The Cigar Caddy Gel Beads are super absorbent polymer gels that can absorb up to 100 times their weight in fluid. As they lose moisture, they shrink you know when it's time to refill. Safe, effective, and very easy to use! These beads ship dry. You will need to fill with a "use everytime" solution (like Cigar Caddy or Xikar brands). Or, you can use a 50/50 PG solution for the first fill and then distilled water thereafter.