Monday, May 4, 2015

Personal Care Products - by Tamera



I was interested in this product because I liked the idea of a zero waste period. I did some research on the ingredients in pads and tampons and how they negatively effect the body and I was horrified. I realized a menstrual cup was the best option.  I picked the Diva Cup because this brand is the easiest to find, it is located in many natural health food stores. It took me about 3 cycles to figure out how to insert and take out properly, and it was worth it!  What I love about the cup is that if I am expecting my period, but I know I will be out and about all of that day, I can simply put it in and check it later. This is so much easier than packing tampons, putting a liner on and getting ready to rush off to the bathroom when it comes! Another great thing about it; it doesn’t dry you out… tampons are so painful when you pull them out when they are too dry, they can also leave behind pieces of cotton and scratch up your insides.  Another great thing about the cup, is that my cramps are a lot less intense, I think this is because silicone is bio-compatible with the body - unlike tampons where the most sensitive part of my body is being exposed to materials that it shouldn't be exposed to. 

Learning how to use the cup when you are a virgin can be a little tricky.  The best way for me to get comfortable with inserting was to relax, breathe, and take my time.  If something started hurting, i would stop, take it out and try again the next day. Eventually this process became easier and quicker and now my body is used to the cup. The Diva Cup should never hurt, it is very comfortable to wear when it is in properly, and you do not have to be concerned about leaking. The Diva Cup has taken away so much stress that comes along with periods. It also takes up very little space compared to all the tampons I normally stocked up on. I highly recommend doing some research on disposables products vs reusable products, and consider making the switch! It is so much better for your body, the earth and your wallet.



I bought the smallest size of The Bummis pads - the pantyliners. If you are passionate about the environment then this is a great step to take to reduce your waste! They are a little thicker than many pantyliners as there is a snap at the bottom which goes around the crotch of your underwear so they stay in place. The small size of The Bummis does not feel too thick,  the cotton makes it very comfortable. It simply feels like a small extra layer of underwear, as long as there is not too much moisture in the liner. I like pairing the panty liners with my Diva Cup on heavier days, and for some other days during the month. Generally, I will only wear one pantyliner in a day so I do no have to worry about changing in a public restroom and dealing with a wet bag. I think they would be a great thing to stock up on and I am hoping to fully make a switch from disposables to reusables.  If you do not want to fully commit to only using reusables they are a great product to try on days when you will only need one a day.

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Thanks, Tamera! To see our other Personal Care products - including our TreeHugger Cloth Pads as seen on The Dragon's Den - click here!

Do YOU have a product from Tiny TreeHugger that you'd like to review? Send us an email at pamj@tinytreehuggerdiapers.com. We'd love to feature you on our blog!