This is a post about period underwear, so first of all, if periods gross you out, you’re gonna need to get over that. The majority of uterus-owners that you know have experienced menstruation for much of their lifetime, so I encourage you to read this review even if you don’t think it applies to you. | Photos by Ali V.

So, let’s talk.

Over the past few months, I’ve been seeing ads on my Facebook about period underwear called Thinx (read: very effective target marketing). Period underwear is exactly what it sounds like– it’s underwear you wear on your period. It’s designed so that you don’t have to wear a pad, tampon or cup, though you can absolutely just wear them as backup.

I’d seen a couple of reviews on Buzzfeed and another website that starts with B. I wanted to review Thinx to see if they’d hold up to my adventurous lifestyle (and yours). I wanted to know if they felt gross. I wanted to know if this would forever change my period routine. I emailed Thinx and they agreed to be best friends forever (or to send me a couple of pairs of underwear).

Two pairs of Thinx came in the mail and I was never so excited to get my period. They suggest on their packaging that maybe I have actually been more excited to get my period. And on second thought, they’re right.

Anyway, I got a hiphugger and a thong style, thinking that I’d have a pair to try on both heavier and lighter days.

Once they arrived, I obviously rushed to try them on. This underwear is soft, kinda silky, sexy and feels awesome. You can tell there’s a little something in terms of padding, but no, it doesn’t feel like a diaper.

DAY 1

The first day of my period was pretty light, and I didn’t change into Thinx until I got home. I decided to wear the hiphugger overnight.

Usually I wear my Lunette cup around the clock on my period, so it was nice to not have to worry about leaks. It seemed counter-intuitive to just…wing it… but sure enough I woke up and the Thinx did its job.

DAY 2

The second day of my period is typically heavy, and since the hiphugger was now in the wash, I wore the thong as backup for my cup. The padding on this is so light that I forgot I was wearing it. Backup you don’t even know about is a WIN!

At this point, I think to myself that I could wear Thinx when I’m not on my period… just ‘cuz they’re comfy.

DAYS 3 & 4

Once I had the general idea of how Thinx were going to work for me, I rotated wearing the hiphugger and the thong-as-backup.

When I wore just the hiphugger, I didn’t feel like I was sitting in soggy underwear, but I didn’t feel totally dry– and this isn’t a negative thing, just something I want to mention. This should not deter you from trying these!

I wore the thong to yoga and hiking without backup. It went great. It’s a strange feeling knowing that I’m on my period and knowing that I’m not wearing a pad/tampon/cup. It reminds me of skinny dipping or wearing a maxi dress. Anyway, the thong was definitely enough coverage for a few hours of activity. This depends on your flow.

DAY 5

Typically my periods only last 5 days, so today was a lighter day. Once the thong was dry from washing it, that’s all I wore. I went to work, walked around, sat down, stood up, did things. Thinx has my trust.

BUT ARE THEY GROSS?

 

Nope. Not gross. They explain it well.

 

 HOW DO YOU WASH THEM?

 

It’s pretty simple really. I will probably pick up a few more pairs so I don’t have to think about dry time, but they do dry overnight if you need ’em for the next day!

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VERDICT

Believe the hype!

I will continue to use my Lunette during the day, but will switch to the Thinx hiphugger at night, plus the thong for activities like yoga and hiking on lighter days. It’s really, really nice to have a pair of underwear that does the job of a pad. It’s really nice to not have to worry about it. And it’s really nice that those underwear happen to be comfortable and beautiful looking as well.

Thank you, Thinx, not only for creating this innovative product, but for opening up a conversation about periods that needed to happen, and that needs to happen every single day. We have been taught that periods are a shameful thing, something we shouldn’t talk about. What Thinx (and the people behind it– lookin’ at you, Miki Agrawal) is doing is incredibly important. Let’s have the damn conversation already.

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Other things I recommend for your period:

THERE ARE PERIOD APPS

Generally, if something is not in my calendar, it does not exist. This would include my periods, however my body doesn’t sync up to my Gmail, so Kindara is a great app to help me pay attention. I use Kindara to track my periods. It’ll also show you your most fertile days, plus you’ll never have to say “two weeks ago” to the gyno again. Unless your last period was actually two weeks ago.

MENSTRUAL CUP

A menstrual cup is a re-usable silicone cup to use as an alternative to tampons. I have been using a DivaCup or Lunette for five years due to rumors and eventually scary facts about tampons. Give it a couple of cycles to get used to it and be patient. This is also what I use when I’m camping– beats packing out a bunch of tampons. Plus, you save money and there is no waste. Party time! There are two sizes, so make sure you get the right one for you. Amazon has ’em at a good price here, or pick one up at REI here.

 

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As always, I love to hear from you, so feel free to let me know what you think about this review!

Photos by Ali V. Find her on Instagram at @alisonvagnini.