There are so many reasons to choose a menstrual cup over the alternatives.

Save your plans

Here’s the dream: imagine living your life without having to plan around your period. That’s the vision that menstrual cups offer. Menstrual cups give you all the same freedoms as tampons with additional health and environmental benefits. Because menstrual cups are inserted into the vagina below the cervix, it can feel like you aren’t wearing anything at all. At the same time, you can participate in any physical activity or swimming with no fear of leaks. In fact, there is even cups that can be used during sexual intercourse (see the Softcup).

Save your underwear

It’s simple and discrete to carry with you everywhere so you’ll always have a reliable form of menstrual protection on hand. There are even cups that become so small that there’s no excuse not to have it with you everywhere. If you’re curious about cups that are designed for portability, check out Intima Lily Compact.

Save your body

Because the cups are made of silicone which inhibits bacterial growth, it can be safe to wear a menstrual cup when it would be risky to wear a tampon. One example is that you can wear a menstrual cup to bed with no fear of morning leaks and no worries about toxic shock syndrome.

Save the environment

Of course, you get some of those benefits with tampons. But tampons generate tons of waste everyday, clogging septic tanks and requiring special disposal procedures for delicate plumbing. Pads are even worse. Menstrual cups are durable and reusable. So you can buy one cup and use it for (often) up to 10 years. That could be 120 periods. Imagine how many tampons you would use during that time.

Save money

Along with the waste comes the cost. Disposable menstrual products are expensive, and you have to buy them every month. A menstrual cup eliminates that recurring cost.

The caveats

The biggest fear most people have (understandably) is that they won’t be able to handle their own fluids or that they’ll have trouble in certain situations that they’ve already figured out with their other menstrual protection. Never fear! You can overcome those tricky situations with a menstrual cup as well.

You may also be worried about how to choose among the many options available to you. We have some advice about how to choose a menstrual cup.