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9 Of The Best Menstrual Cups For A Zero-Waste Period
Ditch disposable tampons and pads for good with the help of these eco alternatives.
We’re all for making changes to our beauty routines to make them more sustainable, whether that be ditching cotton pads for reusable options or cutting down our water wastage. But period pollution is also a huge eco issue that we should be focusing on as well.
Roughly 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million pads are flushed or disposed of every day here in the UK, making for a staggering amount of waste. Enter the menstrual cup…
Not only can they hold more blood than your average tampon or pad (meaning less toilet trips for you), but one cup can last up to 10 years if looked after properly. This means both a reduction in period pollution and in the money you spend on sanitary products every month.
Not sure which is the best menstrual cup to invest in? We’ve tried and tested the top options available to make your decision that little bit easier:
- Best Menstrual Cup: Saalt Soft Menstrual Cup
- Best For Easy Insertion: BeYou Menstrual Cup
- Best For Active Days: Mooncup Reusable Menstrual Cup
- Best For Post-Birth: Intimina Lily Cup
- Best For Seamless Wear: Bettercup
- Best For Travel: Boots Menstrual Cup Pre-Birth
- Best Value For Money: Hey Girls Menstrual Cup
- Best For Comfort: &Sisters Nudie Period Cup
- Best For Fit: OrganiCup The Menstrual Cup
What is a menstrual cup and how do you use it?
Usually made from silicone or latex rubber - all of the ones on our list are made from 100% medical grade silicone - these flexible cups work in a similar way to tampons but collect blood, rather than absorb it, meaning you can wash and reuse them.
Once inserted, the cup should sit just below your cervix for ultimate comfort. The average cup will keep you covered for up to 12 hours - a few hours more than your normal sanitary product - which means you can sleep soundly without having to get up to change it in the middle of the night.
What are the benefits of a menstrual cup?
Yes, the initial upfront cost of a cup is more expensive than a box of tampons or pack of pads, but in the long run you’ll be saving a lot. The average person spends £128 per year on sanitary products, but the average menstrual cup will cost you around £20, and if cared for properly can last you up to a decade.
Not to mention, you’ll also be eliminating a lot of waste that would have either ended up in landfills or flushed down the pipes (200,000 tonnes per year to be precise).
There’s no string or bulky pad design either, so you may find a menstrual cup is more discreet to wear. You can also feel confident using one when exercising, swimming, or sunbathing on the beach (remember them?), as their suction design helps to prevent leakage.
How we test
In order to find the best menstrual cup, our panel of 110 testers tried nine leading brands, assessing how comfortable and easy each one was to wear, insert and remove during their period.
They judged how clear the instructions were before use, as well as how discreet the cup felt to wear, and whether they experienced any leakage. They also reported back on how comfortable they were to wear for the recommended amount of time, how confident they felt in public, as well as how easy it was to clean and re-insert.
These are the best menstrual cups we tried…
Saalt Soft Menstrual Cup
Creating period products that are healthy for you and the planet, Saalt’s menstrual cup impressed us the most. The majority of our testers said it successfully protected against leaks and was comfortable to insert and use. Holding up to three tampons’ worth of liquid, you can keep it in place for up to 12 hours, meaning you can focus on the day ahead.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 12 hours
Diameter: Small; 4.1cm, regular; 4.6cm
Length: 7cm
Suitable for: Small;pre-birth, regular;post-birth (separate teen cup available).
BeYou Menstrual Cup
We’ll be the first to admit that the thought of inserting a menstrual cup initially put us off trying, but this product will change your mind. Brilliant for first-timers, all testers praised how easy this cup was to insert, with the majority saying it didn’t cause any discomfort or restrictions while wearing either.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 12 hours
Diameter: 4.5cm
Length: 7cm
Suitable for: Medium; pre-birth or under 25 yrs, large; post-birth or over 25 yrs.
Mooncup Reusable Menstrual Cup
Mooncup Reusable Menstrual Cup
This was the first menstrual cup to hit the mainstream market, and we found it lived up to its legacy. It’s the best option for any exercise addicts too, as the cup remains comfortable and secure. There were no reports of pain or irritation during usage, removal or insertion either, making the Mooncup a top fuss-free choice.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 8 hours
Diameter: Small/size B; 4.3cm, regular/size A; 4.6cm
Length: 5cm
Suitable for: Size b; pre-birth or under 30 yrs, size a; post-birth or over 30 yrs.
Intimina Lily Cup
We loved how discreet this cup was to wear and how easy it was to clean, but its bigger size makes it best suited to post-birth periods. Compared to other cups here, the material is also harder, which does make it more secure but lost it points on the comfort front.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 12 hours
Diameter: Size A; 4cm, size B; 4.35cm
Length: 7.8cm
Suitable for: Size A; pre-birth, size B; post-birth
Bettercup
Bettercup claims to safely collect liquid without causing any dryness or irritation. It scored the highest when it came to how secure our testers felt, with nearly all saying they trusted it enough to wear out. It’s comfortable, too.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 12 hours
Diameter: Size A; 4.3cm, size B; 4.6cm
Length: Size A; 6.3cm, size B; 6.6cm
Suitable for: Size A; under 25 yrs, size B; over 25 yrs or given birth vaginally
Boots Menstrual Cup Pre-Birth
Here’s one to keep in your handbag so you don't get caught out. It’s slightly bulkier than the others, so it may look a little daunting at first, but over half of our testers said it was the ideal fit.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 8 hours
Diameter: Size A; 4.2cm
Length: Size A; 6.4cm
Suitable for: Size A; pre-birth or under 30 yrs
Hey Girls Menstrual Cup
Not all menstrual cups are expensive. This one costs less than £10 and will last for up to ten years, if looked after properly. We recommend this cup to anyone who’s used them before, as although we found it comfortable to wear, it was tricky to insert and remove at first.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 12 hours
Diameter: Small; 4cm, large; 4.5cm
Length: Small; 7cm, large; 7.5cm
Suitable for: Small; pre-birth or under 25 yrs, large; post-birth or over 25 yrs.
&Sisters Nudie Period Cup
&Sisters Nudie Period Cup
A favourite among our testers for its soft, flexible material, which made it comfortable to wear, nearly all also said it felt secure. The only thing that let it down was its 'easy to hold' design, which turned out not to be so easy when it came to removal. Bear with it though, and you'll soon get the hang of it.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 12 hours
Diameter: Small; 3.8cm, medium; 4.2cm, large; 4.6cm
Length: Small; 5.6cm, medium; 6.1cm, large; 6.6cm
Suitable for: Small; teenagers, medium; pre-birth or under 30 yrs, large; post-birth or over 30 yrs.
OrganiCup The Menstrual Cup
Whether you’re an avid swimmer or a restless sleeper, this cup promises to stay put day or night, no matter the activity. Almost all said it was a perfect fit, but it wasn’t the best on this list when it came to preventing leaks. Despite not being fully leakproof (which is difficult to achieve considering we are all different shapes and sizes), nearly all testers said they will continue to use it.
Key specifications
Protection: Up to 12 hours
Diameter: Mini; 3.7cm, size A; 4cm, size B, 4.5cm
Length: Mini; 5.8cm, size A; 6.5cm, size B, 7cm
Suitable for: Mini; teenagers, size A; pre-birth, size B, post-birth
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