSA guidelines is such a hassle. Inevitably, I needed to make a last minute trip to the store to buy yet another travel size toiletry. After researching healthier options for body care, I really wanted to bring our daily face cleanser, body moisturizer, etc. Plus, I wanted to have my essential oils and need my Estriol and Yam Cream, as they help keep my menopausal hormones in check. The cheap, plastic, “reusable” travel bottles I had purchased simply weren’t cutting it. So, I started researching other options. And that’s when I discovered Cadence capsules.

The Discovery of Cadence Capsules…

When I posted a photo on my personal Facebook about these amazing little capsules, soooo many people commented, wanting to know where I found them and what I thought of them. I promised a blog. After having used them for seven months—driving & flying, both domestic & international, week-long vacations & weekend getaways—I feel like I can really share my honest thoughts about Cadence capsules. (Spoiler. I LOVE them!) Plus, it’s my birthday month, as I said earlier. Since I’m using my Cadence capsules to take our second trip to Mexico—back to the all-inclusive, adults-only resort—I thought it was the perfect time to write this blog!

No affiliate links…

Now, before we get started… I do NOT have an affiliate link with Cadence. When you decide to purchase Cadence capsules, I will not earn one cent. I just adore these little capsules so, so much that I have to tell you about them! (Seriously. They rank right up there with Hello Kitty, pink, & pumpkins!)

Researching…

I did a lot of research before I purchased my Cadence capsules. They are what I call an “investment piece.” In other words, they aren’t cheap! In fact, I researched so much before purchasing because I wanted to ensure these expensive, little capsules were really worth it.

So, I looked through the entire Cadence website, plus read every blog about these capsules that I could find. Of course, cost was a downside mentioned by several blogs. They all talked about the size, as these capsules are small—0.56 ounces, which makes them TSA compliant. They discussed the design—rounded on the inside so that you can scoop out every last bit of product. And every single one of them said the customizable, leakproof, magnetic capsules are well worth the investment. (Though most of these blogs had affiliate links, so they benefit monetarily when someone purchases.)

I went back to the Cadence website, studying their “capacity calculator.” I thought about how much I’ve spent on single-use travel items, on “reusable” plastic bottles that leak, are hard to clean, and ultimately end up in the landfill. And I decided to take the leap and order a set of Cadence capsules.

Before placing my order, I thought about the toiletries that we take on vacations–referring to my travel checklist. I considered what colors I wanted to buy and what words & symbols I wanted on the tiles. Initially, I purchased two sets of 12 capsules. After traveling with them once, I purchased 6 more capsules. After a second trip, I purchased 3 more tiles. Here’s how I use them and what I think about them…

What I Purchased & How I Use…

For myself, I purchased petal (light pink), lavender, eucalyptus (light green), and a couple of the special edition yellow tones. (Cadence has done a phenomenal job making sure that their colors compliment one another. That way, you can mix & match capsules with tiles.) My petal capsules hold toothpaste tabs, jewelry, mouthwash tabs, face cleanser, face moisturizer, hair gel, & body moisturizer. Lavender capsules are for probiotics, Estriol, & sugar scrub. Eucalyptus hold yam cream & Membrasin. And the yellow capsules are for DHEA & Vaseline.

For Dane, I purchased pacific (light blue), terra cotta, charcoal, and sand. His pacific capsules (blue) are for the shower and hold body wash, conditioner, shampoo, & face cleanser. Terra cotta are for the bathroom countertop and hold toothpaste tabs, mouthwash tabs, face moisturizer, & body moisturizer. Charcoal and sand are for probiotics & medications.

Now, you might notice that I don’t have shampoo, conditioner, or body wash in my set. When traveling, I use Attitude Shampoo & Conditioner Bars. And I do not use body wash. Instead, I switched to Norwex body cloths.

Why I Bought More…

Before I talk about how much product the capsules hold, I’d like to explain why I bought 6 more capsules after my initial purchase of 24. First of all, though Dane and I travel with carry-on size Monos luggage, I don’t pack light. I want us to have what we need. That’s one reason that I love Cadence capsules! I can bring our entire morning & bedtime routines—every last cream, lotion, and essential oil we use.

Speaking of essential oils, that’s why I bought 6 more capsules. Though Nexon Botanics has a smaller size, I realized that having my Breathe Ease, Zen Sleep, Stress Ease, & Robber’s Health in Cadence capsules, already mixed with grapeseed carrier oil, would make packing our essential oils so much easier. Plus, I wouldn’t have to worry about the oils leaking. So, I bought more capsules.

