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Original poster

To be utterly brassed off to open new Aways to find they are SCENTED!

207 replies

Oldisthenewblack · 26/03/2016 22:09

I seem to recall another thread about this not long ago - maybe it's still going, I don't know. Anyway - opened a new pack of Always an hour ago, my only pack, only to find they were SCENTED. There was NOTHING on the pack to indicate this and I am SO pissed off! Due to period pain I'm not up to going out again to buy more and will have to do the old fashioned thing tonight and use cloths. I have ONE unscented one left to see me through tomorrow morning.

I am so annoyed about this. I have a Twitter account that I've never used - am even thinking of utilising that to rant about this. Not sure how to go about it as not sure about Twitter.....

There's no way on earth I'm whacking that next to my fanjo.

Bastards.

OP posts:
SallyDonovan · 29/03/2016 22:03

Glass yes! That's what scented towels remind me of. Eau de poo bag. Lovely. Just what you want stuffed down your knickers.

snorzzzzz · 30/03/2016 00:13

Ijustwannadance - Yes! What's with scented toilet roll? I'd never come across it until I went into a posh car showroom with a friend a few years ago. I could TASTE the "scent" in my mouth for hours (much like I get with household products/candles/air freshener etc.). I cringed all day waiting for the cystitis to arrive.

I've never had to use dog poo bags, but do use scented nappy bags for used tampons due to our crap (excuse the pun) sewage system. I've learned to "air" the bags out in the spare room for a few days before using them.

Anyone know for cheap unscented nappy bags?

snorzzzzz · 30/03/2016 00:22

Ah. Another dropped penny moment.

Do we all think this is an American thing? They're brought up to douche over there to "clean" their foofs out.

Thankfully, it seems to be dying out. Maybe scented products will soon die a welcome death, too.

LifeofI · 30/03/2016 00:24

Just buy boots own brand or superdrug they are the same thing anyway and non scented

DIYandEatCake · 30/03/2016 02:58

Go for washable cloth (reusable) ones instead! Mine are lovely and soft and comfy. I've recently converted from regular tampons and towels to a Divacup (like a mooncup) and washable towels and would never go back now. Far less waste but also far more comfortable and pleasant.

GlassJar · 30/03/2016 13:51

I've also had a dropped penny moment - for years I've wondered why some women wear such awful perfume which for some reason has put me in mind of a sweaty crotch. I'll bet it's all down to the poo-bag scented sanpro.

wol1968 · 30/03/2016 16:48

Do you think Watchdog would have the, er, balls to bring this subject up if we got in touch with them over this issue?

I'm not holding out hope - I think they'll be far too squeamish, and I reckon that squeamishness is the only reason Always et al have got away with their shocking attitude towards their customers.

SoupDragon · 30/03/2016 16:51

I tried washable cloth ones and they felt like I had a cushion shoved between my legs. They also didn't fit securely to my knickers so they kept moving about.

SoupDragon · 01/04/2016 12:21

So, they sent me a "customer satisfaction survey" following my complaint about the pongypads and I duly filled it in...

To be utterly brassed off to open new Aways to find they are SCENTED!
Autumn2014 · 01/04/2016 12:34

I use adsa own brand. They are unscented and don't have a plastic top sheet but are still slim fit.

uglyswan · 01/04/2016 12:48

I've never come across them myself (smug mooncupper here), but I don't understand why, if they really feel they must drench sanitary pads with thrush-inducing scents, they don't offer a variety. Vanilla Vulva? Mango Minge? Frangipani Poonani? Or how about a limited edition for Christmas - Festive Foof (with cinnamon and pine)? Missed marketing oppurtunity, surely...

SallyDonovan · 01/04/2016 12:53

Grin Soup

uglyswan · 01/04/2016 12:56

*Note to Always marketing team: That was a joke. Please do not actually do this (although if you do, I expect to be handsomely renumerated. PM me for my bank details).

littlejo67 · 01/04/2016 13:30

I use reuseables - wash and rinse pads while in the shower after use. Pop into a plastic bag in the laundry basket and put in with general wash. Sorted. No plastics, no chemicals and no waste in landfill.

HeyNonnyMaybe · 01/04/2016 13:47

I've recently discovered pink [WWWOOOOOOWWWWW] Bodyform and they're good. Unscented, plus I really like the way the packaging reseals to dispose of the old towel.

