theNotice: a beauty blog

It’s been months since our last cup review, and I want to apologize for that right off the bat. I wanted to make sure I was completely comfortable with all of the companies and sizes before comparing them, hence the long wait! (The math: [3 periods per cup] x [4 cups] x [26 days per cycle] = a long time.) It’s over, now, though (finally), so I hope you enjoy the rest of the series. xoxo

The first cup that I wanted to review today was the size 1 clear Lunette, simply because I’m awful at saving the best for last. Of all of the cups that I’ve tried, this was by far my favourite! It turns out that it may actually be a good thing that this review is so delayed – the Lunette site has gotten a facelift recently, which should make picking one up a lot easier. (They’re hard to find in the shops on these shores!)

The shape: I wanted to give you ladies a really good idea of the size of the Lunette, so it went on a bit of a photoshoot with some popular beauty products ;) The Lunette is more pear-shaped than the DivaCup – it’s the parabola to the DivaCup’s absolute value function, if you will. To each her own, I know, but I personally find that this helps it sit more comfortably (and makes removal a fair bit easier!)

It also has more of a “tail” than many other cups, but don’t let that scare you away (it’s actually a good thing). I find the longer end makes guiding the cup out easier, and despite my initial worries, you can’t feel it. It doesn’t stick out much, and if it does, you can trim it yourself at home. (Plus, you’ve already got fold-y stuff going on down there. A bit of soft silicone doesn’t make much of a difference!)

The dimensions: The size 1 Lunette…

• Is 41 mm by 47 mm, with a 25mm stem
• Holds 25ml (that’s about 4 regular tampons, three super tampons, or 2 super plus tampons)
• Is appropriate for most body types (the model 2 is usually for those who have a) given birth, or b) bleed a lot.)
• (I’m thinking I should probably try out a model 2 sometime, seeing as I bleed like mad and the DivaCup #2 fits me decently. The Selene is tempting, and hey – it would give us another photo op! Hmm…)

A cost breakdown: I wasn’t kidding when I said that I bleed a lot; for the first two days of my period I go through about seven extra super tampons in a day, plus two pads and then another extra super and an overnight pad while I sleep. After that, I use about two regular tampons and one pad for the next three days or so.

Now. The Lunette is $39.99, which seems pretty pricy… at first. However, you can keep a cup for three years according to the FDA (though most cup users say that they’re good for about 10; the FDA’s probably just covering their arses!) so let’s do some math. AURGHHH I hate math.

Tampons: 1 box of Extra Super Tampax per month ($5 for 20), plus two packages of Always pads ($9 for 28) per year. Assuming 13 periods per year. TOTAL: $249 over three years

The Lunette: 2 cups (just in case), plus… say, six boxes of disinfecting wipes (2 per year) and a bottle of Feelbetter? TOTAL: $80 over three years

I rest my case.

Other stuff worth knowing: (more…)

For a bit of background information on menstrual cups, read this post.
Oh, and also: TMI alert! TMI alert! Alert alert alert!

What it is: instead Softcup disposable menstrual cups

What we love

• The Softcup is a lot less icky than other menstrual cups! There’s no washing/scrubbing/boiling involved, and removal is quick, painless, and relatively clean. It takes a bit of practice, but I can get it out with just a bit of blood ending up on my fingertips; no messier than a tampon.
• It’s also a lot easier to get in (and out) than other cups — you pinch the two sides and insert it like a tampon. The pink plastic is very malleable, so they really do pinch right together. It’s no harder to get in than a regular tampon (and way easier than supers and extra supers!)
• There are a bunch of “side benefits” that come along with using this kind of cup. For starters, there are no strings attached, literally! Nothing… hanging out of you. (Ahem.) And while I can’t vouch for it, they do say you can wear the Softcup during sex while you’re on your period for less, erm, mess.
• The Softcup can be worn for up to 12 hours, unlike tampons (which run 4-8 if I’m not mistaken.) Of course, I have to change mine more often, but my lighter-flow friends (aka every single !@)#!@$ person I know; it’s just not fair!) should be fine.

What we don’t

• These cups are one-size-fits-all, and unfortunately… we’re not all the same size down there. I found it to be a touch too long for me; it slips too low every now and again and can be hard to get all the way in. So, make sure to sample them first! If they fit, you’ll know: when they’re in properly, you can’t feel the cup at all.

Tips and tricks
As I’ve mentioned, I find inserting the Softcup to be a breeze. It’s awkward the first time, but the process is just so easy to get the hang of. Anyone who can insert a tampon should be fine! (And to be honest, it’s easier to insert a Softcup than it is to insert an extra super tampon, or anything by OB…)

However, I know not everyone is as utilitarian about their female reproductive system comfortable with their ladybits as I am. So I asked Tracey Croughwell (Evofem’s Marketing VP) if she had any tips of her own! She had a ton of incredibly helpful ones to share, so here are a few of them:

• To insert the Softcup, sit on a toilet and relax. Compress the Softcup, then push it into the vagina. Push it back, not up. You should feel the Softcup go past your pubic bone, and when it’s in place it will be tucked up behind the pubic bone. Once it’s inserted correctly, you won’t feel it.

