To think more women want unscented sanitary towels than scented ones?

[SinkGirl]

It comes up here often. And maybe there are some women who want scented towels (no judgement if you do!).

But I had to buy some pads in an emergency today and they were all scented. In the supermarket I have to hunt out the only ones that aren’t scented. It’s bad enough I can’t get Always Infinity anywhere any more but this is inexcusable - the scented ones literally burn my skin, I can’t be alone.

Who are these companies using for their focus groups? Surely women aren’t saying “yes, make all your towels scented please!”... are they?

So time for vote. If you had a choice and if all else was equal would you...
YANBU - prefer unscented pads
YABU - prefer scented pads

I just switched to reusable pads and they're a revelation and so much comfier! The smell of scented pads mixed with the way blood smells on disposable pads is (not envy)

YADNBU I have the same issue, sometimes the soreness from the pads was worse than the period pain itself!
I've started buying supermarket own brand as they are usually unscented and only 60p a pack. Scented toilet roll is the same, but that's another conversation...

Worse still apparently tampax are talking about scented tampons 😱
Just what you need 🤬 chemical burns inside

YANBU. The scented ones make my foof itchy and sore, not to mention the fact that they smell minging.
Body form for me.

Oh I live the scented ones I always buy them, I actually like the smell

@SinkGirl I'm the same, I use Asda night time pads. They're unscented and better than others I've found.

Yanbu

Where did this come from

It's just all wrong for a variety of reasons

How long till scented tampons

Then maybe we can all start douching bleurgh

I prefer reusable but if I had to use disposables it would be unscented every time. I’ve never physically reacted to the scented ones like some people but the smell is always so artificial and overwhelmingly strong.

The threads on here are usually overwhelming against the scented pads yet lots of women must be buying them for them to still be on sale?

I think we are buying them because there aren’t unscented options that work! I tried Bodyform a while ago and they were utterly useless for me so I’m back to stinky Always pads.

Can’t use tampons or cups (too painful), can’t use CSP... my purchases are annoyingly counting towards these bloody things!

I reckon if

The itchiness from scented pads is horrendous

I have to use pads plus tampax to avoid period carnage and if I ever have to use a scented pad I end up really itchy and uncomfortable

I've been using lil lets pads which I don't think they used to do

They're comfy and they don't honk

I used Always when I was coming to the end of my post partum lochia. With an episiotomy scar. I'll never, ever use always again; they literally ripped my skin (& I was well healed by then!)

All I'll ever use now are the boots slimline maternity pads. I'm slightly evangelical about them

Sorry - I reckon if each shop had both scented and unscented versions of the same towels available, so people could still choose their preferred brand / absorbency, scented towels would disappear from our shelves very quickly.

The smell is vile and one reason I gave up sanitary pads when I was 13.

The eco/organic cotton brands aren't scented and are much gentler on your skin. Unfortunately supermarkets don't tend to stock them.

I will only buy Natracare now

They aren't cheap but worth every penny imho

The scented ones smell really unpleasant & make me itch. It makes me very glad to be post-menopausal now so I no longer need them. We accidentally got scented loo roll at work a while back and all the women complained.

Body form for me

I think you mean 🎵 WOAAAAH Bodyfor-orm, Bodyform for MEEEEE 🎵

YANBU. I can't stand the smell of these things and gag when walking down the San pro aisle.

The manufacturers say this is due to demand. They are doing market research hmmby asking women questions like do you worry about odour and the answers come back yes I worry about odour. So they add odour to everything and claim it is what the consumer demands.

That makes a depressing amount of sense. Sigh.

Let us be the focus group! Although I see a few think IABU, it’s a small minority - certainly not enough that almost all the pads are scented!

God they're awful aren't they. Brings my foof lips up in itchy lumps, honestly looks like a sock full of marbles. #letfoofssmelllikefoofsplease

'The manufacturers say this is due to demand.'

Like only being able to get muffin top jeans for most of a decade.

Yes we're buying them because there's no choice! Or at least none that are inexpens8ve...

Like I say the lil lets ones are good. Have also got for my girls their teen range is good. I'm not normally for stuff like that but periods are shit esp when you're only 10 so why not

Scented pads are the reason I switched to reusable. Like others have said it’s a revelation. I feel I was completely conned by advertising to ever think that horrid gel filled plastic sacks were an improvement over cotton. It took the addition of cheap air freshener to make me consider an alternative. So YANBU but also thank you to the person who came up with the idea because my periods have improved considerably.

I hit the wrong button sorry! Prefer unscented.

I prefer scented because I pass a lot of tissue in my periods and my periods stink. I imagine this is probably more common amongst people with heavy periods / endo / irregular periods so perhaps the scent should be targetted to the heavy flow pads.

Also I cannot believe there are people out there who use sanitary towels over maternity pads after childbirth!