Another review, but this time, it's good!
Ok folks, she’s fully in review mode now.
After my brief stint on Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s vitamins, I remembered that I was due to get my period in a few days. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to finally try a menstrual cup. When in Rome!
I’m not entirely sure why it took me so long to try any kind of menstrual cup. I’m a pretty loyal Knix and Thinx customer, as I’ve always been one to leak at night during my period. I probably wouldn’t have sprung on the purchase had it not been for our recent feature on the hidden chemicals in menstrual products that got me wondering just how many harsh chemicals I was exposing myself to without even fully being aware of their source or long-term impact. Also— I really am never in the mood to spend ~$50 on a menstrual solution, and I wouldn’t have continued to buy Knix and Thinx products if it weren’t for the fact that my first exposure to them was via Christmas gift. Usually, the best gifts are things you probably need but would never buy for yourself. I can confidently say that is the case with the Cora cup— but let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Here’s what really happened during my first-ever trial.
Courtesy of the author
Before making the purchase, I asked around to find out if there were any brands of menstrual cup I should avoid, and best practices and tips for insertion, etc. One of my coworkers was gracious enough to warn me about the dangers of *pinching my cervix* during insertion and removal. To avoid this, I got a cup that was a little smaller than the standard size and made sure to pay attention to the different shapes available on the market. The Cora cup seemed like it didn’t have too big of a top rim and therefore would maybe be less likely to seal itself on my cervix in a way that causes some kind of painful vacuum seal? I don’t know, this was just my logic at the time.
When I got the cup in the mail, I was impressed by the packaging and the brand language used by Cora. Nothing irks me more than when companies use brand-speak to talk down to women and characterize our anatomy with weird analogies and nicknames for things. Whenever possible, please talk to me like an adult. Cora did that!
The instructions were a little scary. They illustrated a guide on different ways one could insert the cup safely which led me to believe that there were a few unsafe and potentially painful ways to do so. I went with the standard method of insertion which involved identifying the cup’s thumb divot, folding the cup vertically in half, and slowly guiding the pinched cup into myself. The first time I did this, I accidentally let it slip and it shot into me like a vacuum, effectively punching my cervix and causing me to yell aloud. It was horrible. Immediately I was like “fuck this” but I promised the world a review and dammit, I was committed to seeing this through.
After that small, painful hiccup, I quickly figured out the whole deal. I put it in, forgot about it, and before I knew it, it was bedtime. I was really dreading the whole routine of removing/ dumping the full cup, rinsing it, and re-inserting it. I was SHOCKED when I removed it and it just kinda... gushed out. It was a little sickening but I was impressed that the cup was able to retain that much menstrual fluid without any leaking or internal feelings of fullness and discomfort. That's probably what stuck out to me the most. I'm not a pad girl, and therefore I use tampons and the period underwear combo as my go-to period regimen. People who menstruate know that there are few things more uncomfortable than a dry tampon or a soaking-wet tampon that needs badly to be changed. Once the Cora cup is in, it's almost entirely undetectable (internally) regardless of how full or empty it is.
Now that I've used the Cora cup for a week, I can confidently say that I'm never going back to tampons if I don't have to. Sure, there will be times when I need an emergency tampon or inevitably forget where I've placed the cup after weeks without menstruating, but I really can't see myself doing tampons the way I used to– ESPECIALLY knowing that the chemicals inside them are soaking into the most sensitive part of my body. Hopefully, silicon is truly a healthier alternative, because it certainly feels more healthy and comfortable. I likely won't ditch the period underwear quite yet, as sometimes the heavier flows have a mind of their own, but who knows, maybe this is a whole new chapter in my life! I'm excited to continue using this cup and have worry-free periods.