Although menstrual cups have actually been around since the 1930s, they’ve been slow to catch on. Like many environmental products they receive little advertising time and of course they don’t make constant revenue for big business like tampons and pads so they’re less likely to be promoted.  However menstrual cups are becoming increasingly popular and it’s not hard to see why.

14 reasons why all female travellers need menstrual cups

1. Most cups cost between £20-30 and they can last up to a decade! For those of us on a budget that’s amazing!
2. Unlike tampons and pads, even organic ones, they leave no footprint. There’s no waste produced from the actual cups.
3. Once you’ve got the hang of them,  cups are super easy to use, even if you’re in a shared dorm or using public toilets.
4. Cups are 100% re-usable. You don’t have to go through the embarrassment of searching shops looking for sanitary products.
5. To clean them, you simply boil them in a pan or in the kettle (with a little bi-carb) and they’re spotlessly clean.
6. Cups have longer change times than pads and tampons and you can leave them in for 12 hours. This is perfect for travelling, especially flights and car trips. This makes them totally manageable on the road and much less discrete than having to take tampons & pads into the toilets with you.
7. Cups do not dry out the vagina like tampons do. If you’re at the end of your period you can insert a cup with a little water or coconut oil.
8. Because it’s made of silicone it contains no bleach or harmful substances such as glyphosate that will poison you.
9. A menstrual cup can hold 30ml/1 ounce of liquid, roughly twice the amount of a super-absorbent tampon or pad.
10. You can have mess-free sex whilst wearing your cup. Your partner can’t feel them and there’s no blood to worry about at the end.
11. Menstrual blood can start to smell when it’s exposed to air but your cup forms an airtight seal meaning there is far less odour.
12. Scientists say cups are safer than a tampon, because there’s a lower risk of toxic shock syndrome.
13. You can continue your normal life with regards to travel, exercise, hanging upside down, swimming & pretty much everything.
14. It’s tiny and takes up no room in your bag.

14 reasons why al female travellers should have a menstrual cup! Click To Tweet

Some of the Best Menstrual Cups on the Market

I currently use a DivaCup but I’ve also used a Mooncup. There are loads on the market but here’s some of the best cups we’ve found so far.

Blossom Cup – The cheapest cup I’ve found so far at £5.89

GRRL Cup – At £8 this is also a great and cheap cup to buy

Athena Cup– £14.95. These guys even offer a refund if you’re not happy with your cup which also comes in green!

Moon cup – £19

AIWO cup – An almost see-through cup with a release valve. Priced £19.99

Organicup – What I love about the Organi is that they specifically make a cup for teenagers. The larger cup is £17.50

Intimina Cup – With a ring on the end, this cup is more unusual in aesthetic appearance & costs £16.99.

DivaCup – £24

Lunette – This Finnish company offers the cups for £24.77 & it comes in a range of psychedelic colours including neon orange and yellow.

Caring Panda – £26.95

Intimina Ziggy Cup – £29.74 boasts to be the slimmest on the market

How to clean the menstrual cup on the road

Usually I wash the cup in the sink before boiling it in a pan or in the kettle before replacing it in its carry-bag. If the cup is a little stained, I add in a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and boil it with that. It makes it very clean!

However I just discovered a collapsible sterilising cup by YSAGI that allows for transporting and cleaning in it. You can fill it with boiling water & leave it for 3 minutes or fill it with sterilising liquid. I have ordered one and am awaiting the delivery.

Really Don’t Want To Try A Cup?

If I haven’t convinced you to try a cup, why not have a look at this range of absorbent, period proof underwear. You just use, wash and use again!

• THINX
• ModiBodi
• Flux Undies

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