Making the switch to a menstrual cup can be kind of intimidating, especially when you have a heavy flow like I do! Here is my honest review of the Flex Cup.
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Why a Period Cup?
Many women are making the switch to a period cup along with other zero waste period products and I think that’s amazing! In case you didn’t know, period products like pads and tampons are horrible for the environment and even your health! The average woman goes through 9,120 tampons in her lifetime. That’s almost $2,000 on tampons! If you’re like me and have a heavier period, that number goes up.
Are Tampons Really That Bad?
The answer is yes and no. Not only do they create tons of waste, tampons are actually really kind of bad for you. If you aren’t getting the organic cotton tampons, which are way pricier by the way, then you’re tampons probably contain harmful chemicals in them. Some of these harmful chemicals include rayon, plastic, chlorine, procymidon, carbon disulfide, and the list goes on. This is something you don’t want to be putting inside your body! If you are going to use a tampon, at least use an organic one and one the you can read and understand the ingredients.
What is a Flex Cup?
As you may or may not have seen in the Flex company’s advertising, the Flex Cup is supposed be “as easy as using a tampon”. It is a reusable menstrual cup that sits inside your vaginal canal, similar to a tampon. The Flex Cup, like any other period cup, catches your menstrual blood rather than absorbing it. This is supposed to keep your vagina’s pH levels balanced. It is made out of soft silicone that is BPA free and is easily found at stores like Target and Walmart. It’s also available on Amazon.
My Flex Cup Review
Okay, so a little bit about me first before getting into it. I have been using tampons for about a decade now. I used pads when I first got my period at 11 years old, but switched over to tampons around when I was 15 years old. The past couple of years have been the absolute worse when it comes to cramps and heaviness. I’m talking about heavy bleeding 6-7 days straight, nausea, and huge blood clots. Gross, I know! Switching my super tampon every 1-2 hours was normal for me almost every day of my period.
When I first heard about menstrual cups I was a bit skeptical, and I’m sure you are too if you’re reading this. Some questions you may have are:
- How will it even fit up there?
- What if it gets lost and I can’t get it out?
- What size should I get?
- Is it uncomfortable?
- Can I really wear it for 12 hours?
- Will it leak?
- How do I clean it?
Luckily for you, I will be answering all these questions!
How to Use It
As for getting the cup up and inside of your vaginal canal, there are several folds you can try too see what works for you. Don’t worry, the cup is really soft and it won’t hurt, especially if you have used tampons in the past. You are supposed to push it up and back into your vagina and it opens and suctions to your vaginal walls. Yes, you are that big inside there!
The Flex Cup comes in two different sizes: slim and full fit. The slim fit is meant for women who have not had children and the full is for women who have children and have heavier periods. I personally don’t have children and use the full fit because I do have a very heavy period, so you might have to experiment a little bit before you find the right fit.
A big reason why I was convinced to buy the Flex Cup was because of the pull tab feature. I too was terrified of the cup getting stuck in me! However, the pull tab makes it so easy to find it in there. It also works similarly to a tampon when you pull it. To remove, gently pull the tab until the suction breaks. Once the suction breaks, try finding the bottom of the cup and pulling out that way. This helps to have a less messier removal because if you pull too hard it will spill everywhere! Make sure you are doing this over your toilet in case you do have a mess. Then, dump the contents into the toilet and wash with mild soap and warm water before inserting it again. After every period, you will also want to boil it in water to sanitize it properly.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Very comfortable, I couldn’t even feel it even though I had the larger size!
- No smell! Much better than using a smelly tampon or pad.
- Cramps disappeared! No joke, I only had a little cramping the very first day of my period and then nothing. I have NEVER experienced this before.
- Don’t have to keep purchasing tampons!
- All day wear (for the most part)
Cons:
- Was tricky to find the right position
- There was some leakage
- Pull tab can get messy
Overall, I loved this cup. I was ecstatic to not have painful period cramps or clots. I also loved that I am able to wear it all day most of the time. Now that I have learned how to position it correctly, which was very tricky at first, I don’t think I will ever go back to tampons.
However, I was never able to completely eliminate the leakage. It wasn’t terrible, but enough to stain your underwear. I decided to purchase reusable panty liners to wear along with the cup for extra security. If you experience leakage with this cup or any cup try wearing reusable panty liners or period underwear with it. I must say I was a little disappointed that there was leakage as I wanted this to be the only period product I wear, but still overall pleased!
If you have tried the Flex Cup I would love to hear your thoughts and about your experience so feel free to leave a comment below!
Sincerely,
Denise
