Femmecup Description and Review

Inside of the package: A window cling sticker, a paper sticker
to stick on a public toilet, the Femmecup in its pouch,
instructions,as well as a small flyer for Femmewash.

I received a fun package from London this evening! It was quite the fun pack.... I want to THANK the Femmecup company for sending me their product to try out and review. 

I especially appreciated how everything in the mailer was 100% biodegradable. It's nice when a company sells an eco-friendly product and their packaging and mailing material support the same cause. 

The first thing I noticed about the Femmecup is that it is a one size fits all cup. I, personally, haven't seen any other cups marketed that way. I am a mother of two children who were both delivered vaginally so I have always been in the large or size two category. I am quite curious to see how this one fits me. The difference between sizes for most companies is usually measured in millimeters and milliliters so I imagine it won't make too much of a difference.

Go to their website: http://www.femmecup.com/

I love their marketing material... the window cling sticker says, "I <3 femmecup.com" and the toilet sticker says "Forget Tampons! www.femmecup.com Femmecup is the future of sanitary products". On the back of the sticker (which is actually the side I photographed, above) it says, "Please use this sticker to tell more women about Femmecup. Apply it to the back of a toilet near you. THANK YOU. Always ask the toilet owners permission before applying".I have always wanted a toilet sticker to help spread the word about menstrual cups, so thanks Femmecup!!!

The Femmecup is one of a kind in several ways, starting with its unique design. We'll start from the bottom (stem) up. Femmecup has quite a short stem. As you can see from the photo on the left, the grip lines on this cup come in a spiral design that continues all the way down through the stem. You can't really tell from the photo but the lines are pronounced and efficient enough to grip the cup when it's slippery.

This is a low capacity cup. The top measurement line says 10 ml. and the suction release holes are just above that. I'd say that at max capacity it would hold 12 ml but that would be AT the suction release holes.

One of the most unique things I noticed about this cup is the fact that the rim of it is firm and sturdy and the body is soft and thin.

As you can see from the photo on the right, Femmecup's rim is quite pronounced. This design point makes for easy use. As well as the unique design, I really appreciate the large holes that the cup has. This is a plus for me because along with making cleaning the cup much easier, it also helps the cup pop open and create a suction. The larger holes allow air to get into the cup for it to open up completely. I would say, this is the top two easiest cup for me to insert and get a proper seal in the quickest amount of time. I would have this be an out and about cup for that reason. The few times I have had to do a quick empty, rinse, reinsert I have had cups that need more negotiating and I was in the bathroom for up to 5 minutes. That can get embarrassing because people wonder why you're in the bathroom for so long! Ha!!

When I inserted my new Femmecup, I went with the "7 Fold", I knew it would work out because of the firmness of the rim. I've learned, cups with a more "springy action" can handle the "7 Fold". I would dare to say that this would be the best fold for this cup and let me tell you why. When you try the "C Fold" and hold the base of the cup it opens up  before you have a chance to insert it because the base is so soft. Using the "7" allows you to hold part of the firm rim at the base.

When removing, this cup is a breeze. Again, thanks to the larger suction release holes, and them being  pretty far down, it mostly breaks the seal on its own when you pull it out slowly. You will still want to pinch the cup slightly to make the removal as comfortable as possible but I found this cups removal to be the easiest of all.

As far as I know, most women cut the stem off of their cups so the short stem on the Femmecup should be a perk.

Follow Femmecup on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/femmecup

Overall, I would definitely recommend this cup to women. My opinion is that this cup would be best suited for a first time user, teens, or someone with a lighter flow. This is a petite cup and I found it to be very comfortable!

If I were to rate the Femmecup, I would give it 7 out of 10 stars...

If you have any questions regarding the Femmecup, feel free to email me or leave a comment on my blog.











Thanks for reading!
xo -S

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Changes in my cycle since the switch...

 Since I made the switch from tampons to menstrual cups in June, I have noticed a significant change in my cycle. All my life I have suffered with extremely painful cramps throughout most of my cycle that I would always compare to labor pain, a severely heavy flow that would require me to change my tampon every 50-60 minutes on my worst two days, and a LONG period that would sometimes last 7 or 8 days. This is how it was for my mother, my grandmother who even had a hysterectomy, and my sister so I just dealt with it. 

