Mommy Greenest Approved: Softcup
This might be TMI. Male readers—do I have any?—may want to click away. But it’s not like it’s a secret: I’ve shared this information in the past, and this ancient YouTube video is still one of my most watched.
So here’s my confession: I love my reusable menstrual cup. Why? We can talk about the fact that it lessens my landfill load, and that using it negates any possibility of Toxic Shock Syndrome. But the biggest selling point for me is this: With a menstrual cup, I can forget about my period for up to 12 hours each day—for me, more than twice as long as a tampon. I empty it once in the morning and once before I go to bed at night. Yes, really.
But many of my friends and readers disagree. They’ve shared that they find menstrual cups uncomfortable and difficult to use. Ladies, I’ve found the solution! I love this new softer, easier-to-use reusable menstrual cup. With a menstrual cup, I can forget about my period for up to 12 hours each day. Yes, really. Softcup just introduced a new reusable one-cycle cup that’s more flexible than many other menstrual cups—hence the name. It’s made of medical grade plastic and free of latex, silicone, phthalates, BPA, PVC and dioxin. It’s easier to insert and remove, and you can even have sex when you’re using it—although the Softcup peeps are quick to warn that it’s not a contraceptive.
Unlike many pads and tampons, Softcup contains no fibers, bleach, pesticides, carcinogens or PCBs—stuff you definitely don’t want near your nether regions. And because Softcup holds fluid inside your body, rather than inside where it’s exposed to air, it can help eliminate dampness and odor associated with menstruation.
Plus, at $2.50 for a one-cycle cup, you can’t beat the price. And now, in partnership with WomanCare Global, Softcup is launching a new program that donates one cup for every box you buy to a woman or girl in Africa, where most can’t afford any kind of sanitary protection. Love!
Want to try? Enter your email below and you could be one of THREE readers to win a year’s supply of SoftCups! a Rafflecopter giveaway
Want more info? Here’s a link to the oh-so-official Rules & Regulations. This post was sponsored by SoftCup and meets the standards I’ve established to endorse a brand as “Mommy Greenest Approved.” Click here for more about Editorial Standards.
41 Comments
Victoria
Hi thanks for your post. I’m wondering re their eco-friendly nature if Flex discs/Softcups would be better for the environment than the biodegradable applicator-free tampons that I use now? I know that you would use less soft cups than tampons since they hold more fluid for a longer period of time but if the softcups are not biodegradable then they would sit in a landfill polluting the environment for years without degrading? On the other hand I know that cotton is a water intensive crop to grow. Which would be the better option? Thanks for your help!
Rachel Sarnoff
Thanks Victoria! Yes I have thought about that at length as well. After investigating, my preference is the longer wearing cup — both for the minimal impact and also how convenient it is. But the applicator free, organic cotton (as long as not wrapped in plastic) is also a great choice. Thanks for reading!
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Gabriella Ferrante
I have been using the Lunette cup for nearly 2 years now. I agree that one of the best things is an empty in the morning and the evening. I am still not sure why more ladies aren’t using them, but I certainly know that many of the ladies I know don’t seem to want to get that ‘personal’ with themselves. Which I find disconcerting. Anyway, I am super happy
Rachel Sarnoff
Yes, I think that women probably thought that way about tampons in the 1960s too, but it’s true this is one step more “personal” 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Danielle Marks
I’ve been using Softcup for about a year now, and I love it! I’m an active mom of three kids and two dogs, so it’s awesome to be able to “set and forget” my Softcup during my period. Even my husband no longer cringes when I tell him Mother Nature has dropped in! Lol. Now if Softcup could only get rid of cramps…
Rachel Sarnoff
Agreed!
BH MInd
Mommy Greenest, Thanks for finding one more way to help ease the load on the environment and the number of trips to the bathroom!
Rachel Sarnoff
Ha! Yet another interesting angle 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting BH Mom!
Darlene Praught
This product has changed my life for the better. I’m quite thankful for the creators who made things MUCH comfortable for my body. ❤
Jessica
I tried these back when they were called “Instead” and it was “love at first insertion”. While the reusable version wasn’t around at that time, I actually was too frugal and waste-mindful to toss them after just one use. I would gently and thoroughly wash them out and use them again next cycle. (Just because I did it does not mean I am recommending anyone else do it.) This went on for years until I got pregnant. I must’ve pushed out all memory of these when I pushed the baby out because I went to using mama cloth when my cycle returned post partum. Now that I’ve been reminded of these little hidden gems, and enlightened to the reusable option, I will be quickly replacing my mama cloth with Softcup!
Thanks for hosting such an amazing giveaway! I hope the three winners are introduced to a product that I can only classify as life-changing.
Cheers!
Rachel Sarnoff
Thanks Jessica! Okay, this is great info because I tried to reuse and thought the seal wasn’t as reliable. I’m going to try it again. Life-changing, indeed!
Christiana
I currently use GladRags pads and love them, though it does take a bit of effort to clean when I’m feeling tired. I have wanted to try the DivaCup or another cup product, but I’ve heard that it can be uncomfortable if you haven’t had any kids. SoftCup sounds very flexible though, so it sounds like this is not a problem.