Troika · 01/04/2016 14:00

I bought some always to use once I'd graduated from the pillow style maternity pads post birth. My god they smell vile. My lochia didn't smell bad. But those pads reeked. And they gave me a horrendous rash on my nether regions. Luckily I had bought some metanium to use on the baby.

kipperydippery · 01/04/2016 15:54

I had to buy a pack of pink bodyform a couple of days ago (only sanpro in small garage shop) & I was really impressed. So pleased I even mentioned it to DH! I usually use lilets.

I'll definitely buy them again to use when my period is very light

ILeaveTheRoomForTwoMinutes · 01/04/2016 17:05

Where is the daily mail, when you want them?

Shame they don't pick up on these sort of threads, and run with them.

ridingabike · 01/04/2016 19:03

I can see from this thread alone and I and many others have stopped buying their product as a result. Hopefully enough woman do this for them to notice a drop in their sales and stop this nonsense

The problem for me is that Always are the only brand that makes a towel large enough to give me a chance of not leaking at night. I do buy Bodyform for the lighter days but for 2-3 days Always is the only option, nobody else makes anything big enough. Fortunately they've not given me thrush but I hate the idea that people can smell it as I walk past them!

I bet all the "research" showing women were concerned about "odour control" was obtained by asking leading questions

yes - have you ever seen a Hampshire County Council "consultation". Talk about leading you exactly where they want you!

kali110 · 02/04/2016 03:15

quite honestly say i have never been able to smell these pads through people's clothes.
I wouldn't be surprised if more people who liked them didn't actually admit it on here when there's a load of people basically sAying that you smell and have an itchy minge Grin
i still like their pantiners and have never gotten thrush from them.
I actually managed to find scented normal towels this week and i'm still fine.
I have gotten thrush before from normal maxi pads though.
Ican't believe i'm the only person struggling (actually thought of mn when i went into the shop!) to buy pads and i only found one pack of normal scented towels!
I even sniffed them to make sure.
I may not be able to go back into that shop Blush

riding have you tried kodex or always infinity? They are both very long pads and kodex ones come in normal to very thick

SoupDragon · 02/04/2016 08:03

I like their long pant liners and have never had thrush from them but I still think they smell rank. I have also smelt them on someone else through clothing whereas I have never smelt "period".

VikingMuchToAllOurLiking · 02/04/2016 08:46

If you have heavy periods tena lady pads or the knickers are really excellent, they let you sleep through! Unscented too. Also taking ibuprofen reduces your period by about half.

I agree the scented pads smell worse than any period.

SuperFlyHigh · 02/04/2016 08:56

I got pissed off about paying loads for Always recently so experimented with:-

Tescos and sainsburys own - both ok
Body form - great especially on sale in poundland.
Boots own - great too.

I now use sainsburys or Tescos own panty liners, just as good and far cheaper than always.

I wouldn't use Always if they were scented.

My absolute fave were some I bought in a Barcelona chemist 2 years ago but don't think you can buy here, fitted like a dream, nice blue or green packaging. 'twas a bugger getting period then finding no tampax in Montjuic Hotel (for pool) but reception helped out

drivingmisspotty · 02/04/2016 09:14

Yeuck I don't like the scented ones either. I remember being shocked that they suddenly all changed while I was pregnant with DD. But that was 7 years ago so if sales had been adversely affected i think Always would have noticed by now. It looks like they are here to stay...

I use a mooncup now but in a couple of emergencies I have used co-op own brand which I thought was similar to old always and also always infinity which is excellent. Really different to other towels and dry. But also expensive.

I wonder if it's one of those things where you just get really attached to a brand. Young girls who are starting their periods now probably think scented is normal and think we are weird old people the same way we might feel about people who wear fifties-style belts and pads. And maybe I a PP is right and they become smelly when mixed with period blood, everyone changes their pads more often hence more cash for always.

bananafish81 · 02/04/2016 09:30

But for liners there is no period blood to cover up the supposed smell of. Or at least very minimal. Or indeed none at all if you use them at other times

Scented liners just suggest anything natural is disgusting and how could you want your nether reasons to smell of anything other than cheap minicab smell