Period Wear Guide
Periods can be an inconvenience and a reason that women opt for hormonal contraception but I truly believe that with the right products they can become a time when you forget you even have one!
I have road tested many products over the years and finally have a succinct list of my favs! I’m not loyal to one item and I like to chop and change depending on what I’m doing for the day and how heavy the flow is.
So let’s get into the list, complete with pros and cons!
Period Undies:
An absolute game changer and if you haven’t tried these yet I highly recommend. I prefer not to use them on my heavier days because after going to the toilet there can sometimes be a bit of a wet or cold feeling when you pull them back up but that’s a personal preference.
I also don’t like wearing them for exercise as they can feel a little sweaty.
Modi Bodi:
Pros:
- They don’t give you a wedgie
- The lining is black and a different material to the knicker so you cant see the blood
- They wash out well
Cons:
- I don’t find the bikini brief shape flattering and they give me a muffin top
- If I wear them for too long I get an itchy irritation around the elastic
You can check out the range here: Modibodi
Rudie:
Pros:
The designs are flattering and cute
Cons:
- They give me a wedgie if doing anything other than laying around
- The “pad” part goes all the way up the bum which I feel is a little excessive- who’s bleeding all the way up their bum crack during the day?
- The lining on the inside is the same colour as the outside so with the beige knickers you can see the blood and it stains slightly after washing- if you’re going to purchase, buy the black ones.
You can check out the range here: Rudie and if you want to purchase you can use my discount code BOTANICAL
Menstrual Cups
The absolute G.O.A.T of period wear.
What’s not to love?! You can keep them in for half the day, go about all your usual activities and not worry about leakage.
Menstrual cups are my go to for exercise as you don’t need to worry about the cups moving or leaking.
I have tried many menstrual cups over the years, pre and post kids and the only brand I use is Inoya. It is the softest cup i’ve used, super easy to insert and has a little handle at the bottom to make it easy to locate
Others that I’ve used in the past have a stem which I have had to cut all the way up because I found it irritating and the harder plastic ones have a really strong suction when they get into place- these ones can also be harder for beginners to insert.
Pros:
- Perfect for exercise
- No leakage
- Non toxic and sustainable
Cons:
- Can be intimidating to insert- but once you get it its life changing!
- Emptying can be a little bit messy but I just do it in the shower
If you want to change out your current menstrual cup or be a first time user I promise you won’t regret it.
You can check out the range here: Inoya and use the discount code BOTANICALWELLNESS20 for 20% off your next purchase.
Tampons
A recent study by Shearston et al. (2024), called “Tampons as a source of exposure to metal(loids)s” certainly had me questioning their use.
The study evaluated 30 tampons from 14 different brands and 18 product lines to measure the presence of 16 metals. These metals were found in measurable amounts in all of the samples with non organic tampons containing higher lead and organic higher arsenic.
The authors noted that further research is needed but “tampons may contain metals.. Which could be absorbed by the vaginas highly absorptive tissues, resulting in systemic exposure”
Since reading this study I definitely use tampons less however I do occasionally use TOM organic tampons.
Pros:
- Easy to insert for beginners
- Easily accessible in supermarkets
Cons:
- Heavy metal exposure
- Contributing to landfill
- Need to be changed every 4 hours
- Cost adds up over time
