Tampons and Pads and Cups, OH MY!

Whether you swear by the tampon or have been using pads since you first got your period, it can be difficult to know what is best. Of course this varies for everyone as everyone’s cycle is different, and some women’s loyalty will forever be to the tampon… However the new techniques are becoming much more prominent in society these days. Take the menstrual cup for example. Some people would say the insertion process doesn’t sound very pleasant, others will never turn back. We want to break down the pros and cons so you don’t have to go through the trial and error process alone!

Let’s be real – if you’re sleeping over at your partner’s place the last thing you want is a crime scene in the bathroom so ease-of use is very important. Using a menstrual cup does take some time to get used to. You have to determine the right size for you and if necessary you may need to apply a lubricant. When inserting the cup, fold it into a C shape and insert as you would a tampon. To learn about the other methods of insertion, you can check out Saalt’s instructions here on how to fold your cup up like origami. Don’t sweat it when you don’t ace it right away, every body is different, so this process takes practice. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before and after inserting the cup. To remove it, you just insert your index finger into your vagina to find the cup and pull down gently. At this point the cup will need to be emptied and cleaned so that is where timing is important… Some prefer to be in the comfort of their own home vs a public bathroom for this step.

Once you get the hang of it, we’ve been told you’ll never go back to your old ways of period care. A plus of the menstrual cup is that you can keep it in for much longer than a tampon or pad. The downfall is the learning curve behind it. The cup does take some practice, which is why many women revert back to their predictable ex… AKA, the tampon. Keep in mind that there are plenty of good reviews in regards to the cup, and the benefits are worthwhile. It is good for the environment as you often don’t need to replace the cup more than once a year. Think about all the money you’d save on tampons and pads! 

Both tampons and menstrual cups are reliable for preventing leaks but of course this can happen from time to time and in both cases the best way to avoid a leak is to change your product often. Yes, you may be used to your friendly tampon or pad but there’s nothing wrong with changing things up with the times.

We think you should give it a go and let us know if you are pro cup on our Instagram page. See you there!