Rachel Sarnoff
I’ve used DivaCup and SoftCup and have been happy with both, but my friends who had difficulty with Diva seem to be really happy with the SoftCup. So I guess it depends on what’s comfortable for you. Let me know how it goes once you try! I’m doing my own little Mommy Greenest cup study over here 🙂
Bee
I have been curious to try a menstrual cup, haven’t gotten around to it yet (sadly I still wear pads) because I have read it to be uncomfortable, hoping the soft cup can help me make the transition I need.
Rachel Sarnoff
I think it could be a good bet for you!! Thanks for reading!
LISA JONES (@TexanChef43)
this would be a great way to try this and i’ve wanted to but never could afford it and was a little queasy. it sounds like a smart, healthy option to my tampons.
Rachel Sarnoff
Yes, it’s really pretty revolutionary! Even if you don’t win, they are very affordable now. Thanks for reading!
Holly G
It would be great to have this as a green eco friendly option!!!
Love it!! Can’t wait to try these.
nicole
the diva cup you use for a whole year. i’m curious…what the benefit of having a disposable cup? that seems like a whole lot of waste, and to my knowledge silicon is more bio-compatible than plastic. i’m genuinely curious, and not trying to be combative. thanks for posting about this…it’s an important subject!
Rachel Sarnoff
I totally agree, Nicole. Check my comment below that is the one thing I’m on the fence about. The challenge for many women is the Diva can be difficult to use, so the SoftCup does offer a menstrual cup option. But yes, I’m not thrilled with the fact that it’s disposable after one cycle. I’ll share that again with SoftCup. Who knows, maybe they’ll come up with one you can use for a year! Thanks for writing!
Leah Thompson
What a brilliant idea. I have been waiting for a new product to come along that would allow me to break free from irritating tampons. I would love to try out the softcup disposable cups. Please enter me into your contest.
Rachel Sarnoff
Great! I actually can’t (by law) enter you, but if you follow the steps above you can enter. Good luck Leah!
Megan Coyne
You made the most miserable time of my life more tolerable and bordering on the line of pleasant! The freedom from the restrictions and irritation of tampons and period diapers is very liberating!I just wish I didn’t have to search every Rite Aid in my town to find them.Thanks you for this product!
Rachel Sarnoff
Aw, what a great comment Megan, thank you for making my day! 🙂
Annette
I’ve never tried something like this but I always use anything I can that is biodegradable and/or less harmful to the environment. I would definitely be interested in trying these.
Rachel Sarnoff
Great!! Good luck Annette!
Robin
I have been wanting to try this. I also would like my daughter to try it.
Rachel Sarnoff
Good luck! The giveaway is for a year’s worth so you definitely would have enough for both of you to try! Thanks for sharing, Robin!
Cindi Clubbs
I have been using the softcup disposable cup for about ten years, since they first came out here in St. Louis. I have very heavy periods and used to have to change tampons frequently. The softcup lasts much longer than the usual hour or two that the tampon lasted. I used to get up several times in the middle of the night–no more! I sleep right through:)) It is one thousand percent better than the tampon for so many reasons and I hope that my daughter decides to use it when she’s ready. This is a terrific giveaway!! THANKS!
Rachel Sarnoff
Great to know! I’ve never had super heavy flow so I was curious how the cups worked for those that do. Thanks for this, Cindi!
Shirley
I am just wondering, do you know the biodegradability of the Softcup? Being that it is plastic I would assume that it is a long time. I am still using all natural cotton pad because I am a chicken to use the Diva cup. But I am thinking that with the pads being cotton, and easily degradable, are still more environmentally friendly than the Softcup. Am I wrong?
Sincere interest,
Shirley
Rachel Sarnoff
That really is my one challenge with the Softcup, that it is plastic. It’s safe plastic, but still there is the landfill factor. And yes you are only using one cup per cycle (I actually tried to reuse for a second cycle just to see if it would work and it doesn’t) rather than multiple disposable pads and tampons, but you still do end up throwing that plastic into the trash. I just don’t know the answer to that one, I think you could weigh both sides–but if you do stick with pads definitely use organic cotton so you bypass the pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Thanks Shirley!
Annette
I’ve never tried these and have been interested I have a friend who introduced me to Lunapads and another brand I can’t think of their name right now and they save money.
I would definitely want to try these, most of the time I find myself recommending solutions to many people’s health problems and I find that it goes in one ear and out the other and I decided to be that person as I was once upon a time and now I decided to stop procrastinating and try what works.
Doing cleanses, eating RAW, changing bad habits have been of several of those things that I recommend and I would love for this item to be one of those things that I would like to try I just can’t afford it due to budget cuts and furloughs at work.
Thanks for offering it for free and helping others full-fill there needs.
Annette
Rachel Sarnoff
Good for you Annette! I love meeting people who walk the talk 🙂
Alyssa
I’ve been wanting to try an alternative to tampons like a cup.. But I don’t want to spend my money on something uncomfortable for me. Thanks for offering this giveaway!
Rachel Sarnoff
EXACTLY why I wanted to do a giveaway! I think a lot of people are curious, but don’t want to try something that might not work for them. So FREE is the perfect solution 🙂 Good luck!
Lara
I love these especially since tampons sometimes leak and can be uncomfortable.
Micaela
I love Instead, and have used it since it came out. It is so convenient. I would love to try the reusable one.
Rachel Sarnoff
Thanks for sharing Micaela! I hope you entered the contest. Good luck!