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How to Use XO Nicotine Pouches

By Simon Crafts

Published: February 2026

Most people don’t actually know how to use nicotine pouches. They think they do. They open the can, throw one under their lip, feel a tingle and either panic or pull it out after five minutes. Then they decide it is too strong. Or not strong enough. Or β€œnot for them.” It is rarely the pouch, it is almost always the user. XO nicotine pouches are simple. But there is a right way to use them, and a wrong way. And the difference between the two completely changes the experience.

 

I have been using snus and nicotine pouches for over fifteen years. I have used tobacco based traditional snus. I have used synthetic nicotine pouches. I have overdone it. I have underdone it. I have fallen asleep with one in my mouth and woken up wondering what I was doing with my life.

 

So let’s strip this back and do it properly.

First, What XO Actually Is

XO is a tobacco free nicotine pouch. It sits between your upper lip and gum. It delivers nicotine through the lining of your mouth. No smoke. No vapour. No combustion. No lighter. No charger.

 

Where I am from, people still call this snus. Technically traditional snus contains tobacco. XO does not. But culturally, it sits in the same lane.

 

It is an oral nicotine product and like any nicotine product, it needs to be respected.

Step One: Do Not Overthink It

Open the can:

  • Take one pouch out.
  • You do not need to fluff it aggressively. You do not need to squeeze it like you are testing fruit in a supermarket. If it feels slightly compressed from storage, just roll it lightly between your fingers.
  • Do not tear it open.
  • Do not chew it.
  • Do not split it.
  • It is engineered to release nicotine steadily. The paper lining matters.
  • Respect the design.

Step Two: Placement Is Everything

This is where people go wrong….

 

Lift your upper lip and place the pouch flat against the gum. Slightly left or right of centre works best. The middle is sensitive and unnecessary.

 

Press it gently into place.

 

Once it is there, leave it alone.

 

Do not chew it.

 

Do not move it constantly with your tongue.

 

Do not treat it like gum.

 

Nicotine absorbs passively. The more you interfere, the worse the curve becomes.

When it is placed correctly, it should feel discreet. You should be able to speak normally. No one should know it is there unless you tell them. That is one of the advantages.

The First Few Minutes: What You Are Feeling

You will probably feel a tingle, especially with mint flavours. It is not your gum melting. It is not your mouth rejecting it, it is activation. Moisture hits the pouch, nicotine begins absorbing, flavour compounds wake up.

 

Mint styles tend to feel sharper. There is something about cooling agents that amplify perceived strength. Even if the milligrams are identical to a fruit pouch, mint will often feel faster and stronger.

 

If it feels intense, ask yourself two things:

Did I choose too high a strength?

Am I dehydrated?

 

Morning pouches often hit harder because your body is dry from sleep. I have had mornings where a strength that feels smooth at 3pm feels like a freight train at 7am. Remember hydration matters more than people realise. The initial tingle settles. It always does.

How Long Should You Keep XO In?

This is where discipline comes in. Nicotine pouches are not five minute products, they are designed to release over twenty to forty minutes depending on strength and composition. If you put one in and take it out after three minutes, you are wasting it. You will feel the curve rise, then plateau. That plateau is where the satisfaction sits. If you remove it before that, you chase the feeling with another pouch. That is how usage escalates unnecessarily. Drain the pouch properly. I usually run mine for at least twenty minutes. Sometimes thirty. Rarely beyond forty because by then it is spent.

 

Let it do its job.

What XO Should Actually Feel Like

Used properly, XO should feel controlled and there is a brief activation, then a steady lift, not a punch in the face. Not chaos. A lift. Depending on your tolerance, you might feel sharper focus. Or calm. Or just a quiet satisfaction that the craving has been addressed.

 

You should not feel dizzy, you should not feel nauseous, you should not feel like you need to sit down immediately. If you do, the strength is too high for you in that moment.

 

Nicotine is contextual. Stress levels matter. Sleep matters. Hydration matters. Even what you have eaten matters. The same pouch can feel different at different times of day.

Choosing the Right Strength

Ego ruins more nicotine experiences than anything else. Do not choose the strongest option because you think you can β€œhandle it.” If you are new to nicotine entirely, start low. There is no glory in overwhelming yourself. If you are transitioning from smoking, think about how much you smoked. Ten cigarettes a day is very different from twenty.

 

If you are coming from high strength vaping, you may need something stronger than you expect. Vaping can mask tolerance levels. 

 

And remember this clearly: Mint feels stronger than fruit. 

 

Ice feels stronger than sweet.

 

Perceived strength is real.

 

I have used pouches long enough to know that sometimes a fruit pouch at 14mg feels smoother than a mint at the same strength.

 

Bridge your strengths and move gradually. There is no rush.

Check Out XO Pouches

Check It Out

Mistakes I See All The Time

  • Chewing the pouch.
  • Using two at once.
  • Taking it out after five minutes because the tingle feels unfamiliar.
  • Using high strength first thing in the morning while dehydrated and then wondering why the room spins.

Nicotine is not a competition, stacking pouches does not make you tougher. It just destabilises your tolerance and increases nausea risk. Remember control is maturity.

Removal and Disposal

When the flavour fades and the lift settles, remove it with your fingers, do not swallow it. Most cans have a compartment in the lid for used pouches, so use it if you need to because it keeps things clean and discreet.

Who Should Use XO

If you do not use nicotine, there is no reason to start, that is just reality. If you smoke or vape and are looking for something discreet and oral, XO can serve a purpose. If you already use nicotine pouches and want a structured, flavour focused experience, XO fits comfortably into rotation. But always monitor your usage, nicotine is addictive and pretending otherwise is naive. The key is management, not denial.

Final Thoughts on Using XO Nicotine Pouches

XO nicotine pouches are not complicated but they reward discipline, place it properly, leave it long enough and choose your strength honestly. Nicotine, when respected, is predictable. When abused, it feels chaotic. The difference is education and self awareness. If you are going to use XO, use it properly. That is how you stay in control of the pouch instead of letting the pouch control you.

nicotine Pouch Benefits

Clean nicotine intake without the tar

Fast-acting nicotine delivery

Super flavour list and growing

Comfortable, moist pouch design

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