I always dreaded my period because I knew I would be "out of commission" for almost a week of it. I would get migraines that would put me in bed. One day I would bleed so heavily that all I could do is sit. I was afraid to lift anything because I didn't want to gush blood. During my cycle, it was always less of a "flow" and more clotting and I assume that had something to do with the amount of pain I was in. Also, I had leaks DAILY. At least once a day I would have a gush that would overflow the tampon and cause me to bleed out. I couldn't dedicate my life to standing by the bathroom to make sure I didn't leak. In no exaggeration I contemplated asking my gynecologist if I could get a hysterectomy like my grandmother had but I doubted that "they" still did those unless it was for an extreme reason. 

For me, there was this obligation to just deal with the pain, discomfort, and inconvenience because EVERY woman deals with it. How can I be complaining? 

In an earlier entry I talked about when I started my period, what options were available to me, and how I discovered the menstrual cup... please refer back to those if you feel like I am missing "a middle" in this entry.

So, getting back to my point... I have noticed a significant change in my cycle.

Photo credit: Unknown. If you own this photo, please  email
me so I can give you credit.

The first cycle I used my cup for was so heavy. I had to empty my cup every 3 hours or so, even through the night. I'm not complaining because that was a huge improvement in my opinion! One or two nights while on my period I didn't get good sleep, but I never got good sleep while on my period and often had to shower in the middle of the night because of the inadequacies of tampons. I noticed clotting in my flow still and it was quite heavy. The one major difference I noticed right away during that first cycle with my cup that I had barely any cramps. I think I told my husband and friends that my cramps were diminished by 80% and that was enough of an improvement for me to continue to lose sleep because I wasn't in horrible pain. 

I have had four successful cycles using a menstrual cup and have had only one major leak and it was because I didn't assure that my seal was in place before leaving the bathroom. Again, reading my story, you will know that this is a freaking miracle!

My period has become more and more tolerable. I still have minimal cramps. This cycle, I had about 2 hours of cramping but it was minimal and it was the first night my period started. I don't have the big blood clots any longer. I have only seen one or two over the four months and they were smaller than a grape. My cycle has progressively gotten lighter! This cycle freaked me out because it was LIGHT. I haven't filled up my cup once. I am still paranoid and check my cup frequently to make sure it's not full but it was almost empty each time. I think I will gain more trust as the months go by...

One of the biggest differences I have noticed since using a menstrual cup is the knowledge and familiarity I have of my anatomy and my cycle. For the first time ever I have felt my cervix move throughout my cycle. I know how much I am bleeding and I know the consistency of my blood. I find that empowering. I have always felt like my period ran my life and now I feel in control. 

After several months without using tampons I have realized how much my body hated them. I would suggest that every woman at least try switching to reusable menstrual cups. I'm not saying that every woman will love using a cup, I realize it's not for everyone but I can say with 100% certainty that every woman will gain something by trying. Our bodies aren't meant to be stuffed with cotton and chemicals.

If you have had success using a menstrual cup, please comment on my blog. Include your favorite product, how long you've been using it, and what made you switch.

Thanks for reading!
xo -S

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The Bella Cup

This evening, I received my Bella cup. I was so excited because I had heard so many great things about this particular cup. THANK YOU Bella for sending me your cup to try out and review. 

If you go to the Bella website: http://www.bellacup.co.kr/ you will find a beautiful color scheme and a simple and easy to follow layout. You will also see the benefits of using a Bella cup over disposable tampons and pads. Overall, I think their website is useful and user friendly.

This cup hails all the way from Korea. It traveled a long way to my California home, including a stop at Customs. :) I think their packaging is really pretty. It follows the same color scheme as you find on the website. The small green and peach box includes the brand name, Bella in several colors on the side of the box. They put a seal sticker with the size name on the opening of the box to be sure that the box hasn't been opened after it was boxed. Also, the box is recyclable! That is a bonus since one of the many benefits to women using menstrual cups is lessening the impact we have on the environment. 

When I ordered my Bella cup, I was given the option between small or large & gray pouch or green pouch. Obviously, I chose a large cup and a gray pouch. If you've read my blog, you'll know that the pouch is one of the things I look forward. I'm a girl, what do you expect? I think it's an important accessory to the cup because it is what is going to keep it clean in my purse. Okay, back on track. I ordered the gray pouch, it's light gray. What's interesting about this pouch is it's unconventional material. This pouch is made of a thick, suede material with the word Bella embossed on one side. 

