A Sustainable Period Alternative
It’s been a while since I’ve added to my #thegreenperiod project but I’m super excited to return to it with ModiBodi period underwear! I’ve been super curious about trying period underwear ever since discovering the brand Thinx in the US, but I wasn’t keen on buying from a US brand for multiple reasons. I was very skeptical to try these at first, especially with how much I didn’t get on with the reusable period pads which were, overall, a pretty uncomfortable and hot experience for me. But my experience with period underwear was the complete opposite!
I was very kindly sent three different types to try; the seamfree full brief (heavy overnight absorbency), the sensual high-waist bikini, and the classic bikini (both in light-moderate absorbency). As you may or may not know, I am a menstrual cup user and my plan was to wear these as I’m getting used to my cup to prevent leaks or to wear them on my days when I’m very light and/or can’t be bothered to put the cup in. But for the sake of this experiment, I wore this underwear without my cup on my heavier days and with the cup in on my lighter days to see how they fared.
How they work:
Modi Bodi period underwear has a lining fitted in that’s just 3mm and can hold up to 20ml or 2 tampons worth of blood. There are three layers, the first takes away moisture, fights bacteria and stops smells, the middle layer absorbs the fluid and the final layer is extra waterproof protection. When you’ve used the period underwear, you rinse it with cold water before putting them on a gentle cycle and letting them air-dry. Once they’re dry, you’re good to go!
The thing that surprised me most about the period underwear was how comfy they are – they don’t feel bulky AT ALL! The high-waist bikini and the classic bikini pretty much feel like you’re wearing normal underwear and you don’t get that wet ‘I’m sitting in my own blood’ feeling that I got when I was wearing the reusable pads. I was really surprised by how quickly the blood was absorbed.
The thing I was most worried about was how on earth I was going to know when they needed changing. I haven’t worn tampons for probably half a year now, so I had no idea when my flow would fill two tampons worth! But, after about 8/9 hours of wearing one of the underwear, I started to notice that it wasn’t feeling quite as dry and my brain was screaming at me to change it. That could just be my paranoia and me not being used to wearing them, but I think I just intuitively knew when it was time to change them. But I could be wrong.
What I will say about this underwear is that you don’t get that feeling of forgetting you’re on your period. Because I’m able to leave in a cup for twelve hours and not feel the blood leaving my body, it’s very easy to forget my period is actually happening. With the underwear, you obviously don’t get that and I found myself being much more aware that I was on my period.
I found that I much preferred using the period underwear as an extra safety precaution when using my menstrual cup. I’m still getting used to it and sometimes I don’t insert it properly without knowing, and putting these on as a backup made me feel a whole lot more secure and less worried about leaks. Despite the cramps and the emotions making me cry at pretty much everything, my period using both the period underwear and the menstrual cup was a painless experience.
To summaries, I’m going to list the positives and negatives of the period underwear. Because, like everything, there is a mix of both!
Positives:
- Obviously, it’s a whole lot better for the environment than disposables.
- No bulky feeling! You pretty much feel like you’re wearing normal underwear!
- Super comfy. If you’re toying with the idea of either getting period underwear or reusable pads for the love of God go for period underwear! They are a MILLION times better.
- Absolutely great for people who don’t want to use a menstrual cup. I personally use them both hand in hand but these 100% work on their own
Negatives:
- You will need to buy quite a few of them. This may not be a problem for some people, but in my personal opinion, you will need around five if you have a moderate flow if you don’t want to spend the entirety of your period by the washing machine!
- Are more expensive. With each underwear costing around £20, it can be quite expensive to get all of the pairs you need in one go. Of course, you will save money in the long haul (and the planet) but, personally, I think this is a transition you will have to make gradually if you’re on a budget.
- Not as hassle-free as some other products. I had to think about my period a lot more when wearing these. I had to change them more regularly and had to remember to wash them. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just something to bear in mind.
- You do get that ‘waterfall’ feeling. I personally really really hate this feeling. But if the feeling of blood leaving your body doesn’t both you, then this product is great!
To summarise, I think ModiBodi is an absolutely brilliant product, and its 100% going to use it again, but it’s not going to be the main thing I use. For me, these will be a backup for when I have my cup in and what I wear in the lead up to my period when I’m not 100% sure when it’s going to arrive. That’s just the way they will work best for me. I’ve had so many conversations with people saying how they want to switch to more sustainable options but hate the idea of a menstrual cup. And to that, I say try these! They’re super comfortable and a far superior sustainable option than reusable pads. They will take a bit of getting used to of course, but I fully believe that once you try these, you will never go back to disposables again!
Just so you know they do a 30-day trial and I have a cheeky little discount code for you for 15% off use ‘Bronte15’ at checkout if you want to buy.
