As someone who is no stranger to the use of the menstrual cup, I was excited to partner with DivaCup for both the latest giveaway as well as the free one to test out and review.
See, back in the day, I used another brand of menstrual cup. Before setting off on my extended travels, I wanted something that made sense to the pack snob within – the one that didn’t like the idea of stock-piling tampons (I had studied abroad in Italy in college and was never happy with my tampon selection in that country) and one who was just curious as to whether or not the menstrual cup would work better for me.
And it did. I loved the menstrual cup and used it for several years until I one month misplaced the cup. Blame it on me being lazy, but I just never got around to ordering a new one, and instead explored the world of Australian tampons (uhm… so they don’t believe in applicators here), which was fine. But, when I started thinking about longer-term travel again, I wanted a cup – which is where DivaCup came in.
I’ve now had a couple of cycles with the Divacup, and I’m just so happy to have this little item in my arsenal again. For me, it just takes a lot of worry out of that time of the month – mainly because with tampons, I always fear leakage. Instead, with my cup, I barely have to worry. In fact, I know that if I’m on a long, long trip, or traveling in the countryside with lame toilet facilities, I am still going to be OK.
Sure, the process of using a DivaCup might be a bit more invasive than tampons (well, not for the women Down Under who don’t use applicators!), but the peace of mind I receive is more than enough to outweigh that negative. I also really enjoy that I usually only have to attend to it 2, maybe 3, times per day. So, I empty in the morning, and again in the evening when back from my city tours, and again before bed — and that’s all!
Plus, it holds little to no risk of causing TSS. Win!
In comparison to my other brand of cup I used in the past, there are a few reasons why I enjoy the DivaCup a little more:
- The stem on the DivaCup is shorter. So, while the older cup I used to use had a long stem that made it easy to grab and pull out for emptying, the stem would often poke and prod me in places I wished it hadn’t. The smaller stem is nice in that regard, and I find that if I can’t reach the stem very well, it only takes a few clenches of the muscles (like pushing down) before it is accessible.
- The clear color of the DivaCup has not been affected by the menstrual fluids. My older cup had a tendency to turn colors until I was able to give it a proper boil or scrub down – and even then it still had a yellowish appearance. Not cool.
- The cup itself feels more flexible than the other brand I used in the past. It makes it easier to fold and insert.
From one female to another, I would say that the DivaCup is worth a try. It doesn’t cost much, and if you love it, you’ll have a monthly feminine product for many years to come.
>> Buy the DivaCup on Amazon or learn more about the Diva Cup.
Again, I’d like to thank Diva Cup for providing me with the review product. Thanks!
*The product was provided free for review, but all words expressed are my own.
I think that once you go Diva Cup, you can’t go back to tampons! I never will.
i thought the diva cup was such a good idea! i could not wait to try it. so i went to the mall and got one. and paid way to much for it!! for anyone that was not got one buy it online for way less then in a store. like i said i love the idea of the civa cup would make it so much greener and easy to travel and live life! but i dont know if its just me but i cant “use” it right. i found it very hard to get in in and out and it was quit painful for me to use. i made sure i got the right size 1 the smaller one but still no luck. so for now i have giving up. did anyone less and a hard time trying to use this cup? i tried to look online to get some help but people just told me to fold it a different way and that helped a bit. any tips and stuff like that would be so helpful thank you! i really want to use this because it would be so small to pack and i paid way to much for it! im starting to think maybe i sould buy another kind of cup?!
I feel your pain on the in/out part. It can feel a bit pinchy for me sometimes, too, but it only lasts a few seconds. For the in aspect… have you tried using a bit of lubricant on the lip of the cup? I’ve found that can make the process a little smoother/quicker. Be sure to pinch the cup as hard as you can so it’s as small as possible. Also, when getting out, I pull it out a bit so I have a better grasp and then pinch (as far back as I can reach) and tilt the cup slightly, doing my best to try and make the exit size smaller.
This is getting to be a little TMI!!! haha
How long have you used it by the way? I feel like it’s gotten easier over time. Maybe give it a whirl on a few more cycles?
**NOTE: The Diva Cup site says to not use a lubricant on the cup – my bad! They suggest ONLY water as some chemicals can mess with the DC composition.**
thanks brooke for getting back to me so fast and all the tips! and i have only used it a few times and because it didnt work so well i stoped. but with your tips ill try again because i really do want to use the diva cup it would make things so much easyer in the long run!
You will need to use it more than a few times to get the hang of it. The first cycle I used it, it was difficult, but the second was a breeze. It does take a while to get used to, but once it’s comfortable, it’s amazing and you’ll never go back to tampons.
To prevent discomfort, be sure to trim the tip, but only once you have a hang of taking it out. Than can often rub the vaginal opening the wrong way and cause a pinching feeling. Also, make sure it’s in the proper place. If it sits too low in the vagina, it can be uncomfortable.
The first time I used it, I couldn’t get it out and I was terrified! But once I got used to sticking my fingers up there and pulling it out, it’s easy.
