Travel is getting hipper and hipper, and toiletry companies are getting in on developing new packaging and products for those of us on the move. Squeeze Pod makes convenient single-serving toiletry pods aimed at the lightweight traveler. They sent me a few packets to try out on trip or two – here’s how it went.

What is it:

Squeeze Pod Travel Size Toiletries are a series of super-small, single use toiletries packets, made for quick and easy traveling and usage when you only need a few night’s worth of bathroom supplies. Each pod has a rigid plastic shell and foil cover, which is snapped open for use. All products are natural and eco-friendly. Products in the line include: Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, shave cream, hair gel, hand sanitizer, moisturizing lotion, toilet odor eliminator.

From Squeeze Pod:

Squeeze Pod is an innovative line of single-use natural toiletries. Made in the USA, these single-use pods are leak-proof, TSA-compliant, vegan and PETA-certified cruelty-free. Squeeze Pod natural toiletries are perfectly suited for those with on-the-go lifestyles; busy families, business travelers, adventure-seekers and more.

Who it’s for:

It’s for the on-the-go traveler who needs only a few nights worth of toiletries, and who is mainly staying at hotels or homestays, rather than camping or backpacking.

First impressions:

I received the box of toiletries on the mail, and was impressed that they included a plastic toiletry bag, which is actually pretty nice. The pods are bundled together in strips of three, and are relatively easy to separate. Once opening the package and dumping them all out, I was a little scared with all the little plastic pods scattered everywhere.. seemed like a lot of small items for just a few toiletries.

How I tested:

Squeeze Pod sent me a package including sample of all of their pods, as well as a clear toiletry bag, I do a bit of travel, and used the pods during a few recent trips, as well as at home. Notably, recently I took a weekend trip to NYC for a bit of business, and flew Spirit Airlines. Spirit has very strict baggage policies, so I packed only in my small briefcase shoulder bag. The small travel pods were perfect for this!

Design:

Each pod is a teardrop shaped plastic pod, with a semi-circular rounded back, and a foil piece covering the flat front. The pods are connected in groups of three, and they’re easy to snap apart. However, once separated, they leave jagged sharp bits of plastic on the edges. Kinda hazardous when fishing around in your toiletry bag for one after getting out of the shower with wet, soft skin.

In Use:

The actual products the pods contain is great. They smell great, and all work great. Some of the products, like the body wash are items I’d love to start using full-time, if there were large bottles available. I appreciate that they’re all-natural too, although to be honest, that wouldn’t be the biggest selling point for me. The pods are small, and opened by folding the plastic tip backwards, breaking the plastic and opening the packet. The foil and plastic are soft enough that the product can be squeezed out. However, because half of the pod is made of plastic, it’s difficult to squeeze every last drop out. Still an easy experience though – and totally possible with wet, soapy hands.

After the product is dispensed, the pod becomes trash – so for each use, you generate a piece of trash that’s a combination of plastic and foil. This was actually my only big complaint about the Squeeze Pods – they generate trash! I understand the use case for individual-serving packets,but really hated cleaning up little plastic pods all over the bathroom floor that I had chucked over the curtain as I used them in the shower. I feel for travelers, the utility of the small packets is great, but if you’re going to any more than a few nights, a small 3oz bottle (the 3oz bottles from Sea-to-Summit are what I swear by – they’re cheap, come with product in them, have a tried-and-tested no-leak cap, and are refillable) of product would much more convenient, generate less trash, and be refillable. The teardrop, half rigid pods are a cool way of packaging the product, and make it easy to snap open when your hands are slippery. However, I feel like the product could also have been packaged in ketchup packets to contain the same volume, pack down even smaller, and generate trash that may compact down more after use.

• Shampoo, conditioner – A great combo, works as well if not better than what I usually use in the shower, and smells great – like what I’d get at a salon.
• Body wash, facial cleanser – Both of these smell great and work just fine. The facial cleanser was good, but I’d still opt for my regular. The Body wash smelled so good I’d opt for that all the time, if they sold a big bottle of it.
• Shave cream – It spreads! Just the little pod of it is good for all but the heaviest beards.
• Hair gel – I actually didn’t use.
• Hand sanitizer – NOT alcohol based, but very creamy feeling and nice smelling. Takes a minute to rub in.
• Toilet odor eliminator – It works, but I’m not usually so finely concerned about this issue, so I think the utility may have been lost on me.

Good:

• The product in Squeeze Pods is top-notch. Works great, smells great, and is definitely on-par with any other premium toiletry I’ve used. Using Squeeze Pods is not a compromise on product quality.
• They’re small and convenient for a night or two, or for your “office overnight” kit.
• The plastic case they come with is nice for a basic dop kit.

Bad:

• The actual pods are one-time-use and generate trash on every use. You end up with lots of little plastic pieces in the trash.  If you’re camping, lots of little plastic to pack out, or risk losing in the woods.
• The plastic pods have sharp edges once they’re separated from each other. Not the biggest issue, but could be pokey if you’re fishing in the bottom of your bag for moisturizer.

Specs:

Squeeze Pod’s current product line includes the following: Natural Shampoo (SulfateFree,) Natural Conditioner (Sulfate-Free,) Natural Body Wash, Natural Facial Cleanser, Natural Shave Cream, Natural Hair Gel, Natural Hand Purifier, Natural Moisturizing Lotion and Natural Toilet Odor Eliminator.

Should you buy it?

Buy it to keep in your desk at work just in case you need to stay overnight. Buy it to take with you on a single-night work trip where you’re packing in only one hand-carry bag. Buy it for your wife so she can keep a few small packets of moisturizer in her bag, instead of letting a pump-bottle spill everywhere. But if you’re traveling for more than a few nights, going to the outdoors, etc, I’d suggest looking to a refillable, reusable bottle.

More info…

Buy Squeeze Pods direct at Squeezepod.com or on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members. .