Have you ever asked a friend if they’ve got any sanitary products and their response has been:
“No, but don’t worry, I’ll catch it in my hands.”
No?
Just me then.
If you don’t happen to have a courageous and compassionate friend who is willing to stem the flow of your period, fear not! Because there’s now a contraption that’s designed to take the blood off their hands…literally.
Here are the world’s finest menstrual cups that you can carry anywhere for a more sustainable and plastic-free period. Oh, and I’ll also share a few tips on how to insert them, take them out without sucking out your insides (kidding, they don’t really do this) and other useful advice that you never knew you needed.
Menstrual Cup Comparison Table
| Menstrual Cup Brand | Summary | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mooncup | Female-led | Made in the UK | International delivery | Also sell vegan & certified organic lube to aid insertion | £20.95 | Buy Here |
| AllMatters (formally OrganiCup) | Female-led | International delivery | Other products include foam wash, period underwear & wipes | £21 | Buy Here |
| TOTM | Father-led | International delivery | Snazzy menstrual cup colour | Budget-friendly | £17 | Buy Here |
| BeYou | Sibling-led (sis & bro)| International shipping | Science-backed | Softer | Budget-friendly | £14.99 | Buy Here |
The Best Menstrual Cups
Mooncup
The OGs of the menstrual cup game (on this side of the planet), the MoonCup was designed by women to be a safe and sustainable period product that could be used as an alternative to pads and tampons.
As well as being female-founded and female-led, this menstrual cup brand is made right here in the UK! They also sell a vegan-certified water-based lube that can be used to aid the insertion of the menstrual cup whilst doubling up as a pleasure enhancer during sex or masturbation.
Mooncup benefits:
- 100% soft medical-grade silicone
- Soft grippy ridges on the stem for easier removal
- Vegan certified
- 6 month money back guarantee
- Free organic cotton pouch
- 2 menstrual cup sizes
How much does the Mooncup cost?
Mooncups cost a very reasonable £20.95. About the same as a single pair of period pants!
OrganiCup (by AllMatters)
The OrganiCup was created in Denmark in 2012! Since then, the menstrual cup brand has branched out to other reusable and refillable products, such as period underwear and powder to foam wash kits, leading to a change of brand name (OrganiCup to AllMatters).
Whilst we love most of their products, their original commodity, the OrganiCup, is our fave! It’s practical, easy to use, made of medical-grade hygienic silicone and comes in 3 different sizes to suit all sorts of vaginas!
Although we tend to agree with Vegan Mum‘s view about sustainable brands, such as Fussy Deodorant and AllMatters, selling (in our opinion) unnecessary subsidiary products. So we’re a little sceptical of the single-use wipes!
OrganiCup benefits:
- 100% soft medical-grade silicone
- Grippy ridges on the stem for easy removal
- Vegan certified
- Free organic cotton pouch
- 3 menstrual cup sizes
How much does the OrganiCup cost?
OrganiCups are £21, which costs less than a couple of cocktails!
TOTM Menstrual Cup
Who said menstrual cups couldn’t be fashionable? TOTM make snazzy hot pink cups made from medical grade TPE, which can be recycled once they reach their end of their life. Founded by St. John Pearce-Burke around the time his daughter started her period, the TOTM femcare brand wants to dispel the stigma and shame surrounding periods.
TOTM do sell quite a few single-use products but the pads, liners and tampons are all made from biodegradable materials such as sustainably-sourced organic cotton and cardboard applicators. The packaging they’re sent in is also compostable and recyclable.
Oh, and they sell organic vegan chocolate bars to satisfy those PMS cravings! You can even subscribe to receive this with your sanitary products every month.
TOTM menstrual cup benefits:
- 100% flexible medical-grade TPE (recyclable)
- Subtle grippy ridges on the stem for easy removal
- Vegan certified
- Free organic cotton pouch
- 3 menstrual cup sizes
How much does the TOTM menstrual cup cost?
Sold at a very budget-friendly £17!
Alternatively, add a TOTM menstrual cup to your next Ocado shop!
BeYou Menstrual Cup
What I love about BeYou is how data-driven they are. They use the latest scientific research on women’s health to create science-backed, innovative natural products. BeYou strive to close the gender gap and push for funding towards neglected areas of medicine and healthcare.
But are their menstrual cups any good?
According to the majority of the online reviews, the BeYou menstrual cup is a gamechanger. Much softer than other period cups on the market, it’s supposed to be easier to fold and insert and more comfortable to wear. It’s also a rather snazzy purple!
The only drawback to BeYou is that they’re not a plastic-free brand and many of their products are single-use, although these tend to be innovative products that treat some pretty complex health issues. We’ll be keeping our eyes out to see if they make their other existing products more sustainable.
BeYou menstrual cup benefits:
- 100% super soft medical-grade silicone
- Subtle grippy ridges on the stem for easy removal
- Vegan certified
- Free velvety pouch
- 2 menstrual cup sizes
How much does the BeYou menstrual cup cost?
At just £14.99, the BeYou menstrual cup is one of the cheapest on the market. Since tampons can cost around £2 a box, you’ll be saving money (and unnecessary waste) after just a few periods!
Alternatively, add a BeYou menstrual cup to your next Ocado shop!
Menstrual Cup FAQs
What is a menstrual cup?
A menstrual cup is a flexible funnel-shaped cup that fits inside the vagina to collect period blood. It’s reusable and holds more blood than tampons, which is why many women choose it as their sustainable period product of choice. It can be worn for up to 12 hours without the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and lasts for up to 10 years.
Menstrual cups create a light suction in order to stay in place but don’t worry, menstrual cups don’t suck out your insides, or your IUD contraceptive coil for that matter. We recommend reading the Put A Cup In It article for more information on this topic, with advice from professional gynaecologists.
How to use a menstrual cup?
First of all, we recommend taking this quiz to determine the size of menstrual cup you’ll need.
After you’ve completed it, it’s time to learn what to do with it! Whilst we could go into great detail about how to use a menstrual cup, we reckon a video explains it much better. Here’s one by Put A Cup In It:
What are the benefits of using a menstrual cup?
- They're cheaper in the long run since they're reusable for approximately 10 years.
- Menstrual cups are safer than tampons since they collect rather than absorb blood, eliminating your risk of getting toxic shock syndrome (TSS), which is an infection caused by tampon usage.
- Cups are wearable for up to 12 hours and they hold more period blood than tampons.
- They're allergen-free and don't contain any toxic nasties, which makes them a great option for sensitive vaginas.
- Reusable menstrual cups are better for the environment than single-use tampons and pads.
What are the disadvantages of using a menstrual cup?
- I can find the stem a little uncomfortable but require it for removal since my menstrual cup can sometimes move out of place.
- It can sometimes be difficult to insert and/or remove.
- Can be messy if you're not careful.
- You need clean hands whilst inserting and removing, which can be difficult if camping or during a festival.
- May cause vaginal irritation, particularly after you've been wearing it for a few days.
Happy bleeding!
