WHY THE HELL AREN’T YOU USING A MENSTRUAL CUP YET?
They’re winning the war on waste and our wallets, so is it time we trashed tampons for good?
PREDICTION: VAGINAS ARE GOING TO BE THE EYEBROWS OF 2018.
Meaning, there will be more ways to prep and more products to prime your parts than you, or your wallet, could have ever predicted. As always, the A-list are leading the way, with plenty of celebrities talking about how they care for theirs – from Kardashian-led conversations on “vajacials” to Shailene Woodley admitting to baring all under the sun to give her vagina “a little vitamin D”. And it’s not just the external area getting airplay: Mila Kunis says she’s “obsessed” with “period panties” Thinx, while Hilary Duff’s character on Younger dabbled with fictional slimming version “Pinx”.
Also contributing to the shift in conversation? Menstrual cups, which, despite being around since the ’30s, have been starting to gain popularity recently thanks to their ability to tick off a trifecta of benefits: environmental, financial and personal. No longer tucked into the bottom shelf of health-food stores, the reusable cups are gaining traction, with predictions of a market compound annual growth rate of 3.97 per cent from 2017 to 2021. Innovation in the category is also rife, with Kickstarter campaigns for new models (such as collapsible versions for easier storage and bluetooth cups so you can track your flow via an app) smashing targets. And as the money talks, so do the women, with countless odes to cups online and Youtube tutorials on different menstrual cup “folds”.
Naomi Overton, owner of e-tailer Menstrual Cups Australia Online, says sales have been consistently growing due to word of mouth. “We always see spikes after holidays like Christmas, because once a family member starts using one they’re quick to tell their loved ones and awareness spreads.” Naturopath Katherine Maslen says there are many factors pushing the category along. “They are fantastic in that they save you money and help to reduce landfill,” she explains. With one $50 menstrual cup able to last a decade, versus the average $150 a year Australian women spend on period products, it’s a financial no-brainer.
On a personal note, cup converts praise them for encouraging them to get more in touch with their bodies. “Menstrual cups allow your blood to free flow and don’t carry the same risks for toxic shock syndrome as tampons as they don’t harbour bacteria, plus they allow you to monitor your blood flow each month and be more in touch with the process of menstruation,” Maslen says.
Cups are made from medicalgrade silicone that’s free from toxins, and it’s up to users to keep them clean – something cup fans are more than happy to discuss. “I boil it in hot water and insert it in the shower,” says one. “I’m a mild germaphobe so it all seems clean and fuss-free.” What about when on the go? “Usually I can go a whole day without emptying it, but if I need to, I’ll take a water bottle into the toilet stall to rinse it out.” The biggest concerns are around leakage, but a newly converted colleague says it comes down to how you fold it. “Try different folds to find the one that works for your cervix. You want to make sure you feel it pop open and the suction that occurs after insertion otherwise leaks can happen,” she warns. “If you’re struggling at first, a bit of lube goes a long way.”
Clearly, there are countless benefits, so why aren’t menstrual cups most women’s go-to? We’re increasingly ditching disposable coffee cups for eco-friendly, reusable versions, so why are we still fine with the 120kg of tampons and pads we each contribute to landfills in our lifetimes? Is it the ick factor? The twee names? (Think Lunette, Mooncup, Femmycycle.)
We can chalk it up to personal preference, though Dr Ginni Mansberg is pleased cups have women owning their periods. “I think every woman has been told by her father, brother or friends that it’s gross to talk about periods, which, given that half the population is female, is ridiculous,” she says. “Hopefully we’re finally getting over our phobia of talking about them or thinking they’re dirty.”
If menstrual cups have us more in tune with our bodies, engaged with any changes in our menses and normalising periods in general, then it’s a good thing. “The whole thing was a little ritualistic, in a good way,” says our ELLE guinea pig. “It was a surprise because it made me realise how much I have truly hated changing tampons all my life.”