You’re going to love how much you save by not buying tampons!

It was probably only about a year ago that I had even heard about menstrual cups. To be honest the whole thought of it was a little off-putting. You’re catching a pool of menstrual blood and then tipping out the container and washing it? It sounded a bit messy and unpleasant to me. The reality of it though, is that it’s very efficient. You can leave it in overnight for up to 12 hours, no nasty sanitary pads overnight nor the risk of leaks on your bedding.

One thing that the menstrual cup does is gets you up close and personal with your vagina. It takes a bit of getting used to inserting it. There are several ways, I prefer the “fold and fold again” technique. Sometimes it unfolds when you are inserting it, and you have to take it out and refold and insert it again. Taking it out takes the most amount of getting used to. It’s best to remove it sitting on the toilet, and I will warn you that the stem is a slippery little eel. You have to pull to remove the vacuum seal on your vagina.

You are going to love how much you save on tampons. You are also going to help reduce all the landfill and sewerage waste that tampons and pads create.

WHAT IS A MENSTRUAL CUP?

Good question! A menstrual cup comes in disposable or non-disposable types. The reusable type is made from silicone. You use it when you have your period. You need to empty them twice a day. You boil the reusable one for 5 minutes before initial use and then after than you rinse with soap and water rinsing properly every time you empty it, and you should wash it well and dry it thoroughly before storing.

They come in different shapes and sizes. It’s best to experiment to see which one fits you the best. Once properly inserted you shouldn’t feel it at all. In fact, I think that the menstrual cup is more comfortable than a tampon.

1. THE DIVA CUP

I bought mine at Walgreens (For twice the price that they’re sold for on Amazon) They have three sizes. 0 for women that are under the age of 19, 1 for women that have not given birth and are under 30 years of age and 2, women over 30 and have given birth.

I was a bit worried initially, thinking that I’d hate the cup to overfill and leak in public…I can assure you even on your heaviest flow days that won’t happen. I have to say, I might be hooked!

Yes, it takes a bit of trial and error to learn how to remove it. My recommendation is to take a deep breathe and relax! A tight vagina is hardly going to make it easier to remove.

2. LUNETTE

This model is very similar to The Diva, it’s made from silicone and can be worn for up to 12 hours. It comes in two models: Model 1 is for women with a light to moderate flow, or who are younger, or haven’t had sex yet. Model 2 is for everyone else.

One thing that seems to be a common concern reading reviews of the Lunette. That little sucker likes to get devoured by your vagina. Thank goodness we are all girls here as I’m about to get real her. Yep, you reach for the stem…and it’s gone. The best thing is to use those Kegal exercises for good use and bare down, and the stem magically appears.

3. LENA

The Lena gives you two cups in one package. The larger one for heavier flow days and the smaller one for lighter flow days.

There’s definitely a learning curve to get it the cup positioned perfectly. You want to make sure you push it in high enough because it’s really uncomfortable if not. It’s like walking around with an improperly inserted tampon, horrible, right?

What I love about the Lena, is I put it in, and I completely forget that I have it in. I will never go back to tampons again!

4. THE BLOSSOM CUP

This cup is much cheaper than the other cups, really not much more than one box of tampons! It’s much softer than the other cups, and I really liked this one. This might also be a good one to try, as they offer a money-back guarantee (Obviously they throw them away, lol!)

What do you do when you’re in a public restroom? Well, to be honest, I’m not comfortable walking out and washing it in the sink. I tend to not empty them when I’m out, but if I have to, I wipe it out with toilet paper, and either reinsert or I just store it in a plastic ziplock and use a tampon.

5. SOFTCUP

If the idea of washing out a silicone reusable cup is unappealing to you, the Softcup are disposable “discs” that you insert and afterward dispose of.

I will warn you, you will have to be comfortable getting up close and personal with your vagina. You have to position the Softcup correctly behind your pubic bone and to remove it, you’ll have to dig for it which can get messy. These little menstrual discs can hold up to 5 tampons worth of blood and they come 14 discs to a pack.

Here’s a HUGE bonus: They can be worn during sex, allowing you to have sex during your period without your bed looking like you murdered someone in it. That alone is worth having a box of these handy!

6. SCKOON CUP

The Sckoon cup is one of the most flexible cups out there, making it easier to insert and remove.

Personally, I like the extra-long stem that was easier to find than on some of the other cups. It’s soft and stretchy and doesn’t poke you in the labia all day.

When you insert the cup, grab the base of the cup (not the stem) and twist it one full rotation to create a seal and avoid leaks.

7. DUTCHESS CUP

I love this cup not just because of the name, but it’s affordable, and unlike some of the reviewers who found it difficult to either insert or remove, I didn’t experience that. To be honest, I think there’s a learning curve to using any of these cups, but once you have the hang of them, you’ll find it much easier.

The Dutchess cup fits me really well, and the bonus is you get a set of two which means when you’re out and about you can take a clean spare one, and avoid the debacle of having to wash it in a public sink.

8. ATHENA

“Leak-free guarantee!” It comes with a bonus bag and is $10 cheaper than the Diva. It’s very flexible, almost too much as it makes it’s a little more difficult to insert, but you get a lot more for your money!

One of the great things about these cups is you can do just about any physical activity (Not sex) from scuba diving to tennis and more

9. PIXIE CUP

I love the fact that the Pixie Cup is affordable and that they give one cup away to a woman in need, for every purchase. Can you imagine being a woman that can’t afford sanitary items? That is more than enough for me to choose this one.

The stem of the Pixie cup is shorter and stouter than others. Personally I liked it because it gave me more to pull on. A tip: if that stem is slippery and you can’t get a good grip, wrap some toilet paper around the stem to make it far easier.

I don’t mind having my period, with the exception of when I’m feeling rather amorous, so I love the Softcups for times like those. I would say at the very least a Menstrual cup is something you have to try. Over a lifetime of periods imagine the hundreds of dollars you could save by using a menstrual cup!

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