AIBU to think Always don't actually employ women in their marketing & design teams

[littlebrownbag]

Am currently dealing with a runny fanny (thanks perimenopause), so to maintain dignity at work in my non-black trousers am using panty liners. Annoyingly, I've managed to pick up a scented variety, which I didn't realise until I got a waft of sickly scent from my damp crotch.

Persevering with them (I got a giant value pack and I hate throwing things away), even though it's making all my trousers stink so I'm washing them MORE often than normal. But I've just had a mortifying realisation - the scent is the same one used in the sodding cat litter! Going to have to make a lunchtime run to the shops aren't I?

The whole scented sanitary protection thing is bad enough (wet does not equal smelly) without it giving people subconscious association with picking up cat shit. AIBU to wonder who actually thinks women want to smell like this?

I use Always Dailies. They're the only ones that don't smell and aren't individually wrapped in plastic which I hate. There's enough waste already. Does anyone use reusable cotton liners??

Felicia - they are the ones! I've come to realise that "fresh" is marketing speak for stinky.

I realise some of us are more sensitive to scents than others (my mum used to get migraines if she sat next to a heavily perfumed woman on the bus) but honestly I don't find it pleasant at all notamummy and mollytwo, we obviously have very different noses! Maybe the fault is as much with the retailers? I can't get to the shops this lunchtime so I searched for "unscented panty liners" at a well known online retailer with next day delivery - and the product at the top of the list is Carefree and scented!

Off to follow Alpacalypse's thread...

The thing that bugs me is they don't make it obvious that you are picking the scented ones. I looked carefully on a packet the other day and it didn't obviously say they were scented. Buy them, . Ope n them and they reek! Look at the big again and in quite s mall print on the bottom of the box it says in indirect language that they are scented.

While we are complaining, can I please ask that manufacturers stop putting wings on every fucking thing. They are always slightly in the wrong place for my knickers, and don't stick properly except to pubic hair!

I don't mind the scent, and I've never smelt it on anyone else - even when I know someone is using scented sanpro, I can't smell it on them.

I wonder if its' generational, to a degree? Our office provides some sanpro in the ladies toilets. It was subbed for unscented once, and everyone had a mini panic that it wasn't right. Someone even went to buy some normal ones and took the unscented ones home. We're mostly mid-20s in the office.

I don't wear pantyliners so I'm not really the target market anyway but the smell doesn't bother me at all.

I am surprised that there isn't a brand marketing itself on being unscented, though, given that they'd probably build quite a brand following. I can only speculate that perhaps it's a MN thing and unscented actually don't sell that well?

I hadn't used sanitary towels in about a decade until post DD when I asked mum to pick me up some in that phase where maternity pads are a bit too much but you can't go without any protection at all. She merrily grabbed the first pack she found and we were both horrified by the smell! Then when my periods came back early and my mooncup wasn't comfy and tampons weren't working that well, to be confronted by a wall of fragrance in Waitrose was a bit of a shock. Never realised how things had changed!

Of course everyone's different but I just want them to clearly label them scented or unscented and don't make me stand there sniffing packs of pads to work out which ones I want!

It's not so much the smell of scented ones that bothers me, it's the infections I get from it! I got stuck with infection after infection down below as I'd almost get over one and then it'd be my time of the month again, so I'd end up getting it again. It took me a good few months before I realised it was the scented towels causing it. According to my local pharmacy, it's really common. I've been using reusable cloth pads for around 4 months now, and have got rid of my infections, now bleed much less, and it's a lot less painful.

I think it's quite a nice smell actually. Better than that strange, fresh steak smell

I spent so long carefully scrutinising the wrapper of the last packet I bought looking for 'scented', 'fresh', 'deo' or any of their other codewords that I didn't notice until I got home and opened them that they didn't have wings and were therefore useless to me.

Trying to get the get ones that are a decent price, high absorbency, normal length, unscented and with wings now requires several minutes of hunting through practically identical packs reading more small print than signing up for a credit card

For everyone looking for unscented pads:

Tesco Ultra towels are not scented - at least, the Night ones I use aren't. And they are cheaper than the branded ones. Bodyform Night aren't scented either.

I always use the Night towels - they suit me better, and have wings so they are good and secure.

Hate the scented ones,i realised it was what was giving me infection after infection.
I've switched to organic ones now,much better.
My DH works for a large advertising company,im going to ask them if they do Always.

They are horrible. Always though when I contacted them said odour control was a high priority and women want the scent. Not the women I have spoken to don't!

I always end up in the sanpro aisle sniffing packets of pads. It's not a good look!

Some women buy the pads simply because that's what's on the shelf, or they've been confused by the ad speak, not because they actually want scented products. I certainly don't.

arkwright, I can just imagine that marketing research creating the demand where there was none before:

question: "do you worry about people smelling your period"
answer: [thinks] well, I haven't up to now. shit, have I been smelling, do people know when I'm on? blimey, that would be embarrassing. "Yes, yes I am worried about it now you mention it"

Most Kotex aren't scented. They're like bricks but at least they don't give me thrush.

And just to follow up, I have never ever smelt another woman's period, ie natural discharges. But I have smelt when a woman is wearing scented sanitary protection, twice. (In passing, in public).

I imagine they are scented with whatever the hell the revolting bin bags I mistakenly picked up recently are scented with (and the same thing the hideous nappy bags nursery sends soiled clothes home in). It is beyond vile and I can't imagine how much worse it gets after being rammed into a moist warm vaginal area all day.

Sorry you are suffering.

My period blood has never ever smelt so I really don't need to mask the scent. However it's really difficult to interpret the marketing speak and find non scented ones. I made the mistake last time and was puzzled why I was so itchy till I read the box. Totally unnecessary but probably introduced to differentiate between one companies bit of plastic and cotton wool from another's.

pink Bodyform are unscented, normal length and have wings, for whoever was asking further down.

The Always in the orange packs are still unscented I think. Kinda their value range.

I got liners from Boots own brand range which were fine.

I also wonder if on a similar note, people who grew up with scented protection are less likely to get infections from it than those who used to have unscented and now use scented?

There should definitely be more choice if it's giving some people infections!

I react to the scented ones. After about 30 minutes I itch unbearably. I can't be the only one.

Imagine my horror when I found I had accidently picked up tampons with scent on. I'm not even going to risk that.