How to choose your hygiene products

First time ever getting your periods or still feeling confused on what type of sanitary product you should actually be getting ? We know it can be a bit overwhelming with all the different types of products to choose from and thought to put together a full 101 guide on choosing the best sanitary product for you…

Know your flow

The first question to ask yourself is if you have a light or heavy flow ? This will help you throughout your time getting your periods. Based on the answer you’ll be able to figure out what kind of product is better for you.

You have light flow if :

Your bleeding is very light from the start of your cycle till the end
You do not have to change regularly your pad or tampon
Cycle is shorter than usual
Your bleeding resembles to spotting for a few days
You have a reduction in symptoms of PMS ( less back pains, cramps or mood swings)

You have heavy flow if :

You have to change at least every hour to prevent from leaking outside of protection ( if you wear pads or tampons)
Your periods might last longer than 7 days
You happen to bleed through your clothing
Experience bleeding with blood clots
You are tired, your breath shortens and have a lack of energy
You have hormone problems ( a lining builds up inside your uterus which you shed during your periods). If your hormone levels aren’t balanced, your body can make the lining too thick which results in heavy bleeding when you shed the thicker lining

What do you feel the most comfortable wearing ?

Every sanitary product is different and we all feel differently towards them. If there’s one important advice we can give you is that it’s all about feeling comfortable. Being on your periods is stressful, enough you’re constantly feeling like you have to change your protection, checking your underwear if it’s stained or asking your friends to do the check and so much more… so we recommend at least choosing something you like to get through it.

Tampons are little oval plugs usually made of cotton and rayon that fit inside your vagina and soak up your menstrual period blood. Some come with an applicator to help you insert it.

Why we love it : For the summertime, important days, dance recitals, swimming, and so much more tampons are there to save us for any type of situation where we don’t wanna think about changing every hour and actually enjoying our day whilst being on our periods.

The negatives : not gonna lie putting them on is not the easiest thing at all. One thing we advise is to feel your body down there before putting it, learn to get in touch with it, relax your body, get into a comfortable position to insert it.

Rectangular shaped material that comes in different sizes and types . They have two wings that fold each other in order to keep the pad in place to feel secure when wearing it and prevents it from leaking as well as a sticky part on the back.

Disposable

Why we love it : They come in every size for each flow : from being thin when on a light flow, regular to maxi ( very thick) or overnight etc … Pads feel comfortable and secure thanks to the wings. You can keep them up to 3 hours even if you have a light flow ( for heavier flows you might need to change more often to prevent leaks) If you are not a tampon gal, we recommend opting for pads.

The negatives : Moving, it can be quite annoying when our pad moves which can lead to leak onto our clothes. Position is key especially on the first days. Wasting, throwing and changing into a new one every two/three hours is not the best idea. They also contain toxic chemicals which isn’t good for your body nor the environment. It’s a whole Budget, it will cost you higher in the long run, investing in quality that lasts longer is always the ideal but we know how it tends to get too expensive for our wallets.

Reusable Pads

Why we love it : According to our friend Lea ( @theleasphere on instagram) she says “ Comfortable and are made from soft and gentle materials. You can wash it after using it, You’ll never have to be worried about stocking up due to lasting longer. It’s a great way to stop making waste whilst being on your periods.” They come in different patterns and colors, a little bit of style doesn’t hurt anyone…

The negatives : According to our friend Lea ( @theleasphere on instagram) she says “ it can be hard during the first periods cause you have to find a cleaning routine that works for you (usually there is load of recommendations given by the brand you buy from).”

An underwear that absorbs your period blood, LEAK PROOF that replaces what pads and tampons do minest the bulk that pads gives you. How does it work ? through a blend of fabric and / or plastic layers that promise different things such as leak resistance, comfort, breathability.

Why we love it : According to Anaïs “At first i was a bit worried it wouldn’t do the job right due to having a heavy flow. I wanna manage my periods without it being a huge deal. I always want to feel secure about my period protection or else I’ll start stressing. I hadn’t read much reviews when buying it so i kinda just went with it and when i say this is life changing i stand by that. I always tend to leak and stain my bed sheets, i’m 21 and still happens to me but thanks to my menstrual underwear, none of it happens anymore. It definitely made me more aware of my periods, I feel comfortable, not tight and most importantly secured. On lighter flow days i can wear it all day till night time. Every morning I hand wash it with cold water or put it in the machine with dark colors.”

The negatives : Majority of period underwear prices vary from 25$ to 45$ each. Depending on how much you change it or how long you wear it as well if you consider having a cycle set but it’s definitely an investment that will last you a long time. Changing in public can be complicated especially if you wear it on your heavy days. We advise bringing a fresh backup plan along with something to carry it in.

Small sized flexible cup that is made up of latex or silicone. Unlike pads and tampons, cups catch and collect your blood Most of them are reusable. It’s similar to inserting a tampon in, if you use it the right way you won’t feel it.

Why we love it : According to Laure ” NO waste, so no need to always have a lot of pads with me all the time (since I change often I used to always have a box of tampons with me) it’s much more eco-friendly, no chemicals in my vagina. I’m more aware of my period, of the quantity (you don’t necessarily realize when it’s absorbed in a tampon). The cup is super comfortable”

The negatives : According to Laure (Graphic Designer of Bon Sang) “To empty it, you need a sink in the toilet, which is not available at my school. My first day I have to empty it 4/5 times a day, so it’s complicated (the other days are ok). Getting used to taking it off, there’s a little adjustment time, it’s harder than I thought. I move around a lot at night, and in the morning the cup has always moved, so it’s a leak guaranteed.