A Natural Alternative to Tampons and Pads
I haven’t bought a tampon or pad since 2017.
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What I use instead is a menstrual cup. When I first learned what this was, I immediately ran to the nearest Whole Foods to buy one. It’s worked so well for me that I’ve stuck with it since!
A menstrual cup is a soft, suction-like, medical-grade silicone device that can bend and fold into the cervix. Once inside, it catches all the blood!
P.S. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services I use.
Below are the reasons why I think the menstrual cup is worth the purchase:
Non-toxic
Made of medical-grade silicone
Eco-friendly
Reusable, which keeps tampons and pads out of the landfill (mine gave me three years before I got pregnant and stashed it away)
The little accessories pouch it comes with is also washable and reusable
Cost-effective
For a box of 36 tampons (not organic) = the cost is approx. $8 vs. $39.99 for a cup that can last for years due to the nature of silicone
Comfortable
It took me a few times to get the hang of it, but once I did, it was effortless and simple each time (I would still wear black underwear on heavier period days to be safe, and definitely in the beginning when I was learning how to use it)
Convenient
When I used tampons, I was constantly replacing them during heavy periods, but with the cup, all I needed to do was dump out the blood and insert it back in, which I would do every few hours or much longer depending on my flow
Can be safely left in for up to 12 hours (I’ve gone past 12 hours many times and nothing’s ever happened to me)
Educational
Using the cup taught me a lot about my period and its flow (in conjunction with an app called Clue)
A Truly Sustainable Alternative
If purchasing a quality menstrual cup and properly taken care of, it’ll hold up for as long as ten years
Organic cotton tampons would be the next best natural option, but the cup still wins for all of the reasons above. Once I switched to the cup, my period experience felt less like a nuance because I didn’t worry about having to change out my tampon/pad as frequently.
Brands I Use
I am a loyal fan of the Lunette and Ruby Cup. My first set lasted me 2-3 years until I accidentally spilled old toxic nail polish remover all over it in the cabinet and didn't realize it until weeks later when the scent became overwhelming. They've proven to be high-quality cups, reliable and comfortable, so there was never a reason for me to try other brands. I've seen some less expensive ones on the market (not sure of its quality), but it isn't significant enough of a financial difference to incentivize me to switch when I’ve had great experiences with the Lunette & Ruby.
I actually started off with the DivaCup Model 1 (light to medium flow), which I found at a Whole Foods and eventually became my back-up option. I had more accidental leakage using it than the Lunette and Ruby because the cup is a thinner silicone material and less firm. It was a decent buy for my first cup, but I had better experiences with the firmer cups.
For Lunette and Ruby, I found them similar, and I've tried different sizes.
I LOVE the Lunette Model 1, which caught my heavy period flows just fine. I upgraded to Model 2 since it was bigger but found it pretty uncomfortable to wear if I wasn't super careful about how I inserted it. The Model 2 is also much firmer, so sometimes I found it challenging to fold and insert. Once I figured out my cervix though, inserting it in was a breeze, but wouldn’t recommend it to someone who is super sensitive. Even though the silicone is firm, it just takes practice and I know it’ll last a long time, plus it’s easy to purchase straight from Amazon if you don’t want to go directly to their site! I believe the Lunette is priced somewhere around $35-40.
Ruby is hands-down my absolute favorite all-around for its comfort, durability, longevity, and mission in supporting girls who don't have access to safe period products by donating one for each purchase. They also advertise that they have the best cups for beginners, and I truly think that holds true! I was still fairly new to menstrual cups when I started using Ruby, and I found it easy to grip, fold, and insert. I found both of their sizes (light and heavy flow) to be comfortable. It's also slightly cheaper than the Lunette ~ $35 in USD. The cup can only be purchased directly from their site and is sold in Euro but they offer free international shipping!
Regardless of the brand, I think it's totally worth exploring a non-toxic, sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to tampons and pads!
My Tips for Using the Menstrual Cup
Using a menstrual cup can take practice and patience to get it fitted right; it has to fit well like any good pair of jeans, otherwise, it may feel uncomfortable and cause leakage! But once you get the hang of how it should feel (like hardly anything’s there), it’ll be a breeze each time, and you’ll never want to go back to tampons or pads.
Before using it for the first time (and each time my cycle began), I washed with soapy water and boiled in a pot of hot water to sanitize it ~ approx. 10 minutes. After cooling, I “tried it on” and discovered that the stems on the cups were too long and felt like it was poking my cervix. So I snipped off a part of the stem and measured again to make sure it felt comfortable. Snip if you need to, but stay on the conservative side. Everyone’s cervix is a different size, so it can be a trial/error to figure out the trimming.
To insert the cup, I discovered that the easiest method was to put one leg up on the toilet seat, fold the cup and go in at an angle as if you were putting in a tampon. You might hear a “pop” sound when the cup opens up.
I haven’t always been perfect at putting in the cup each time. I’ve had accidents happen where I’ve worn white pants, and the blood seeped through because I didn’t insert it correctly so the cup would shift. I learned the anatomy of my cervix by feeling the area prior to inserting and learning how to use the cup when I wasn’t on my period. I also wear dark pants for the first few days when I know my period is heavier and may be prone to accidents.
To remove the cup and dump out the blood, I go in and squeeze/fold the cup, then pull the entire cup out (I’ve made the mistake before in pulling the stem, so don’t do what I did). Depending on how light or heavy my cycle is, I dump the blood out every few hours or longer during the day. In public restrooms, I dump it in the toilet bowl, then pat dry with a clean tissue paper before inserting it back in. At home, I take it to the sink immediately to wash with warm water and a non-toxic, unscented soap such as Dr. Bronner’s!
Once my period is over, I wash it with soapy water and boil the cup again in a pot of hot water before storing it in the cute little pouch it comes with.
Final Thoughts
The Lunette and Ruby Cup both have great, useful information and content on their website on how to use the cup, how to clean it, and scientific articles on the menstrual cycle, your body, etc. Both brands offer quality cups, so you can't go wrong with either. I love both kinds!
If you haven't converted, it might sound like a weird product to try out, or maybe something you're not inclined to use if you have super light flows and hardly go through any tampons or pads in a month, but my own reasoning for wanting to purchase the cup is because of the sustainability aspect (reduces the tampons/pads that end up in landfills, and the fact that I don't have to think of even buying tampons or pads every month!
If you've converted, let me know which cup you went with and your experience!