• If you can feel the Softcup, it probably is not in place. Simply remove it and try again. To remove it, insert your finger into your vagina. When you bear down with your muscles (like you’re pushing out a baby), the rim will come down and be easier to hook your finger around. Hook your finger around and gently pull it out.

• When removing the Softcup, remove it slowly and keep it horizontal (so it’s less messy).

• Removing the Softcup will be messy at first. You’ll eventually get used to taking it out, and the whole insertion/removal process will become quicker, easier, and less messy… and it’s totally worth the freedom and comfort you experience with the Softcup!

Psst — did you notice the “How-To” tab at the top of the Sofcup site? Definitely worth checking out if you’re not sure how to go about using your cup!

Other things to note

• The Softcup is just over $10 for 24, but the samples are available for $2.50.
• Because they’re non-absorbant, the Softcup doesn’t cause irritation or dryness. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I love tampons just as much as the next gal (most days)… but there’s nothing worse than inserting a tampon when the last one wasn’t totally soaked!
• For the same reason, menstrual cups aren’t associated with TSS. And on a health-related note, they’re also free of things like bleach (used to get your tampons that clean-looking white-white,) and latex.

P.S. Purple packaging? We approve!

Menstrual cups. That’s right. I said it. Intrigued, aren’t you?

Well, everything else is hiding behind a cut so that we don’t scare the ability to reproduce out of passerbys. So click on through if you think you can take it!

Menstrual cups are soft, malleable pieces of silicone or rubber (no, not like the “dimethicone” kind of silicones, and no, not the “elastic band” kind of rubber) made to hold, rather than absorb, the sloughing off of unfertilized endometrial tissue your period. They’re shaped like closed funnels (don’t scoff; you totally know it’s true) or small bowls (in the case of the disposable cups.)


(Or should that be disposa-bowl?)


[rimshot] 


The first cup was patented in 1932 (!!!) and was made from rubber. Most menstrual cups are not associated with high frequencies of TSS, unlike tampons. There are a few questions, and by this we mean like, “one question by one study one time,” being raised about the relationship between cups and endometriosis, but there are questions being raised about everything… I mean, your sunscreen can give you cancer, gluten will kill you, and your dog secretly wants to eat your brains.


(Sorry if I’m offending anyone. I just don’t buy into irrational worries until someone else* does.)
*Someone else, like maybe… the federal health authority. Which for the record, still supports cups being on the market. So there! 

[gets off soapbox]

Greenliness! (I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.) But no, seriously — reusable menstrual cups mean that you buy one cup and it lasts you anywhere from one to ten years. So sure, they’re synthetic, but so are many tampon applicators and pads. Plus, the durability of cups means a greatly reduced amount of wastes associated with pads and tampons: plastic wrappers, rayon-cotton absorbencies, bleach used to make them white, transport fuel, packaging…

The point is, overall, reusable menstrual cups reduce waste. Also awesome? The fact that many of them can be worn in anticipation of your period (no more washing your undergarments in the sink!) and they can (but don’t always) hold much more than the average tampon — while a regular absorbency tampon will hold 6-9ml, and an extra super absorbency will hold 12-15ml, cups start at 10ml and go right up to 30ml. 30ml!!!

“Well, okay,” you say, “but what about the disposable? They don’t reduce waste!”

They sure don’t. And you know what I have to say to that? Pthooey!


…I’m just kidding. (Seriously, what is wrong with me today?!) Disposable cups come with their advantages as well! For instance, they’re much more portable (you have to wash and sanitize a re-usable menstrual cup completely before re-inserting it,) they can be worn during intercourse (yes, that kind of intercourse… stop your snickering!) and they’re much easier for some (no, not all) women to insert and wear comfortably.

Plus, they look like very short, overweight condoms, which makes for a great conversation starter.

All of the above! But more specifically, here are some stats about my own period that might help put future reviews and babble into perspective:

• I feel incredibly guilty each and every period because of the amount of waste I produce. It’s obscene!
• I always carry my bag into the washroom with me (must… have… lip balm!) so the whole “sneak in a tampon” thing isn’t an issue — but I always worry about when I do need to go change it. Always.
• My flow is incredibly heavy, especially for someone my size. During a good cycle, I can use about three extra supers on my heaviest day (that’s about 45ml,) but on most of my cycles, I go through seven. Think about that for a second — SEVEN extra super tampons, plus a few pads. That’s A LOT OF FLUID.
• Seriously. Think about that for a second. I bleed like a medium-sized animal being drained for– I should stop talking.
• The point is, if I can use something that doesn’t mean having to change a tampon every hour and a half, I’m so in.