As for why I bought 3 more tiles… Well, initially, I refused to pay the extra few dollars to customize tiles. So, I chose from Cadence’s standard labels and icons, leaving a few tiles blank. After traveling a couple times, I realized that I was having a hard time remembering what cream I put in which capsule. I mean, is that sunscreen or Membrasin? So, I decided customizing a few tiles was worth the extra bucks.

How much do these little capsules actually hold?

Now, back to how much these little capsules hold… As I’ve said, Cadence capsules are small—0.56 ounces. There are benefits to this compact size. A huge one being that they are TSA compliant. In fact, you can fit 15 Cadence capsules in the Clarity Jetset Case from Truffle (also TSA compliant). Another benefit is they do not take up a huge amount of space on hotel bathroom countertops. And the fact that they are magnetic?! I adore this feature because I adore organization! I mean, the lid sticks to the side of the capsule! Woohoo! But do they really hold enough? Well, here’s what I’ve discovered…

Using our Cadence capsules…

I can pack plenty of the following for one person for a week-long vacay…

• Face Cleanser
  Face Moisturizer
  Hair Gel
  Membrasin
  Estriol
  Yam Cream
  DHEA
  Essential Oils
  Vaseline (with lots to spare)
  Sugar Scrub (with plenty to spare)
  Probiotics (one daily)
  Toothpaste tabs
  Mouthwash tabs

I can pack plenty of the following for one person for a weekend getaway…

• Everything listed above and…
• Shampoo
  Conditioner
  Body Wash
  Sunscreen

As I stated earlier, I take Attitude Shampoo & Conditioner Bars, as well as a body soap bar when we go on long vacations. Though I pack body moisturizer in our Cadence capsules, we only use this as hand lotion. When we go to the beach, I take a large container of aloe vera that we use as lotion. I also like Attitude’s Body Butter for extra lotion on longer trips.  (As you might have guessed, I suffer from dry skin.)

The Ease of Packing for Childless Travel AND Saving Money…

Ultimately, I am so, so glad that I invested in Cadence capsules. With my capsules, Truffle bags, and travel checklist, I can pack our toiletries quickly and easily. No more anxiety about accidentally forgetting an important toiletry! And no more spending money on travel-size toiletries and/or non-leakproof, flimsy travel bottles. I mean, a mini (1.5 ounces) Honest Beauty Gel Cleanser (the face cleanser that Dane and I use) costs $6.99. Our Cadence capsules were approximately $12 each. That means, I paid for my capsules after about five uses (which is exactly what Cadence claims). I’ve had my capsules for about seven months and have used them seven times. At this point, I’m saving money.

More Benefits of Cadence…

And saving plastic. Each Cadence capsule is made of 50% recycled material, including 20% ocean-bound plastic.

These durable capsules don’t break, leak, or leach. I can attest to the no breaking. I’ve dropped them more than once. And the no leaking. I sit on my suitcase to close it and have had zero leaks from our capsules. And the no leaching… They are BPA-free.

Cadence states, “You buy once, and use forever.” If you decide you want to get rid of a capsule, however, Cadence’s FAQs page states, “Email us at connect@keepyourcadence.com with the subject line ‘recycle’ and we’ll be in touch. We’ll send you a free shipping label to mail it back to us so we can use your old capsule to make new ones.” That’s pretty amazing!

Cadence capsules are freakin’ fabulous!

I have only good things to say about Cadence capsules. They are easy to fill, easy to use, and easy to clean. Truly, they are one of my favorite things! And I honestly believe that you will be extremely pleased with these magnetic, modular, refillable capsules made from ocean-bound plastic. (They have exceeded my expectations!)

I’m not the only one who thinks they are freakin’ fabulous, either.  Cadence capsules were given a “special mention” in TIME Magazine’s “The Best Inventions of 2022” list!  Wow!

You get free shipping on US orders over $40. If you haven’t already checked out the Cadence website, just click here! (And remember! No affiliate links! I won’t earn a penny when you purchase. I just had to share these capsules with you because I love them so, so much!)

So, fabulous ones… Did you gift yourself some Cadence capsules for your childless travel?! Tell us about it in the comments…

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Featured Photo:  Taken by me; Edited using Canva