Making the Switch to Non-Toxic, Organic Period Products
Did you know? Currently, there is no law that requires tampon and pad manufacturers to disclose what chemicals are used in their products. While products like tampons seem simple enough, there are a lot of dirty secrets that have the potential to disrupt your health.
Conventional cotton is one of the dirtiest crops in the world, with more chemical pesticides used than any other agricultural crop. In fact, some studies have shown that 85% of tampons are contaminated with glyphosate—which was determined to be a carcinogen in a recent court case against Monsanto. In addition, other areas of concern include chlorine bleaching, which has been shown to produce a byproduct of dioxin—also shown to be dangerous to humans and the environment. When you factor these concerns against the fact that the vagina is one the of most absorbent parts of a woman’s body, it means we need to be extra conscious of the products we’re using!
Although there are a lot of mysteries hiding in those boxes on the drug store shelf, there are many companies who use organic cotton and have made transparency their mission when it comes to periods!
Cora
Cora has been my favorite brand of organic tampons that I’ve tried, for a few reasons. One thing I really love about Cora is that they’re not just a tampon company, they exist to empower women—whether it’s here in the US or in places like India and Kenya, where girls are often forced to drop out of school because they don’t have access to feminine care. For every month's supply of products you purchase, they provide to a girl in need. Additionally, if you order through the Cora website, they pay the sales tax as a form of protest against the 35 states that still tax feminine products (because tampons are a luxury item, didn’t you know *eye rolls into the next dimension*)
L.
I was drawn to this brand because of their vibey packaging and, of course, because of their name. ;) Here’s what they have to say about transparency in their products. “L. is dedicated to the rebellious notion that women everywhere deserve better. No ingredients you can't pronounce. No exhausted cliches. Just the quality you expect and the authenticity you deserve.” L. also gives back to women in need with each product purchased: “At L., we believe that periods should only end sentences. Not education and opportunity.” Love everything about that.
Lola
Lola was born out of a desire for transparency when it comes to ingredients. In addition to offering a clean product, Lola also gives back to women in the U.S. who can’t afford or don’t have access to hygiene products. They also advocate against the period tax by partnering with Period Equity.
Rael Organic
Real uses organic cotton that is grown in Texas and is free of dyes, fragrances and chlorine bleaching. Real also gives back to women: For every photo shared on Instagram with the hashtag #HappyPeriodsForAll, Rael will donate a period product to a woman in need. Pretty cool!
Seventh Generation
First of all, can we just talk about these Maya Rudolph commercials for Seventh Generation? “Vajingle”. Lol.
Anywho, I love Seventh Generation for household products and have been really impressed with their tampons as well, which of course are made with organic cotton. Their tampons are full-sized, rather than compact, and use a plastic applicator. They pretty much feel like you’re using a Playtex or Tampax tampon, besides the recycled paper package that each tampon comes in.
The Honest Company
Founded by Jessica Alba, The Honest Company has created a variety of healthy, safe products for everything from households to babies. Their period products are made from organic cotton, without: rayon, polyester, fragrances, deodorants, artificial dyes, phthalates, chlorine or chlorine dioxide processing, ethanolamine, diethylhexyl adipate, or acetophenone.
The Honey Pot Company
I just discovered this company & I am so very intrigued. These “herbal sanitary pads” are made from pesticide-free cotton and infused with essential oils, which creates a "cooling" effect that helps with cramps and discomfort, but are free from artificial fragrance, paragons, carcinogens, pesticides & chlorine. They even have a designated postpartum pad made with rose, aloe vera, mint and antioxidants to aid in healing. My only caution with this brand is although they claim their cotton does not contain pesticides, they don’t overtly advertise their products as being organic. It could be that their farms are not Certified Organic, which takes an additional amount of verification, but I can’t say for certain.
This article would not be complete without mentioning the newest trend in periods: Menstrual Cups.
Menstrual cups are a great value, being that one cup lasts many, many years. They’re also incredibly sustainable, because they eliminate monthly waste that comes from pads & tampons.
In addition, menstrual cups are a great option for when you will not have access to a restroom, because they can be worn up to 12 hours; they can also be worn overnight. Tampons, even organic ones, can only be worn for a maximum of 8 hours, in order to prevent the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Cups are relatively inexpensive, considering most cost around $25-$45—that’s about the price of 3 months of tampons, only a cup will last 5+ years.
I just recently started using this cup & am still trying to get the hang of it—because there is definitely a learning curve. It takes some time to find the right fold technique and the right placement in order for you to feel comfortable ditching a tampon. I’m still trying to overcome the anxiety of finding a placement & being comfortable removing it, but I’m working on it!
*Full disclosure: In my opinion, a cup may not be the right choice for everyone at any stage of their life. While all of them have a small “stem” to help with removal, it does not work the same way as a tampon string where a light tug pulls it out. You have to be pretty up close & personal with yourself to remove it, which will not be comfortable for a lot of people. If you want to give it a go, awesome! But if you know that it may not be a good fit right now, that’s OK too—you shouldn’t let anyone guilt trip you into doing something you’re not comfortable with!
If you do want to try a cup, take this quiz to see which brand may be a good fit—literally.
Hope this information was helpful! Let me know if I missed your favorite brand of organic pads & tampons!