At first glance, I really like the clean, simple presentation of the Bella brand. Even the cup has the same simple, streamlined design. I love that. I think the best word to describe it would be, understated. 

The cup... lets talk about the cup. My favorite thing about the Bella cup is the fact that the inside of it doesn't have any raised writing in it. This is something I particularly love because it makes it easier to keep the cup clean. There is writing (the word bella) inside of the cup but it is embossed, not raised. There are no measurement lines inside but the website states that the large Bella can hold 30 ml of menstrual fluid. That translates to 1 fluid ounce. I would call that a high capacity cup. Which is great for me! 

This is a very soft cup. I love the feel of it it's so squishy and to me, that means it's going to be super comfortable. The only issue is that I have a hard time getting really soft cups to pop open once inserted. Quite honestly, this is one of the hardest cups for me to get to create a seal inside of me. 

It took quite a bit of negotiating and maneuvering before I was able to create a good seal that I was confident about.  Once the cup is in, it is very comfortable! What I've learned about my anatomy is that I can wear any cup. My body isn't super finicky  in that way. So, the determining factor in me choosing a cup, or my favorite cup for that matter is going to be ease of insertion. The only thing that would keep this cup from being my favorite would be how difficult it was for me to get it to pop open. I know several people who prefer a softer cup and I'm sure this would be a non-issue for them. 

The cup has four holes towards to top of the cup, two one either side of the cup. This allows for maximum capacity. The holes are small so the way I get them clean is to fill the cup with hot water, hold my hand covering the top and squeeze so the water squirts out through the holes. I do this until the holes are clear and clean.

At the bottom of the cup, there are no grip lines. There are only embossed lines with a little bit of texture. This might make removal challenging for someone who cuts the stem completely off but it will not make it impossible. 

The Bella's stem is unlike any other stem I've seen. It has the same embossed  texture as you'll see throughout the cup but it is also bubbly (the best word I can think of). The stem itself looks like a bunch of bubbles stacked on top of each other. IF you kept the stem on, it is quite helpful for removal. The stem also has some stretch to it.  Since the stem is so pliable, even if the stem sticks out a bit it will still be comfortable.

During my trial, I slept all night with the Bella. I was able to sleep 6 hours without getting up to empty. Due to my heavy flow, I normally get up 3 to 4 times a night to empty, rinse, and reinsert. This is a major bonus for the Bella brand. Me being able to sleep for 6 hours made me an automatic fan of the Bella cup even if I know this isn't my soul mate cup. 

I would recommend this cup to anyone who prefers a soft cup with a high capacity. I would not recommend this as someone's first cup, simply because it was a challenge for me to get it to pop open and seal properly and I am more experienced than someone trying a cup for the first time. 

After using the Bella cup, I've learned that for my anatomy and cycle, I really need a firmer cup. That does NOT mean that this isn't a great cup, it just isn't my ideal cup. With that said, I see a LOT of positive things about this cup that would make is a wonderful, comfortable cup for someone. 

Overall, I would give the Bella cup 7 out of 10 stars. My top 3 favorite things about this cup are: the capacity, the stem, and the fact that the writing on the inside of the cup is embossed which makes for easy rinsing and cleaning. 

If you have any questions regarding the Bella cup, please email me at periodbloggy@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!

xo -S

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I am not sponsored by any of the menstrual cup companies that I write about. 

The Keeper Moon Cup

Along with my Keeper, I received the Keeper Moon Cup. It is made my the same company as the Keeper. A double THANK YOU is in order for this amazing company for sending me both products to review. 

This review will be shorter than the last because I won't double up on the details concerning the company and the conversation I had with the amazing Elizabeth from Keeper. I urge you to read my previous blog to get those details.

One of the things I love and appreciate is that this is an American made product. There are so few products that are manufactured in America and I love that about this company!

Just like the Keeper, I am in love with the pouch the Keeper Moon Cup came with. It's paisley! I love paisley. Again, there is no company markings on the pouch which is very helpful when you're trying to be discrete. 

The Keeper Moon is transparent and unlike the Keeper, it is made of silicone. That's another benefit to the Keeper company, they offer both materials. 

