A period review
Back in November 2008 I set myself a challenge and it is still very relevant to all of us ladies today.
The challenge was to look into the effects of my monthly cycle not just on the environment at large but also how the actual usage of some products may affect me.
Having had periods for 22 years I have most definitely had an impact on the environment. After using pads for a couple of years I moved onto tampons as a teenage girl. I still remember a lot of the advertising (who can recall that cheesey Bodyform ad with the roller skates and white trousers?).
Alas this marketing failed to inform me of the potential environmental and health consequences of my choice. I must admit I have been guilty of throwing tampons down the toilet with little or no thought. Of course that has changed, being part of Daisy Green makes you think about EVERYTHING.
My reviews went as follows;
December – My usual favoured product, a branded applicator tampon
January – The Moon Cup
February – Natracare Organic Tampons
March – Re-usable pads
April – Sea Pearls – natural sea sponge tampons
May – Lunapanties with pad
June – Cottons 100 percent natural cotton tampons
That’s a whole six months of trials, month 0 is my control month. I will then give my honest opinion of the product. Remember this is a review of one person and not of a whole testing panel.
Month one: Tampax : Price: £1.19 for a 16 pack of regular and £2.09 for a 20 pack of super
Using tampons is just part of my normal life so I usually forget about the actual use of the product. This month though I did think about it and looked into the impact of tampons. When I started the research I felt a little naive. These products used in the most sensitive area of the body are not classified as medical products and therefore full disclosure of the compounds of the protection is not required. Therefore it may be likely that bleaches, dyes or added scents and additives are included. Surely you wouldn’t choose to put bleach on our lady bits.
The tampon did its job well. Once in place there were no leaks or fuss and I could just get on with my day a usual. Moving from the tampon itself there was the applicator and packaging. Many applicators are said to be flushable but we shouldn’t put anything down the toilet other then human waste and loo roll. I found that out from looking into the ‘Bag It and Bin It’ campaign where I learnt that tampons made up part of the two billion sanitary items that are flushed down our loos. I found the disposing of the packaging easy in terms of the provision of sanitary bins in all locations that you would expect and disposal is also easy at home as I have a bin next to the toilet.
All in all, a positive experience in terms of use but also an education. I have to really think about potentially toxic items to both myself and the environment and I look forward to the next five months in terms of finding a suitable alternative.
January – The Moon Cup
Price – currently £19.99 from mooncup.co.uk (was £17.99 in 2008)
Having seen a lot of advertising for the Moon Cup and knowing a person who fervently endorses it, I chose this as my first alternative sanitary protection search. What is a Moon Cup? It’s a bell shaped menstrual cup about five centimetres long made from soft silicone rubber. It is worn internally and forms a seal with your vaginal walls allowing your menstrual fluid to pass into the cup without leakage or odour. The Moon Cup can get rid of all the bad stuff, leaving behind the natural moisture, unlike tampons that can dry you out.
I bought the cup from a high street chemist. It was hidden on the bottom shelf, so hidden in fact that I had to get an assistant to help me find it.
I was impressed by the packaging and when I got home I really like the pouch that you house the cup in when you’re not using it.
The first use
It was a Sunday afternoon and my period arrived a day early and I thought it’s the best time to try and use ‘the cup’.
Preparation is needed – you boil the cup for five minutes to sterilize it.
Going in
1. Following the directions, I folded the cup and in fact found the rubber to be very strong once folded a couple of times.
2. I wet the end of the cup and then tried to find a comfortable position. Mmm, no position felt that comfortable.
3. I started to laugh as I caught sight of my contortions in the bathroom mirror.
4. This made insertion almost impossible.
5. I ended up taking my jeans and knickers off to try and make it easier.
6. I am now starting to think that size A may be too big (apparently when looking at their sizes, once you hit 30 you have to go from size B to size A. Do our lady parts actually get bigger even if you don’t have children?)
7. Squatting was the only way to get it in. Can you imagine doing this anywhere else other than your own bathroom?
8. OK – it’s in and I have been laughing the whole time.
9. Guess what – I forgot to trim the end bit. Never mind will just leave it in place.
Once in place
Once in place it was okay but I am sure it would be more comfortable if it was shorter. Until I try and retrieve it, there is no way that I am cutting anything. As the day continued I felt that I wanted to empty the cup, this may be down to the habit of changing tampons. I chose to leave the cup in for the full eight hours. If you are squeamish stop reading NOW!
The extraction (I termed it that way because it was as painful as having a tooth out!)
1. Again I took off my jeans and knickers and assumed the same position as insertion.
2. I then tried to get it out.
3. It wasn’t happening, the vacuum was strong.
4. Again I started to laugh, this wasn’t the same as before this was a real nervous laugh.
5. I wanted the cup out, but the more uptight I got the further it seemed to go in.
6. I put my clothes back on and composed myself.
7. 20 minutes went by and I tried it again
8. I went through the whole palaver again and this time I felt close to tears.
9. Finally it came out, but oh what a mess, I even shouted for my partner to have a look. Yuk, I know, but I wanted him to know I take my work at Daisy Green very seriously.
Extraction of the cup should not have proven so traumatic. I advise that you read the instructions and stick to them by the letter.
I vowed never to use the cup again but the morning came and I gave it another go. Insertion was easier. Today was a work day and therefore there was a little problem, if I felt that I needed to empty the cup. If you want to take the cup out and reinsert you need to rinse between use and this would be troublesome in public toilets, try explaining rinsing the cup in the sink when a colleague walks through the door.
Extraction was easier this time however not so easy for me to want to use it again. After only two days you may think I have opted out too soon and maybe I have, but at least I tried and honestly, I don’t want to have such a traumatic experience again.
Conclusion
The Mooncup is an absolutely fabulous idea, indeed anything that stops stuff going into landfill is. I also liked being able to see what actually came out of me and it made me realise it isn’t as much as I thought from using tampons.
In practice though the Moon Cup was far from hassle free. I could feel it and hated taking it out. Washing it during a ‘normal’ day proved troublesome and I still wanted to carry tampons ‘just in case’. Although I cannot personally recommend it , if you are willing to put the time and effort in then go for it.
I cant leave it like this though. I talked to the fervent user on Thursday evening and she said;
I absolutely love it. I even run using it and it has saved me so much money already.
So you see for every negative there is always a positive.
Next month – Natracare organic tampons