The United States market for period health has given people that menstruate a variety of options for periods. The shelves showcase popular name brands like Always, Kotex, or Tampax and natural options like The Honey Pot, Cora and L. Chlorine; in the last few years another type of period product has made its way to the period aisle, menstrual cups.
A menstrual cup is a medical-grade silicone cup that is designed to fit inside your vagina for your monthly visitor. The design of the cup has four parts: the rim, the ‘cup’, the ridge, and the stem. The rim opens to help collect the fluid from your body, the cup stores the fluid and seals the menstrual cup into place to eliminate leaks. The ridge and stem of the menstrual cup is used to help remove it. The cup can save a woman between $50-$72 dollars a year, or $360 in 5 years. The menstrual cup is also environmentally friendly, the average cycle requires 30 pads or tampons; when a woman uses the cup-you only need one. Did I mention that a menstrual cup can stay in up to 12 hours without any harmful effects to the body- I am looking at you, Toxic Shock Syndrome. A few brands that could start you on the menstrual cup journey:
1. The Diva Cup ($25): The Divacup was designed by a mother-daughter duo in 2003, they were looking for an alternative to using pads or tampons. The Divacup started out with just 2 sizes, but has expanded to incorporate Size 0 ( Model 0) for 18 and younger, Size 1 (Model 1) for 19-30 with medium flow, and Size 3 ( Model 2) for 19 and older with a heavy flow.
2. The Honey Pot ($21.99): The Honey Pot company is a back, woman-owned company known for the natural period products, washes, and now a menstrual cup. The Honey Pot recently released their version of a menstrual cup with two cups sizes. The first size is for woman that have light to medium flow and for women between the ages of 19-30. The second size is for women who have had a baby, over the age of 30, or has a medium to heavy flow.
3. Saalt Menstrual Cup ($29): Saalt was the creation of a Cherie, a women that was on the journey to find an environmentally-friendly and sustainable menstrual cup to send to her family in Venezuela and her 5 daughter could use. Cherie could not find the ones that she liked, so she made her own. The Saalt menstrual cups come in three varieties: Teen, Small and Regular. The Saalt brand also offers duo bundles, where you can purchase small and regular cups at $47.00
The journey of period care has become easier for women today; the choice of pads, tampons, cups, or period panties are endless. Good luck on your period journey.