The overall shape, markings, stem, and firmness is almost identical to the Keeper. So basically, if you are choosing between the two it will only come down to your preference in material. Personally, I prefer the gum rubber. Especially after learning how the gum rubber (latex) is harvested. It's pretty fascinating. 

I hate to keep comparing the Keeper with the Keeper Moon Cup but since they are from the same company, they are strikingly similar. Twins.

The inside of the cup has the same stability lines as the Keeper as well as the words "KEEPER MOON CUP" as photographed on the left. On the opposite side of that the words "MADE IN AMERICA". I love seeing that! The outside of this cup is completely smooth for our comfort. 

So... trying it out... again, I used the "7 Fold" which was successful again. I have never been able to insert a cup in under a minute. This is the first time! I instantly felt the seal, and confirmed it, when I used the technique provided in the literature. I twisted it and pulled on the stem a little to assure the seal was perfect.

I love the Keeper Moon Cup! I would highly recommend it to any cup user. This would even make a fantastic first cup.

 I would give it 8.5 out of 10 stars!

Please visit their website to learn more or to order your very own Keeper Moon Cup!

www.keeper.com

Thanks for reading!

xo -S

The Keeper! MY Keeper!

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to open the mailbox and see that my Keeper Cup had arrived! I want to genuinely THANK The Keeper company for sending me their cups to sample. I have to say that I haven't spoken to a more passionate, knowledgeable, FRIENDLY, company. I will always be a fan of this company for those reasons.

The Keeper company is one of the (if not THE) pioneer menstrual cup companies. Further, Keeper is an American company. The company's headquarters are in Ohio. Keeper is manufactured in America as well. This is one of the many things I appreciate about the Keeper brand. 

I am in LOVE with their slogan, "Designed by a woman, Manufactured by a woman, Marketed by a women, For women." How empowering!

My conversation with Elizabeth at The Keeper company:

When I emailed the company asking if I might be able to get a sample of their product to write about and review, I got a response right away. It was from Elizabeth at Keeper and she said that it was their practice to speak with people interested in reviewing their product. I called her right away and was so glad I did. I spoke with her for close to an hour and in that time, I learned a lot and gained a lot, as well. I learned that the material they use to make their cups is called gum rubber (latex) and it is harvested similarly to maple syrup... from a tree! Click here to see a photo of that process. Source: Wikipedia. I learned the history of the Keeper Cup company, I learned of their ethics (and completely agree with them), and I learned about the health benefits to using a menstrual cup. I finished that conversation wishing I could be friends with Elizabeth, no joke! She was passionate. She wasn't speaking from a script, she was knowledgeable and I appreciated that.

First Impression and Description:

When I looked at the product, my first impression was extremely positive. My Keeper Cup came in a cute sunflower pouch, which was exciting for me. Most companies have a solid color pouch so this was a fun surprise. The vibrant sunflowers were so fun on top of the green background. The pouch doesn't have the company name on it anywhere so if you pull this out "in public" no one would assume it's a menstrual cup...

I have to admit, any time I have seen photos or videos of The Keeper Cup I have always thought it was stiff and plastic-feeling. I was happily surprised at how soft the texture of the gum rubber was! I love, love, love the feel of the cup! This cup, unlike others, has six suction release holes.

At first, I was a little intimidated by the long, hollow stem, but it is so soft! Not soft in a flimsy way... you'd have to feel it.

The Keeper has raised lines inside, which I learned is part of the design to help the cup be more stable. They are there so the cup will not collapse under the strong vaginal wall muscles. The holes are quite far down from the top but that is fine by me. As well as the raised lines, the words "THE KEEPER" and "MADE IN USA" are also slightly raised on the inside. The outside of the cup are completely smooth, including the stem. The rim of the Keeper is quite pronounced. Overall, I like the shape of the cup. 

Originally, I thought the color of the cup would bother me. I have never been a fan of the color brown. I am more into vibrant colors. But what I realized is, when you have a fantastic product, the color is irrelevant. I love the brown. It feels earthy. 

It also came with instructions. The instructions are very simple, yet descriptive which is pleasing to me. I think some company's instruction packets can be overwhelming. The Keeper company includes really good images in the instruction packet. I read them from start to finish. One part I found interesting is that they don't actually recommend boiling your cup. They give you great tips that will keep your cup clean without compromising the integrity of the material. You can tell that they want you to get the most out of the product. The paperwork says that The Keeper will last at least 10 years!

