This month, I decided to try a menstrual cup for the first time. I’ve always used tampons, but I’d heard really good things about menstrual cups. Plus, I was really intrigued by the idea of something that you could leave in for 12 hours and could reuse over the course of a long period of time (thus, saving money for my broke, unemployed self).
There are several different brands that make menstrual cups, but I chose the DivaCup because I could purchase it at Whole Foods and therefore didn’t have to order it online. If you don’t have a Whole Foods near you, you can look for stores in your area that carry DivaCups on their website.
So, after a day or two of getting the hang of the cup, I must say that I really liked it. It took me a few tries to figure out how to properly insert the cup to prevent leaking, and the first time I removed it was difficult. I do find that removal is slightly uncomfortable, as upon insertion you fold the rim of the cup so that it’s easy to insert, but upon removal, the rim is fully open. The discomfort is mild, however, and lasts only a second. When wearing the cup, you can’t even feel that it’s in.
The cup is made from silicone and comes in two sizes: one for women under 30 that have never carried a child, and one for women over 30 or that have carried a child. Cleaning it is a breeze, too. You just use fragrance-free soap and warm water, and then at the end of your cycle, boil the cup to sterilize it.
It was a really interesting experience to see how much you actually bleed, and it made me much more aware of my cycle. When changing the cup, you just remove it and empty the blood into the toilet, rinse the cup, and reinsert. Since you can leave it in for up to 12 hours, you usually won’t have to change it in a public restroom, so this isn’t an inconvenience. My cup was $39.99, but for something that I can use for a year or two, I’ll save a ton of money on tampons. I also don’t have to worry about whether or not I have a tampon with me when I go out.
Sundae recently switched over to a menstrual cup as well, and also was happy with the switch. Like her, I noticed a reduction in my cramps, but as it was my first month on the Nuvaring, I’m not sure if that’s related to the switch in hormones, the DivaCup, or a combination of the two. I definitely recommend using one if you don’t already!
I'm Britni, a snarky bitch and generally awesome person. I write about sex, love, and bullshit. If sex-positivity, discussions about BDSM and kink, queer issues, and topics that are completely inappropriate by society's standards make you uncomfortable, then this blog is not for you.
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23 Comments
Oooh, I’ve been wanting to try some kind of menstrual cup for a while, but I haven’t made the leap yet. Tampons are so uncomfortable for me! I’ve already switched to reusable pads and pantyliners (cloth), which are SO much more comfortable than the disposable kind. Not to mention money-saving and waste-reducing. I would love to do the same thing with loathsome tampons. Maybe I’ll give the DivaCup a try!
Since my period started today, I decided now was as good a time as any to buy one. I’ve only had it about half a day and I’m already completely sold. I love it! It took a couple tries to get it in right, but it was really easy after that. It’s really comfortable. I can’t feel it at all! Soooooo much better than tampons. I was also amazed by how much cleaner it is to use compared to tampons. There’s pretty much no mess at all when you take it out. I’m also really excited that you can safely leave it in long enough to sleep with it in. Overnight has always been the heaviest part of my period, so it’s really nice that I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’m pretty sure I’m never buying tampons again.
Thank you so much for the wonderful recommendation!
I feel kind of silly, but I didn’t even know reusable pads and pantyliners existed. lol
There are a lot of different kinds. A lot of people like Lunapads, though I tried them and found them too bulky. The ones I use, called Moon Pads, are handmade by a woman in Portland, OR who sells them on Etsy under the name epicerma for about $8 each. They’re organic cotton (no worrying about toxic chemicals), super comfy, and they come in pretty colors. There’s no plastic lining to keep things from bleeding through, but they’re so absorbent that you don’t really have to worry about it as long as you use the right absorbency and change them about as often as you would a disposable one. Really easy to get the hang of. I’ve been using the pantyliners in combination with a tampon during the day (or now the DivaCup), and then a thicker one for overnight. They’re not terribly thick or bulky and they’re breathable, so it feels a lot more like you’re not wearing a pad at all. So much more comfortable! And they’re machine washable, along with having all the same money-saving and environmentally-friendly benefits that the DivaCup has. They last a long time too (4 years and counting for the first couple I bought). I’ll never buy pads again, or tampons, now that I’ve got the DivaCup.
thanks for this informative review! Several questions: do you think even abundant periods can work with the cup? Is it messy to remove?
