[Ladies Only] Sckoon Cup: A less toxic alternative

This post was created as part of the SckoonCup Review Campaign in which I am a financially compensated blogger. The opinions are my own and based on my experience.

One thing that I have loved about blogging is the ability to share great information that I find with those who are unaware. A favorite saying of mine that I have picked up over the years is, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” So as I listen to podcasts, read blogs, scour the internet for information, and then often dwell on it for days and days before I make a decision to try out what I have learned.

A couple of years ago I started to realized the importance of what I put in my body through my mouth and it has since expanded to what I choose to put in my skin. I’ve switched to all natural toothpaste, body wash, deodorant. While paying so much attention to what comes in contact with my skin, I happened to run into some information about certain feminine products that made me realize there had to be a better solution.

About a year and a half ago I switched to using a menstrual cup, and I can pretty much guarantee not a period goes by that I don’t tell at least one person that she needs to make the switch! With my level of activity with Crossfit and lifting, it takes one less pain out of the monthly cycle (because heavy squats and being on my period make me a joyful person..).

When Sckoon Cup (ad) asked me if I would share some thoughts on menstrual cups with my readers, I absolutely said yes, since I am a huge proponent of the cup alternative!

Wait – What’s wrong with tampons and pads?

First, you can take a look at this report by Chem Fatale. If you don’t want to click and be totally freaked out, the gist of it is that these products that you’re exposing your lady bits to, can contain some pretty toxic chemicals; chemicals with side effects known to cause something mild like a rash to more serious concerns such as endocrine disruption and cancers. Did you know that tampons and pads are labeled by the FDA as “medical devices” so they don’t need to list any ingredients or tell you what makes them up? That’s scary stuff, ladies!

If the thought of some mystery products potentially causing serious harm to your body isn’t enough, you might always consider the numerous amount of waste products produced! On average, a woman uses 20 tampons per cycle, or 240 tampons a year. All the packaging to flushed product can cause significant amounts of unnecessary waste in landfills, now taking those same chemicals that were harmful to your body and letting them seep into the groundwater. Nice, huh?

Further… let’s talk money here.

On average, women are spending $100-$200/year on feminine hygiene products which produce nothing but waste!

So why a menstrual cup?

For every reason not to use a tampon or pad, there is an opposite reason on why you should switch to a cup. No toxicity. No waste. No ongoing costs.

If you are completely unfamiliar with how a menstrual cup works, it is basically a silicone or latex “cup” that you insert during your period which will hold the fluids until you remove it. A benefit here is that is will only capture fluids that are meant to be excreted, unlike a tampon which will absorb any natural vaginal moisture as well, causing unnecessary dryness.

The cup is pretty pliable, so is easy to fold into a shape that will allow you to stick it in there (sorry, “insert” sounds way too technical here). Depending on your cycle, you’ll likely only need to empty the cup twice a day, as it can hold between 2-4x the amount that a tampon can. It can be worn up to 12 hours comfortably with no risk of TSS.

Do WHAT now?

I will straight up tell you that the first time I heard about using a cup, my thoughts were something along the lines of, “Ick. Nope. Gross. You want me to put what, where? I have to empty it…? But isn’t there so much blood.. Uhhhhh….. no thanks!!!”

And the first month or two of use, it was quite an entertaining experience of playing this whole squat down, or leg up, angle your body insertion type thing.. Yes, I am sure you can imagine such a pose.

But not so long after, it just became second nature. And I can not even think of switching back to tampons. Ever.

It just doesn’t make any sense to!

The Sckoon Cup

If you aren’t ready to throw out everything that under your sink right now, I am not sure what else I can do to convince you!

But if you are ready to commit to the switch (and trust me – be patient, as it will take at least two to three cycles to get comfortable once you do), here are some reasons why you may want to choose Sckoon Cup against some of the competition:

• FDA approved and made in USA of medical-grade silicon
• Safe, environmentally friendly, and reusable
• Two sizes available for pre- and post-child birth
• Multiple color options available (hey, some people find this a nice selling point!)

Check out SckoonCup on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to be kept up to date on the latest deals, product offerings, and industry news!

Your turn..
Were you aware of the dangers in feminine hygiene products?
Have you made the switch away from tampons and pads yet?
Are there any other health or beauty products that you used to use that you now use an alternative version?
What is one thing you know now about your period that you wish you knew when you were younger?