Still interested?
That’s good, because I’ll be posting more about them shortly, with a few reviews and thoughts. This post isn’t going up real-time, don’t come crying to me about why I’ve been oh-so-bitchy recently (that’s just my winning personality,) but as I write this, I’ve just finished using cups for my (entire!) period. And you know what?


…I loved it!

A great resource for information on menstrual cups that I’ve recently stumbled accross is the livejournal page of the not so creatively named “Menstrual Cups” community. So maybe the name is a snoozefest, but I kid you not: this page is likely the most helpful page you’ll ever come across, relating to cups!

You know what I miss? When theNotice was a little more personal — every Friday used to be “YOU Fridays,” and I’d get a chance to ask you guys about stuff, and talk about things, and just generally dick around for a day form important personal relationships instead of staying even vaguely on-topic writing on the subject of beauty.

But I digress! In an effort to bring back the superpersonal (“super” because — let’s be frank — I’m already making large efforts to keep theNotice inappropriately personal-blog-like for a beauty blog,) I’m going to try to bring back more YOU and TMI Time features. Good stuff, right?

Today isn’t about douches in the sense of the word where it actually refers to an object. Rather, we’re talking about the more common modern definition — and yes, you all know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a TMI Time topic that (surprise!) isn’t related to inappropriate body parts! Click your way behind the cut to see what it is.

(Caution, an overuse of brackets and quotation marks lies ahead.)




The prompt is simple: 

Even if you know it’s awful, are you attracted to guys (or girls) that are complete douches?

The reason behind this is a little more complicated actually, also pretty simple: one of my friends has a thing for a guy who I happen to think is a total jerk. (I feel okay saying this to the general public because (a) I’m not naming names, (b) this applies to way too many people, and (c) she knows I think he’s a dick. To be totally honest, (d) she thinks he is as well.)


I’m not going to get all pious on your asses and tell you you’re living your lives wrong, but I’m absolutely certain that the answers coming in will almost all be “yes”. Heck, my answer would be a “yes” as well! It’s exemplified by the fact that I’m aware I usually have shitty tastes in guys, which just makes the whole situation kinda shitty, and thus, I’m making an honest effort to change it — but my “type” has the sole stipulation of “isn’t boring,” and unfortunately, all most of the guys who aren’t boring are only interesting because they’re emotionally unavailable jerks. 


And if they’re not, they’re usually taken.


Or gay.


Or both.


(You know what I hate? The fact that so many gorgeous, hilarious, non-assholes are into other guys. I mean, that’s just not fair!)

(Then again, it makes sense that if they’re attractive on a level of 11 out of 10,  they’d want to date other elevens, and seeing as we’ve just concluded that most elevens are other gay males — or celebrities [again, the "or both" clause applies,] — they don’t have a heck of a lot of choice.)


I’m kind of taking away the effect of this super-serious and totally-focused post, so I’m going to shush now and let you answer. As usual, I’ll promt you with this: Discuss! Today, though, I really do mean discuss. I’ll moderate things as quickly as possible, even if that means I can’t reply to them at the same time. Why? The reason is simple — because I’m not the only one here! By “discuss,” I don’t just mean “tell me.” I mean “talk to each other,” too. You are all lovely, and as long as you don’t turn my comments thread into a gross, dirty fighting pit that is infested with bugs*, it’s all good. Have fun, with or without me!


*The clean kind is okay. However, all clothes must stay on, and if you bleed, CLEAN IT UP. With bleach, preferably. Thank you.

I’m sorry about the title, I couldn’t help myself! There is a twelve-year-old boy in all of us. (Yes, even us girls.) We haven’t done TMI Time or YOU Fridays in ages, and while this isn’t a total revival of either, I missed doing it!

Call them what you want — boobs are boobs. (Or knockers, hooters, breasts, and if I am not mistaken, “lady lumps.” Now excuse me while I leave to pretend I didn’t type that.)


Here’s a little copy/paste questionnaire for the comments!

1. Actual size…and desired size:
3. Love them? Hate them?
Reason:
4. Is one of them larger:

Here are my answers!

1. Actual size… and desired size: 34A/34B. I’m proportional, but a little more “oomph” would be nice! I’m not so desperate as to get implants, though ;)
3. Love them? Hate them? Love them. Sometimes.
Reason: They’re fine, but let’s be honest: there are times where you just wish that women did! not! have! breasts! For instance, when you’re going for a run, or attempting to lie face-down on a hard floor. (I’m not sure when you would ever be doing the latter. “Get down! My pressurized spray foundation is about to explode!”)
4. Is one of them larger: Yep. I freaked the hell out at first, but apparently this is totally normal! It’s the left one that’s a tiny bit larger — did you know that your left side of your body actually tends to be bigger? They don’t really know why, but they’re guessing it has to do with your heart and chambers and yadda yadda yadda.

That’s all for today :) Feel free to add any other questions or complaints (or raves, I guess, but don’t blame me for any awkwardness that ensues) about yours in the comments, as well as your survey answers!!