Yes, heavy flows can work with a menstrual cup, you’ll just have to empty it more often. Though I can’t see anyone having to empty it more than 4 times a day. On the second day of my period (my heaviest, which still isn’t horrible), I emptied the cup 3 times. The rest of the time, I emptied it in the morning and at night. Also, I found this helpful, from the website:
The DivaCup holds one ounce (30 ml). The entire average monthly flow is approximately 1 to 1.4 ounces (30-40 ml). By monitoring the fullness of the cup over a couple of periods, you will quickly learn how often to empty it according to your specific needs. Most women find that the cup is not even half full after 12 hours. For those with heavier flows, the cup is simply emptied more often.
As for messiness, no. I mean, I can see there being times when you accidentally spill, but removal is done while sitting on the toilet, so if it spills, it simply goes into the bowl. And if it gets on your hand, just wash it off! I actually found that removal in the shower was easiest, as I could rinse and empty my cup right there, as well as thoroughly wash myself.
The FAQ on the website is really, really comprehensive and detailed, and worth checking out. I read it before I went and bought the cup, and I found it extremely informative and helpful.
I’d also agree on removing it in the shower, at least the first few times to make sure you don’t spill it. Plus, you can just rinse it out and rinse off any mess rather than fussy with toilet paper etc.
I agree that the cup has made me more aware of my cycle too – you sort of don’t register the amount of fluid in a tampon/pad, at least not in the same way you do when it’s in a neat little cup! Glad you’ve liked the Diva Cup, I’m happy to have made the switch.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, It really is helpful and after reading both your post and Sundaes Im pretty much sold on the whole idea, just hope it works out just as well for me and my stupid body as it has for you both
I love my Diva cup! I got the Keeper (the gum rubber version) over 10 years ago and will not go back to tampons! The keeper lasts longer than the silicone (roughly 10 years to 1 year), but I tried out the diva cup this time around.
Divas represent! As someone with a fussy vagina (not a big tampon fan) and a sensitive set of labia (which get irritated by pads), I am fully in support of the Diva cup. $40 might seem like a fair amount, but it more than makes up for the price of pads/tampons and if you just pop it into your bag (in the little pouch it comes with, of course) you never need to stress about running out of pads/tampons when the store is closed, or asking strangers for one or having to deal with whatever gross archaic crap comes out of a bathroom machine. If more people knew how low-maintenance and un-gross they are, we’d have a lot of happier vaginas come period time.
Did it interfere with your NuvaRing? I might not get one for a while (maybe request it as a birthday present?), but it’s nice to read such a nice review.
No, because you remove the Nuvaring during the week you have your period.
Also, asking for a DivaCup for your birthday would be fucking hysterical. “What do you want for your birthday, Nell Gwynne?”
“A menstrual cup to shove up my vag to catch my period blood, plz.”
Cool! Glad to see more people are using the Diva Cup! I have had mine for…3 years now, and apart from it being a bit discoloured, it still works perfectly. I love it, and on the days I don’t feel like dealing with having something inside me, I use cloth pads from
Also, hi! *waves* I’m Ginger or Red. Hope you don’t mind me poking around your blog!
I’ve had my DivaCup for about three years now and it’s held up really well. And I have managed to use it with the Nuvaring (:::shakes fist at breakthrough bleeding:::) successfully!
*delurking*
Thanks for sharing! I’d really like to get one of these as I’ve switched to tampons in the past 6 months and while I really like not wearing a pad, the cramps have gotten a little worse. The only problem is that I live in Chile and in one store they’d charge me like US$70 JUST FOR SHIPPING. Fucking insane. I’ll see if I can find decent shipping elsewhere.
That’s insane! Have you looked into different brands?
I looked at a local distributor and they offered Mooncups for about US$60 total. However, in Lunapads.com I get a DivaCup for $34.99 + $10 shipping. I’m probably going with that one once I have the money.
Question to those who use cups: Anyone use it while doing strenuous physical activity (i.e. running/jogging), and how did it work out?
Yay I’m glad you did this review! I’ve been thinking about getting a Divacup for a while now, but I wanted to hear someone’s experiences with it first.
Thank you! I have heard about the Diva Cup and heard it is good but I wanted to hear from actual individuals who are using the Diva Cup. I had wondered if it would be a mess if you removed it. I wanted to ask if it feels rubbery or slippery as well as if long nails could puncture or scratch the silicone? I have long nails and I hate to buy it and find out that my sharp nails will ruin the lining.
Definitely not slippery. I guess maybe a little rubbery? It’s really flexible. And I have long nails too and had no problem with it.
Even better in case one is in a hurry and you do not want it slipping out of your fingers and falling on the ground or in the toilet.