I have been using a menstrual cup for about two years now and I love it, I’m its biggest advocate and I think all women should use one.
What is it?
The menstrual cup is a “cone” with a stem at the end, made of silicone and completely moldable to the woman’s body. The cup is inserted by us and collects the fluid during menstruation, preventing leaks and unpleasant odors. And the best? It is reusable and can last up to several years if it is well taken care of, ie goodbye disposable pads and tampons and hello to a more environmentally friendly alternative!
It is true that there may be some initial challenges; we are not used to it, it is a strange and different object, we have never used it before. Does it really work? Does it hurt? Will I feel clean?
When I met this revolutionary object, I felt lost and not knowing how to choose. There are already several brands in the market and it seems that all are “the best”. I ended up deciding what seemed simpler, more reliable, and with impeccable standards and ethics.
Since we women have about 450 periods throughout our lives, I want to live those I have left with the highest health and conscience possible. I chose OrganiCup for offering good quality menstrual cups, of course, but also for having a strong environmental and social conscience. All packaging is environmentally friendly, the instructions are all written inside the carton to spend less paper, we are provided with a raw cotton pouch to store our cup, without any brand logos or colors, making it discreet. They work with NGOs to demystify periods and open the door to women’s health education for many women who otherwise would not have access to this precious information.
I am even more pleased to know that by making a purchase that helps me I am supporting a company that helps others and the planet.
I decided to share with you 10 advantages that I encounter when using a menstrual cup and 3 disadvantages that I have been overcoming.
And I have a surprise for you: in collaboration with OrganiCup, I offer you a 2 for 1 during the month of January! Buy a menstrual cup here with my code (code: joana) and receive the second completely free, so you can share it to a friend, cousin, mother, sister … You choose!
10 advantages of using menstrual cup:
– allows me to create a better relationship with my body
We grew to see our fluids as “disgusting,” “ugly” or “dirty” and wearing the menstrual cup helped me to realize that it is just blood, the consequence of a miracle that can generate a Life!
Did you know that the color and texture of the blood give us important signs of health or lack of it? Taking care of my menstrual cup and cleaning it makes me more in touch with myself and wanting to take care of my body in the best way.
– more convenient to travel
For years, in my suitcase for the holidays, there was always a bag with several tampons, and I thought it would allow me to be on the alert when the period appeared. Now I just carry the cloth bag with my cup in it, nothing else.
– it’s very comfortable
There may be some adaptation issues in the beginning – after all it is something we weren’t used to before – but, overall, I think the cup is super comfortable and I always use it for my daily life, to go to the beach and even to practice spots, gym and yoga.
– less odor
The fluid is not exposed to oxygen, so it does not oxidize and does not release unpleasant odors. We have all gone through this situation and from my experience, I really feel that this problem is over.
– is much more hygienic
The menstrual cup is made exclusively of medical silicone, hypoallergenic, vegan and FDA approved. It is flexible and very soft, adapting perfectly to our body. Medical silicone is a non-irritable material and can be perfectly used by women with sensitive skin and cervix.
It leaves no odors or disposables used that need to be thrown away. Just remove, wash and re-insert.
– is environmentally friendly
On average, we use 3 pads or tampons per day, in a 6 days period. This amounts to 18 per month, which totals 216 in one year, times 2,060,241,052 childbearing-aged women worldwide. Can you imagine the amount of plastics thrown away every day? And how many trees will have to be felled to provide paper alternatives?
https://www.indexmundi.com/world/demographics_profile.html
Further, the cup is made from only one material. Solvents, bleaches or other chemicals used in the manufacture of pads and tampons are not used.
– influence girlfriends for positive change
Whenever these themes come up in the conversation, I love sharing my choice and the reasons why I use the menstrual cup. It is almost always novelty for at least one of the friends of the group and I am always happy to influence for more conscious choices.
– more time between exchanges, stays until 12h
How many times have we had to go and change on the beach, at a concert or in the middle of a class? And how many times have we used a pad to prevent some leaks? Ever since I used the cup, it stopped happening to me. I change twice a day and that’s it.
Unlike tampons and pads, which require more regular exchanges, the menstrual cup can stay in, safely, for 12 hours, making us more comfortable and carefree all night, in long events or in situations where we can not go to the bathroom.
And do not worry, the cup never fills “too much” 🙂
– we save money
Have you ever imagined the money we spend on things related to our intimate hygiene over a lifetime? The same menstrual cup can be used for 5 to 10 years, if well taken care of, avoiding extra expenses of hygienic pads, since there are no leaks.
– the vaginal flora stays healthy
By using tampons, they absorb everything in our vaginal wall, blood, of course, but also the good bacteria that are part of our vaginal flora and that protect us against infections and fungi.
In addition to absorbing “everything”, they also release chemicals used in their production which can unbalance and even weaken our vaginal flora. This becomes severe especially after continued use for years or even decades.
3 disadvantages of the menstrual cup
– habituation time BUT then you will not want to use anything else.
It requires some habituation time, after all we are talking about a completely new object and different from what we have already used. It is different to insert, to remove and even at the time of cleaning, that did not exist before. But, like everything else, we just keep trying and trying out various ways until we’re used to it.
Nowadays, if I have to wear tampons, I confess that I don’t like it and I feel much less clean.
– Logistics when exchanging away from home BUT it is rare that this happens.
What I do is change only in the morning and at night, because that’s when I’m sure that I’m at home or somewhere comfortable and clean.
For these situations, OrganiCup has created the cleaning gel and wipes, which you can carry in your purse and use when you need it.
– it is necessary to sterilize after using, BUT then it is just another step in our routine.
Yes, the menstrual cup requires some maintenance, but I honestly do not think it’s something that gives a lot of work and it strongly makes up for the advantages that it brings.
Visit the website to see the mission of the brand, the online store and super easy to understand videos that explain how to insert, how to remove and also the most frequently asked questions.
This article was written by me in collaboration with OrganiCup.
To encourage you to take this step more consciously, I offer you a 2 for 1 during the month of January!
Buy a menstrual cup here with my code (code: joana) and receive the second completely free, so you can give it to a friend, cousin, mother, sister … You choose!
With love,
Joana