Upgrade Your Feminine Hygiene
- Katie
- Jun 13, 2018
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 18, 2018
With so many fancy new things for our periods nowadays it’s hard to keep track of them all. Not to mention that each one is a bit pricey without knowing if you even like them. Fear not. I was the sap that spend the loads of money on them and tested them for you. Below are some of these items and my personal assessment of them. Ultimately, I have a suggestion on what to buy, how to use them best, and what to skip.
Invest
THINX. These super panties are period proof. Depending on the style you get they can hold 1-2 tampons worth of blood. I’ve tried it. Hand rinsing them before throwing int he wash takes some getting used to (I just do it in the shower) but they are pretty great for the sustainable zero waste lovers out there. After using these for about 8 months now I have decided not to use them as my main period solution. Why? Smell. These are basically like pads. I remember when I was younger wearing pads and I felt like I could smell myself. Ew! I’m not sure if anyone else could smell me but it was enough for me to decide not to wear them anymore. Same goes for THINX. So how do I use them? I wear them in the first few days before my period since I never really know when it will start. No more leak risks here! I also wear them with my flex or tampon while traveling on long flights or trains when I may not be able to change when needed. FYI, the insides of the panties are lined with dark black (even the other colors) so you don’t have to worry about some gross visible blood stains on the inside.
Tip #2: Buy a wet bag (you know…like the kind you use for baby wipes) for travel. Keep your used THINX in this wet bag until you have time to wash them. Wet bags are also good for keeping your wet bathing suits separate from your other clothes.
Tip #3: Sign up for their marketing. They often have sales and discounts. Not to mention their blog has hella good tips and advice on woman probs.
Your Sex Savior
Flex. This has a LOT of benefits and is a great replacement to your normal tampon use. It still needs to be inserted but heres why I like it; Because of its material, it is not associated with TSS and can be worn longer than a tampon. So for many of us, you can wear it all day without needing to change. Another HUGE benefit is that it sits so high up that you can actually have mess free sex while on your period!! Yep. You read that right. Don’t get me wrong, I fully support women who feel comfortable having period sex. It’s just not for me. I don’t like messes….of any kind. So no offense period blood. It’s not you, it’s me. Flex is a lifesaver for that time of the month if I’m still feeling frisky. They also contribute to less waste than tampons but aren't reusable like the menstrual cup so are not completely zero waste. This might be good for some of you out there that may think cleaning a cup all the time might be annoying or gross. Flex is available as a subscription method or one time buy online. You can discontinue the subscription at any time. You also get a discount on your first box (which should cover two months) so just order that first box to test out before continuing with your subscription.
Your New Long Term Committment
Menstrual cup. This cup actually comes in two different shapes (probably more since there are so may brands out there now). This is something that is not advertised so well before buying it. The shape descriptions are also confusing for someone like me. Why? Because one cup is for under 30 and no kids (I’m only one of those) and the other cup is over 30 with kids (I’m only one of those too). So which cup do I wear? Those cups can be pricey (I spent $30) so it was stressful staring at them in the grocery store aisle wondering if I was choosing the wrong one and throwing $30 down the drain. I chose the wrong one (turns out I was the over 30 with kids choice). The directions tell you to twist it in place. Twisting is a bit difficult so this takes some practice and some failed attempts before securing it. Needless to say, it leaked because I got the wrong fit. This is when period panties come in handy. But once you find the right fit this will be SO much cheaper and safer than pads or tampons with chemicals in them. It is zero waste which has a great sustainability benefit. If you want to seriously take that zero waste lifestyle then invest in this but get your head in the game to trial and error the heck outa this baby.
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