What Are Nicotine Pouches? What's Inside and How They Work
WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. For adults 21+.
A nicotine pouch is a small, soft pouch you tuck between your gum and upper lip. It holds nicotine, plant fiber and flavor, with no tobacco leaf inside. There's no smoke, no vapor, no device to charge and nothing to spit. Here's what's inside one, how it works and how pouches differ from snus and dip.
Pillowz is made for adults 21 and over who already use nicotine.
The short answer
- What it is: a small white pouch of plant fiber, nicotine and flavor.
- Where it goes: between your gum and upper lip.
- Tobacco leaf: none. It does contain nicotine.
- Spitting: none needed.
- Who can buy it: adults 21 and older.
What's inside a Pillowz pouch
Here are the main ingredient groups in a Pillowz pouch:
- Plant fiber (cellulose) gives the pouch its soft body.
- Water keeps it moist.
- Nicotine at 3mg, 6mg, 9mg or 12mg per pouch, depending on the tin.
- Food-grade flavorings carry the flavor, from Sour Lemon to Wintergreen.
- Sweetener (acesulfame K) rounds out the sour.
- Acidity regulators, including malic acid and tartaric acid, add the tang.
- Humectants, including propylene glycol, sorbitol and glycerol, help the pouch hold moisture.
- Salt and processing aids, including xanthan gum and sodium carbonate.
Our flavor blends are proprietary. The full breakdown is on our ingredients page.
How a nicotine pouch works
You place a pouch between your gum and upper lip and leave it there. No chewing. While it sits, the pouch releases its flavor and nicotine, and most people feel a light tingle at first. When the flavor fades, you take it out and throw it away.
Every Pillowz pouch is made for 30+ minutes of flavor. Our step-by-step guide covers placement, and How Long Do Nicotine Pouches Last? covers how long a pouch and a tin last.
Are nicotine pouches tobacco-free?
Pillowz pouches contain no tobacco leaf. They do contain nicotine. In the US, nicotine pouches are regulated by the FDA as tobacco products, and like all tobacco products they're sold only to adults 21 and older.
Nicotine pouches vs snus vs dip
They all sit in your lip, but they're built differently:
| Nicotine pouches | Snus | Dip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tobacco leaf | No | Yes | Yes |
| Format | White pouch | Pouch or loose | Loose, cut tobacco |
| Spitting | No | Usually no | Usually yes |
| Flavors | Wide range, including sour | Mostly tobacco-forward, some mint | Mostly tobacco-forward, some mint |
Already using another pouch brand? Our Zyn alternatives guide matches flavors side by side.
Strengths
Strength is the amount of nicotine in each pouch, printed on the tin. Pillowz comes in 3mg, 6mg, 9mg and 12mg. Lower numbers are lighter. If you're new to pouches, start low. Our strength guide walks through each one.
Flavors
Pillowz is built around sour: Sour Peach, Sour Watermelon, Sour Blueberry, Sour Raspberry, Sour Orange, Sour Apple and Sour Lemon. For mint, there's Peppermint and Wintergreen, plus Caramel Macchiato for coffee.
Want to try a few at once? The Multi Flavor Pack puts five sours in one roll. Tasting notes for each are in Best Sour Nicotine Pouch Flavors.
FAQ
What is a nicotine pouch?
A small pouch of plant fiber, nicotine and flavor that you place between your gum and upper lip. There's no tobacco leaf, smoke or vapor.
What's in a nicotine pouch?
Pillowz pouches contain plant fiber, water, nicotine, food-grade flavorings, sweetener, acidity regulators, humectants, salt and processing aids. See our ingredients page for details.
Do nicotine pouches have tobacco in them?
Pillowz pouches contain no tobacco leaf, but they do contain nicotine. In the US they're regulated by the FDA as tobacco products.
Do you spit with nicotine pouches?
No. Nicotine pouches are spit-free.
Where do you put a nicotine pouch?
Between your gum and upper lip, on either side.
How many pouches are in a tin?
20 pouches per tin. A 5-tin roll holds 100.
Who can buy nicotine pouches?
Only adults 21 and older. Pillowz sells only to adults 21+.
