Heads Up: If you’re uncomfortable with conversations about menstruation, this may not be the post for you. This is an honest and detailed review of my experience, and I have no problem and feel no shame or discomfort discussing the TMI aspects of periods.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I’ve been a long time fan of organic tampons and have featured them in previous Favorites posts! When I first started using them years ago, I had to order them online because Target or Walmart didn’t carry them. Now there are several brands at Target and I love how popular they’ve become!

So many awesome new options!

Not only are organic tampons more available than ever before, but new menstrual products such as period underwear from Knix, disks from Flex, and reusable menstrual cups have become popular alternatives.

I’ve tried the disks from Flex and really wasn’t a fan. All it took was one intense sneeze and the damn thing popped right out. Period underwear doesn’t intrigue me for the same reason sanitary pads don’t. Menstrual cups, on the other hand, definitely caught my attention but it took a friend’s recommendation for me to try it out finally. Now that I have been using the cup for several months, I can offer my frank and slightly TMI review!

Which to Buy

Image Source: flexfits.com — **Image Source**: flexfits.com

There are SO MANY brands selling their own menstrual cups, but I decided on the Flex cup due to the great reviews and the super unique stem that makes for effortless removal. All other cups I saw had fixed-in-place stems, but the Flex cup has a stem that connects to the top of the cup and threads through the middle with a sort of ring on the end. It’s genius because the ring helps you grab and pull, which also tugs on the top of the cup, breaking the seal.

You can find them on their website and they’re also available at Target and Amazon. They come in two sizes - Slim Fit, which is suited towards lighter period and first-time users, and Full Fit, which is better for heavier flows. I chose the Slim Fit.

Amazon *: amzn.to/39Xj63K
Target: target.com/p/flex-menstrual-cup

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

my initial concerns

I had A LOT of questions about the cup, such as: how to insert the cup, how it stayed put, whether I would feel it, whether it would leak, how long I could wear it for, whether it easily came out, and what the process of emptying it would be like. I’ve heard rave reviews from some and horror stories from others.

using it for the first time

Not going to lie…the very first time I tried to put the cup in, I really struggled.

The concept is simple enough - wash your hands, fold the cup vertically, push it inside, and rotate it so it unfolds and sits just below your cervix. Well, it wasn’t that simple to get the angle right and I couldn’t rotate the damn thing properly. It would have been fine and dandy if it wasn’t for the fact that I was actively menstruating and the experience was obviously a bit messy. I gave up and decided to try again in the shower.

So much easier in the shower!

It was A LOT easier to get the angle right while standing than hovering over the toilet. Plus, the whole messy aspect of it didn’t seem like a big deal since I was in the shower. I learned that instead of spinning and hoping it was okay, it was a lot easier to take my finger and glide it around the cup until I felt that it was unfolded.

Taking it out was super simple, and the ring on the end of the Flex cup is SO helpful. I’ve heard from several people that the suction would make it hard to remove, but I haven’t experienced that since the Flex cup has the smart design that I mentioned earlier. I never felt any discomfort while the cup while it was inserted (or felt it at all) and never had any issues with it not staying put!

Oh, but does it leak?

In the several months that I have used the cup, I’ve only had one leaking accident and it was on the second day I used it. I hadn’t yet learned to check that it was unfolded, but I quickly learned to do so after the incident. Since then, I haven’t had any trouble! I’ve been on long car rides, worked out, and slept with it without any problems.

first…the pros

I love several things about the cup and they are the reasons I will continue to use it! First, I only need the one cup - no constantly buying tampons (which saves money), no making sure I brought tampons with me if I leave the house, no freaking out if I started my period but forgot to buy tampons. You wash it between uses and stash until you need it again.

Second, I can go SO MUCH LONGER without having to worry about changing/emptying it than I could with tampons. You can wear the cup for up to twelve hours (assuming you’re not super heavy), which means I could put it in before leaving for work and not have to worry about it until I come back.

Next, they’re non-toxic, which is obviously important to me and why I had used organic tampons for so long. Additionally, if you’re concerned with the waste and/or environmental aspect of menstrual products, this is ideal since you don’t have anything to throw away.

Lastly, and this is a HUGE one for me - I don’t get string irritation anymore. I don’t know if this is an issue for everyone, but after a few days of tampons, the string area would get a bit irritated, even with the organic ones. Nothing crazy, but just enough to be uncomfortable. That is not an issue with the cup since nothing sticks out!

now…the cons

Even though the pros are enough to keep me using the cup, the cons still bother me. If you’re out in public and need to empty your cup, it’s not super easy or comfortable if you’re in a stall-style bathroom. You have to wash your hands before inserting or taking it out, and you have to rinse it off before you reinsert it. Not so easy to do if you’re in a stall and the sink is outside of it. You’re most likely going to get menstrual fluids on your hands, and that is so uncomfortable when you’re outside of your home (or even when you’re at home). Getting hands-on with Aunt Flow is something that takes some getting used to.

Also, keeping an “emergency cup” on-hand isn’t really a practical thing, so if you haven’t started your period and you’re without your cup - well, you’re screwed. I still keep my emergency tampons in my purse in case I start when I’m not at home and without my cup.

Another thing - don’t hate me for this, but…I hate seeing the blood when I empty the cup. I know, I know - it’s a natural thing that happens every single friggin’ month, but tampons always kept it contained and I never had to SEE that much blood (or clots, because it’s a thing, yo). Heavy flow days are always a little shocking because you look at what you dump out and wonder how you’re not dying **imagine several laughing emojis here**. I’m comfortable with my body and comfortable enough with the reality of having a period, but I know there are others who don’t feel the same way and might find this a little too much to handle.

overall

Learning how to use the cup has been an interesting experience, but I honestly love it for all the reasons I mentioned in the pros section. I will keep using the cup but will need to buy the larger sized cup for the days that I’m extra heavy. I’m so glad I decided to give it a try, glad that I did my research on it, and glad that I chose the Flex one because it’s been so easy to use.

If you’ve been on the fence about trying these out, I hope this review has helped! If you have already used them, let me know whether you love it or hate it in the comments below - I’d love to hear your experience! I know these aren’t for everyone, but I think the benefits are too good to pass up!

So…I Tried a Menstrual Cup!