Tampax

[Pamdoo]

It's getting harder and harder to find the paper applicator ones? They seem to be promoting the plastic ones. I can't abide them as I find them really uncomfortable to put in and I can never get them in properly. You also get less in a box. Also I'm convince they aren't as good. Surely the plastic ones are not as good for the environment? Is it just me that prefers the cardboard standard ones?! I bleed like mad and the plastic ones don't cut it (except for my vagina when it slices me on the way in)

I hate that so many tampons and pads are now scented. Who wants perfumed sanitary protection, really?!

It's revolting, the smell of the aisle alone makes me want to heave, if you wash regularly there really isn't any need. It makes it smell worse IMO!

I hate the plastic ones too OP, and will go out of my way to buy the cardboard tampax. Often it means buying them in twenties instead of 40. Usually they stock them in Boots even if you can't find them in the supermarkets.

Am I heck as like going to carry a special bottle of period water into the loo with me.

And I've literally never seen anyone rinse a menstrual cup in the handbasins. I'm very glad of that.

*Am I heck as like going to carry a special bottle of period water into the loo with me.

And I've literally never seen anyone rinse a menstrual cup in the handbasins. I'm very glad of that.*

^^this
Rinsing it out in the handbasin either at home or especially out and about REALLY puts me off getting one. It's not very hygienic IMO.

The thing about the sinks is that people are going to be washing invisible piss and blood and shit down there anyway so arguments about hygiene aren't going to get anywhere with enthusiasts. It's just that I don't really want to see something that's just come out of someone's fanny and is about to be put back in, when I'm popping to the loo in a café. It's just… not nice.

It's the whole hypothetical logistics of removing mooncup in a public toilet then emptying it in sink. Where do you put it when you need to wash your hands before reinserting? There's just too many cross contamination issues.
At home would be less icky but I can't imagine my dh being thrilled about having to wash his hands in the same sink I'd just rinsed my moon cup out in. I know it's only blood but it just really puts me off.

From what I can make out from MN threads, you go in the cubicle, take it out, empty it into the loo, then either use a special bottle of period water (which you're handling with your periody hands and then putting back in your bag, unless of course you wash the period water bottle in the sink when you're done) to rinse it, and pop it back in like that, or wipe it with loo roll, haul all your stuff out of the cubicle with you while still holding your mooncup (or leave your stuff hogging the cubicle) to go and wash it in the sink, then take all your stuff back into the cubicle, stick the thing back in, come out, wash your hands again… fuck that 😆

This month i have discovered lidl plastic applicator tampons, super cheap and no pinching!!! Best emergency purchase in ages.

Although period water made me chuckle a bit, I think the sensible way of thinking is that as posters have already suggested they pour down the toilet, wipe with tissue then put back in while in the toilet and wash when they get home. Lots of people use them but I've yet to see someone washing it in a public sink so assuming most people do it like that.

I assumed the point of a nooncup was you didn't need to change it when your out and about?

I can only get on with plastic ones, can’t get non aplicator ones in.
Tried a mooncup-couldn’t insert that either!

I am trying my hardest to reduce plastic but the tampax compak are my exception. I can’t be far off menopause now so not going to stop now.

Let's all not give a shit about how we're using up precious limited resources to chuck away into landfill
To be fair don’t we all have things we continue to do despite knowing they are bad for the environment? Having a car, taking long showers, eating meat, using disposable nappies or wipes... even if we make efforts to change some habits, most people still have some that they don’t want to change. The way you prevent blood from leaking from your body is a personal choice and if for some reason plastic is more comfortable then so be it - as long as al effort is made somewhere else.

Absolutely @Urubu
I was reacting to a PP's 'I don't care' comment, rather than general use of applicator tampons.

To all those mocking menstrual cup users

1. No-one's making you use them
2. You can mix and match, ie use them when at home or only out for a few hours ( they last up to 8)
3. No-one's making you use them

Re mooncup changing in public loos. You empty it down the loo, not down the sink. Then give it a quick wipe out with loo roll and reinsert. Finally, leave the cubicle and wash hands. I've never fannied about with a bottle of water. I don't think it's any messier than a lil let. I've used a mooncup for many years now and would never go back to tampons. I'm no big environmentalist and switched purely for monetary reasons. It paid for itself in a couple of months. Think of the £££ you could save over the years!

Another mooncup user here. I switched earlier this year - wish I'd done it sooner!

I am happy with my arrangements but it sounds as if if you use a Mooncup whilst out you have to rely on quite a high standard of public loo that has loo roll and a good flush.

Naturcare have cardboard applicators and are organic and biodegradable to boot. Not impressed with the sneering at those of us who prefer applicators, not everyone is built the same - small hands and a retroverted uterus mean I really struggle with non-applicator tampons.

Another menstrual cup convert here - and a very recent one (in the last 6 months) and I'm definitely peri-menopausal, so I've come to them very late. And how I'm wishing I'd discovered them sooner - the only 'accidents' I've had are on my heaviest day at the start, and on that day I double up with a pad, but other than that I rinse out twice a day and that's that. And the difference in cramping - like night and day. I was in so much pain from period cramps this time last year, but from the very start of using a menstrual cup I've hardly had anything to moan about!

I've got the athena menstrual cup - it was about £14 from amazon, and my daughter's got one too. She's loving hers as much as I am. I can heartily recommend it. And I was an avowed tampon user before!

Agreed 100 % . I was complaining the exact same thing last period to my husband, poor man just nodding in a bewildered fashion but at last someone understands!!!

Either Aldi or Lidl tampons have a cardboard applicator. I can't remember which though. I'm thinking Aldi.

Who's mocking menstrual cup users? If you mean me, I'm mocking nobody; it's just that I can't imagine the faff involved in what some posters describe as being how they replace it when they're in a public loo (the bottles of water and such).

I’m sorry if my comment above about not understanding why people didn’t use non-applicator tampons came across as sneery. I honestly thought that people used applicators because they were squeamish about getting blood on their fingers or touching inside their vagina (in my defence, this is what I’ve heard people say before!). I didn’t realise that some people had problems positioning a non-applicator tampon . Every day’s a school day on here.

I look for cardboard too and also see them less. I don't care if the 80s called or not I hate the plastic applicators. I actively seek out applicators also because I to travel a lot and to places with somewhat dodgy hygiene options so it seems safest to preserve my digits and my poor fanjo.

Tesco ones come with cardboard applicators. I can’t get on with non applicator ones as they don’t go in far enough - same problem with the plastic ones. Cardboard ones seem to be longer and get them where they need to be. Several different absorbancies too.