The Keeper, in action:

I am so happy this arrived when my cycle was in full swing because I immediately sterilized it and tried it out! 

The Keeper Cup went in easier than any other cup I've used. It was a breeze. I used the "7 Fold" which I have never successfully used. I was shocked at how easily it popped open and created a seal. Once inserted, I literally could not feel the cup. 

I can definitely feel the difference from the silicone cups and the latex cup. The latex cup is so comfortable. Since this is made from a natural material, I feel better wearing it, just knowing that.

After using this cup I feel very capable of rating it...

I would give this cup 9 out of 10 stars!! Yes, I love this cup. I would recommend this cup to ANYONE. I even believe this would make a perfect first cup because of it's ease of insertion. 

Go to www.keeper.com to learn more about, and order this cup.

Thanks for reading!

xo -S

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I am not sponsored by any of the cup companies I review. I simply use their product and give my opinions.

Yuuki Menstrual Cup

So, to my surprise, I got my Yuuki Menstrual Cup in the mail today. All the way from Czech! My mailman even had to ring my doorbell and have me sign for it. I love that... Mostly because I never get mail. Ha!

I have to say a huge THANK YOU to the Yuuki company for sending me their cup to test out and review.

After doing some research on their website http://www.yuuki.cz I learned that they have a sanitary room where the cups are made. The room even has a separate entrance, anti-static floors, and even a separate air conditioner! I find that pretty impressive!

One thing I find interesting is that they have a list of disadvantages on their website. Talk about being transparent! I appreciate the information they offer on their website.

FIRST IMPRESSION

When I opened up the package, I was super surprised and excited that they sent me the Infuser as well as a Size 2 cup. I love the bright green infuser cup with the word Yuuki carved out of the lid for ventilation holes.

The infuser cup has simple instructions as well. They are photographic instructions on how to use the infuser cup. Very user friendly. The instructions are for microwave use.

The cup... the cup is the main event, right?
I have to say right off, I am super pleased with the cup. It is somewhat firm. Firmer than I'm used to but I like that. The cup is clear with measurement lines. One of the things I like most about the cup is that the holes are high up. The suction release holes are angled downwards to allow maximum capacity. The measurement lines go up to 15 ml. but the holes are far above that so I think this cup could hold at least 20 ml. That is decent capacity.

The cup is transparent. It has wonderful grip lines at the bottom, towards the stem. Speaking of the stem... I really like this stem! It is hollow and flexible. I have a feeling that I will have to trim the stem a little but not by much.

There is also an instruction pamphlet for the cup with detailed instructions in several languages including: Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Polish, and English. It has a diagram of how to do a "C Fold". There a not any diagrams to help with insertion , however, there are written instructions that will help with: what to do before insertion, cup insertion, cup removal, as well as cup cleaning.  Over all I'd say that the instructions are to the point and useful.

Taking it for a spin...

The first thing I did after opening my package was use the infuser cup to sterilize my cup. The infuser cup made it very simple to sterilize my cup. I have heard stories of people burning their cup while boiling it in a pot of boiling water. This product makes it next to impossible for anyone to ruin their cup by burning it. I really love the infuser cup!!

Now that it's sterile, I was ready to insert it. This cup is firmer than I'm used to but I have a feeling that it will help me by making it easier to pop open. The size is similar to what I'm used. I was able to insert it and get it to pop open, and seal with no problem at all. Instantly, I knew that I was going to love this cup. Even though the cup is firm I couldn't feel it inside of me at all. It is so comfortable!

One of the way I will test any cup I get will be to wear it to the gym. This is an important part of my life and I have always had to skip the gym, during my period, in the past. That was before I made the amazing switch to menstrual cups. I am happy to say that I was able to complete my vigorous circuit training routine while wearing my Yuuki Cup. I never felt it move, shift, or (my biggest fear) slip down.

Overall Impression

I have to say, I really really like this cup. Further, I really like this product as a whole. It's comfortable and practical and very user friendly. I also dare to say that as of right now, this is my top 2 favorite cup! Thank you, once again, Yuuki for making an amazing product. I would recommend this cup to other menstrual cup users. Maybe not a first time menstrual cup user, though. It is a lot of cup and it's quite rigid.

I would give this cup 7 out of 10 stars!

Thanks for reading!
xo S