The Review No One Asked For: A Deep Dive Into My Bathroom Cabinet (Feminine Hygiene Product Review)
TL;DR:
Pads: August is great. L. Brand wrappers are a guessing game.
Tampons: Playtex Sport is the GOAT, despite my teen hoarding phase.
Discs: Great for the environment, but removal can be a "crime scene" and tricky with a tilted uterus.
The NFP Perk: You’ll never waste a liner on a "maybe" day again.
As an NFP instructor, no conversations about the menstrual cycle are off-limits. So today, we will be talking about feminine hygiene products. Since I was 13 years old, I’ve been on a quest to find the best products.
The "Small Diaper" Era
Let me guess—you started out with pads? Of course. In fact, my mom had purchased the classic, thick, Always maxi pads in preparation of my menarche. I wore those small diapers throughout most of high school. I’m sure my friends always knew when I was on my period because I would wear a Columbia or NorthFace zip-up, collared sweatshirt, as their pockets were the perfect size to discreetly hold these pads. After a while, I discovered the Always Infinity pads, which were a real game-changer. They were so light and comfortable, and somehow it always seemed like the color of the blood disappeared after a while.
The Tampon Learning Curve
Shortly after menarche, I started wearing tampons, especially when I played sports. There was definitely a learning curve when figuring out how to use tampons and how far up they needed to be to be secure. My mom always told me “if you don’t feel it, then it’s in the right spot.”
I think the best thing my mom did was buy the OB tampons to start out. These tampons do not have an applicator, which required me to discover my anatomy a bit better. Once I got the hang of where to put the tampon, I eventually switched to Playtex Gentle Glide, and then Playtex Sport. Honestly, I still love Playtex Sport and use them to this day.
The Great Tampon Hoarding Saga
Something you should know about me is that I was a feminine product hoarder as a teenager. I would never be caught without a pad or tampon. The bathroom cabinet was filled to the brim, and the surplus was under my bed. This became a problem when Playtex changed their sport packaging from off-white to bright pink.
I was worried about tampons expiring or being “old,” so I ended up having a stash of the “old” white tampons that I neglected while I used the pink ones. In the past few years, Playtex changed the color back from pink to the off-white! Now, I don’t have that hoarding problem anymore, but it definitely threw me off. I had thought to myself, did Playtex just find a hidden inventory of old tampons? Are these expired? I even called my sister to confirm that the tampons she bought were also the off-white color. But I digress.
The Quest to Find the Best Pad
After a long while, I wanted to try a different pad brand. After learning about bad materials in pads, I wanted something more organic, and preferably woman-owned. Boy, are organic pads expensive! I wanted to avoid going down the rabbit hole of healthy, sustainable period products. Nevertheless, I tried out a couple brands:
August
I loved August pads. They are so comfortable. I loved that August has a female founder and values sustainability. What was weird to me was how much the blood stained the pads. This sounds like common sense, but might I remind you that with Always Infinity, the color faded after wearing. Not with August pads. I also found that the wrappers weren’t strong enough, and it would be a bit difficult to remove the pads from the wrappers. I will say that August has made some updates in recent years (like being available at target, and updating their size names).
I ended up stopping buying August pads because, at the time, you could only get them from their website as a subscription. This would have been fine, but honestly, I had no idea how much to order. If you were to ask me how many feminine hygiene products I use each cycle, I would have no idea. I didn’t want to become a hoarder again.
L. Brand: The Fatal Flaw
I tried L. Brand pads because I could buy them at the grocery store and the top layer of the pads are cotton. I’m not a huge fan that they are owned by Procter and Gamble. They are generally comfortable. However, there is one fatal flaw: all of the pads, no matter the size, are wrapped in the same color wrapper. This is a HUGE problem when you buy multiple sizes and shove a few in a purse or luggage. Before unwrapping the pad, it’s really hard to tell what size they are just by looking at the wrapper, because folded up, they don’t look much different. This has caused me to consider other options.
Are menstrual cups worth trying?
It depends. I long resisted trying a cup because, while they are more environmentally friendly than pads and tampons, I could not get over the fact that they are reusable. I would rather discard a soiled product and be done with it. I also couldn’t get over how big the products were. Would that actually fit into my vagina?
If you try a cup, I recommend finding a trusted friend who has used them. I had one, and it made all the difference. Similar yet different to a cup, I purchased a menstrual disc (by Saalt) based on my friend’s recommendation. I liked the idea that the disc would sit at the top of the vagina, whereas a cup forms a seal with a light suction.
The Disc Learning Curve
Trying the disc for the first time really brought me back to my parents’ bathroom, just wanting my mom to help me. It took a couple of tries to get the disc inserted, but squatting helped. I really didn’t know how the disc needed to be positioned and how far it needed to go up. What really threw me off was feeling the pubic bone from inside of my vagina. I was really not expecting that. It’s kind of embarrassing to admit as an NFP instructor who has studied reproductive anatomy intensely. But that just goes to show that we need more education of our bodies!
Removing the disc the first time was quite upsetting. I could feel the disc, but I couldn’t feel the rim to pull on. I had to take some breaths before each attempt and psych myself up to try again. Luckily, I remembered my friend told me to bear down. I squatted in the shower and eventually was able to remove the disc while pushing with my pelvic floor and pulling the rim with a finger.
I’ve worn the disc a couple times since, and I will say that I was able to insert and remove the disc in one go. No more issues with that. BUT, I cannot for the life of me figure out how to not get blood everywhere when removing it. That’s the thing—while you can “self empty” the disc while bearing down on the toilet, I would not want to remove the disc in a public restroom with stalls. So does that even make discs more convenient?
Anatomy & Tilted Uteruses
I’ve only used the disc a few times, but I did have some issues. I believe I have a tilted uterus, based on a doctor’s comment of a “flipped cervix” during a pap smear, and the fact that I cannot reach/feel my cervix when trying to do the cervix check (an optional NFP biomarker). I think this makes it hard for me to position the disc correctly over my cervix. It also feels like it hits a nerve or something, as my left hip/leg feels pain sometimes.
Note: If you experience sharp pain or nerve issues with a disc, it might be a fit issue or an anatomical quirk—definitely worth a chat with your provider!
Then, there is minor leaking, like spotting. My friend said that was normal, but I didn’t want to have to wear a panty liner and a disc. I might as well wear a pad or tampon. Another friend suggested period underwear to me. I was hesitant because I’ve heard they often contain endocrine disrupters like PFAs. However, I saw a Saalt pair on major sale, so I bought them. I figured I wouldn’t be wearing them all the time, and the tampons I sometimes wear probably aren’t great for me. Who knows. Not going down that rabbit hole again. I have yet to try the period underwear, but I can imagine it will be a game changer for the light days!
Final Notes:
Cleaning the disc wasn’t as bad as anticipated.
The NFP Perk: When you chart and practice NFP, you have a better idea of when your period will actually start—no need to wear a liner a few days before you think your period will start, just in case!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to your menstrual health routine. Fields Fertility Education LLC does not officially endorse, nor is it affiliated with, any of the brands mentioned in this review. No products were received for free in exchange for this review unless otherwise stated.