There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
On Trial: Flex Menstrual Cup
Tester: Jennifer Hussein, a beauty editor who, like many people, gets her period
The Brief: You know that one scene in Mean Girls where one student shouts, “It’s not my fault I have a wide-set vagina and a heavy flow?" Yeah, I think that hit many of us a little too personally. I for one am not afraid to announce that I have pretty intense monthly visits from Aunt Flo, and I need the perfect period artillery to keep me and my white sheets intact.
The good news is that now, there are tons of options out there for period maintenance — but a lot of them come with some strings attached (pun intended). Pads can feel bulky, period panties just feel risky on heavier days, and while tampons are convenient, they're heavily associated with the sometimes-fatal toxic shock syndrome, plus they're pretty wasteful and pricey.
So, that's why I decided to make the switch to a menstrual cup, which is exactly what it sounds like: a silicone cup that catches period blood instead of soaking it up like tampons or pads, which can be cleaned and reused for many periods to come, saving the Earth of excess pollution and your wallet of excess spending (you can learn more about them here). But, I didn't switch to just any cup — I found the Flex Cup, a revolutionary menstrual cup that changes the game on everything you once thought about messy periods.
The science is simple: Unlike other menstrual cup options, this cup is superior for its tampon-like string, which shuts the cup closed when you pull it out. What does that mean? No more messes when you're emptying your cup.
But what also makes this menstrual cup so intriguing is the fact that it's made out of an easy-to-clean medical-grade silicone. Also, this cup is FDA-registered, hypoallergenic, BPA- and phthalate-free, and made without natural rubber latex. The brand also makes a disc, which is a single-use disposable option that can be worn during penetrative sex — but since I'm not planning to have sex anytime soon, I decided to make a switch to the more sustainable option.
This cup comes in two sizes: a slim fit for lighter days (it can hold about two super-sized tampons' worth of blood), and a full fit (about the equivalent of three super-sized tampons) for days when you need extra support. The first time I tried this cup out, I decided to start with the full cup since my first day is always the heaviest. I was intimidated at first, but it's actually pretty easy to insert. I'm obviously not going to show you, but there's a diagram on Flex's website for you to check out if you need some visual guidance.
At first, it felt a little weird to have it in, but once it self-adjusted into the right position, I almost forgot I had my period. As the day went on, I only needed to empty my cup twice — and the cup never runneth over! While most people expect a similar scenario to the red wedding from Game of Thrones when they remove a menstrual cup, the tampon-like string that shuts the Flex cup closed actually prevents any mess during extraction. Pulling the string allows you to neatly pour everything out, rinse it off for 20 seconds, and then pop it right back in.
So, it's all fine and dandy during the day, but what about at night? We've all encountered at least one run-in with period-stained sheets. However, after switching to this cup, I haven't had a single accident — even when I'm in the deepest, longest slumber. And when your period is over, disinfecting the Flex cup is a total breeze: Wash it off with soap and water, boil it for 10 minutes, and stow it away in its carrying case until the next time Mother Nature decides to stop by.
The Closing Argument: If you're looking for a sustainable, easy-to-use, and mess-free alternative to maintaining your period, then you need to try the Flex cup. It's beginner-friendly, foolproof, and keeps your period from ruining your week — what else could you ask for?
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