Product Review: Mooncup UK

I'd just like to start here by saying this is probably not a post for the gentlemen. You're more than welcome to read it if you like but the Mooncup is a feminine hygiene product and I'll probably go into details that you don't want to know!

Now that that's out of the way, the Mooncup is one of several menstrual cups on the market. It's a small cup made of medical grade silicone that sits as far down in the vagina as possible and collects menstrual blood rather than absorbing it. It come in two sizes, A and B. Size A is recommended for women over the age of 30 or those that have had a vaginal birth. It's slightly larger than size B at 46mm in diameter and 50mm long as vaginal and pelvic floor tones naturally reduce with age. Size B is recommended for anyone under 30 or has not given birth vaginally and measures 43mm in diameter and 50mm in length. Both sizes have a 21mm long pull stem at the base which can be trimmed down or cut off completely depending on personal preference.

I decided to try a Mooncup after doing a bit of reading about the different styles and various positives and negatives of menstrual cups versus more 'conventional' sanitary items.

Advantages of pads and tampons:
- They're very easy to find and come in a variety of brands, absorbency, shape and size so they're suitable for just about all women at all stages of the cycle.
- Most women are comfortable using one or both of these items according to their personal preferences and needs.
- Washable pads and organic pads and tampons are also available for women that may be more environmentally conscious.

Disadvantages of pads and tampons:
- They're not exactly cheap and the costs build up quite a bit over time.
- Tampons are associated with an increased risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) which can potentially lead to death.
- Tampons may also leave behind fibers when removed which can lead to irritation.
- The use of pads and tampons may encourage bacterial growth which can lead to yeast infections (thrush) and general irritation such as chaffing from pads.
- Pads and tampons often contain bleach and other chemicals which some women are sensitive to and experience rash or discomfort when they come into contact with those chemicals.
- They also have a very large environmental impact with billions of items making their way to landfills every year. Lunapad, a reusable pad company, claim that the average woman will throw away 125-150kg of sanitary items in her lifetime. The environmental impact also covers the water and resources required to grow cotton, and then all the other materials used to refine it and put together the finished product.

Advantages of Mooncup.
-It's made of medical grade silicone which is free from all of the nasty chemicals that can be found in pads and tampons.
- It's reusable for up to 5 years (although many women have continued to use them for much much longer) so leaves a significantly smaller environmental footprint.
- It collects rather than absorbs so it doesn't allow a surface area for bacteria to grow on and reduces the risk of infection and TSS.
- The soft medical grade silicone won't leave behind any fibres or cause rash or irritation.
- The other advantage of collecting rather than absorbing is that it won't mess up the natural pH and moisture of your vagina. Tampons absorb the natural lubricating excretions which can leave some women feeling very uncomfortable and increase the chance of pain or discomfort when removing or inserting a tampon.
- Mooncup can be used through any stage of the menstrual cycle and even just for women that have a particularly large or uncomfortable amount of normal vaginal discharge.
- It's able to hold more fluid than a tampon which means that it doesn't have to be changed as often and is much more convenient when going out or travelling.

Disadvantages of Mooncup.
- Can be challenging to insert and remove at first until you get the hang of it.
- Many women find the idea of menstrual cups disturbing or even downright disgusting.
- It's an expensive buy if you decide that you don't like it and don't want to continue using it.
- Not caring for it properly can cause the silicone to become hard.

For me it seemed like an obvious choice so I forked out the $45 including delivery to give it a try.
Even after only a few days use before I didn't need it anymore I fell in love with my Mooncup. At first it felt a little uncomfortable but after trimming back the pull stem I found that I could feel it less than when using a tampon. It was definitely a bit of a challenge to insert it at first but after carefully reading the information pamphlet that it came with and a bit of practice I soon found the folding method that worked best for me.
Removing it was also a lot easier than I expected, even after removing most of the pull stem. I walked the 20minute round trip to the shops with it in and felt no discomfort at all. I wore it to work and there was still no issue. When I was done for the month I cleaned it in boiling water as per the instructions and put it back in its little bag to wait for next time.
The biggest downside that I could think of is that it's a bit tricky to get in and out at first but even by the end of the day I found it was much easier than at the start.

All in all I would definitely recommend this product - in fact I already have. It really comes down to personal preference whether or not this would be suitable for you but it really is a fantastic product. I'd definitely recommend to any woman thinking about giving it a go to try it, you might just be pleasantly surprised!


At the end of the day I would say go with whatever makes you feel the most comfortable. Either way, if it is or isn't the product for you, hopefully this has answered some questions and helped you make a decision :)