LOVE this product and highly recommend it!
i don;t think we have this in our country, my first time to see this. so thank you for sharing! i hope we have one like this here too, would love to try it!
I love your review of this cup! I also use it so I wanted to see what your thoughts were on something like this. I also love this and recommend it whenever I can (which is sometimes weird for people
) You’re very thorough and informative I can’t wait to read your other reviews.
I would actually recommend getting Implanon, the birth control implant. It lasts for 3 years, can be removed anytime and many women get fewer and reduced periods or even stop getting their period at all while on it. I haven’t had my period in over 3 years and it’s amazing being able to travel without having to worry about that time of the month at all! The best part is, I also don’t get any PMS symptoms. I recently spoke to another girl who is big on trekking in remote parts of the world and the entire reasons he got Implanon was so she could avoid the annoyance of having to deal with it while trekking through Guatamala!
Great tip, Azza!
I friggin’ love my Diva cup! People who don’t use a cup think it’s gross, but it is way cleaner than pads or tampons. Just wash that baby out- no trash to deal with!
hey Brooke! looks like a lot of girls are loving your great reviews! Something I thought you may like to try to do a review on is Lunapads! I don’t know if you have ever heard of them before? But they are cloth re-useable pads. I have 4 now and will be getting a few more and I love them! If you go to this link can you get one for free: http://lunapads.com/free-pantyliner-sample.html you just pay for your Shipping & Handling. I just thought you might like to give it a go! And Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps you have talked about work great for washing them up!
Hey Kaitlyn – found this in my spam! Yes, have heard of lunapads and would like to try the pantyliners. Thanks for the tip!
I loooveee my diva cup!! Great for the environment and Im always prepared!! Takes a little getting used to but I am so happy I did!
Ah yes! The Diva cup is the bomb diggity!!!
I LOOOVVEE mine! So much cleaner, and greener! 
Indeed! We also think it’s the bomb diggity!
Ok, so for the girls who are wondering if anyone else has problems with a cup . . . It took me about 6 months of frustration to figure out how to use it and not leak. Now, I will not go back. Those six months however, were torture. I hated the thing. You are not alone. You will get it. Just keep trying.
Wow 6 months?! I’m so happy that you stuck with it – they are SO much better than tampons. I never have to worry now. Thanks for the encouragement and for sharing your story with us!
Would using a vaginal wash like Vagisil or Summer’s Eve when cleaning this product be encouraged?
Hmm I can’t imagine that would be bad for it, but I would check with the makers of the Diva Cup to be sure.
This is honestly the best purchase I’ve made in a long time!
Liners and tampons would sometimes give me a rash, I’m really sensitive to chemicals; and I also hated throwing so much stuff out every month.
I have had the diva cup for a year now and I NEVER need to wear liners; I have a set of undies that I use on my period just in case but it hardly ever leeks once you get the hang of it.
It’s comfortable and so relieving to think that you’ll never have to estimate how much supplies you need or run out of it.
Just pack your Diva Cup and you’re good to go ^^
(I honestly can’t say enough about it)
Awesome, Mariah! We love the Diva Cup so it’s always amazing to hear from other traveling ladies that feel the same!
I am getting ready to travel to thailand, and should be getting my period ANY DAY! I purchased the diva cup on the recommendation of many friends, i do however worry about rinsing it with water that i have been told not even to brush my teeth with. Has anyone had an issues with this? There is always bottled water, but I would rather use as little of that as possible.
I use bottled water for that when I’m in places with questionable water. It actually doesn’t take much to rinse it, then a quick wipe with tissues before reinserting. You can then boil at the end of your cycle. Plus, bottled water is fairly cheap in places like Thailand. Buy a big bottle for your room and refill smaller bottles as you go.
I’m glad you mentioned about washing it with bottled water. I took the cup backpacking once and felt like it was kind of a PITA to wash it with my precious trail water.
Has anyone got experience on hikes, perhaps using wipes or something? I’m planning a months-long hike and that’s a big logistic no one seems to talk much about.
I must say on shorter hikes it’s awesome because you don’t have to watch the clock and worry about TSS or what’s brewing “down there”.
I feel so disappointed reading all these– I bought a Diva Cup before joining the Peace Corps, thinking I didn’t want to deal with the host of products one needs otherwise, but wearing it made me feel dreadful! It isn’t that it’s uncomfortable or pinches, but that I end up nauseated and feverish when I wear it. I cleaned and boiled it appropriately and all, so I never have figured out what the deal was. I brought it along with me to country, but never ended up using it during my service. Now I’m planning some long travel this summer and want to get bold enough to give it another go, but I’m not so sure it’s worth it. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Any success stories?
If it were me, I would try again. If I felt nauseated/feverish, I would discontinue use and see a doctor. It’s made of medical grade silicone, so it seems very strange to have an allergy — maybe something else is going on down there that needs to be assessed. In the end, it could be an allergy, but it’s not common with silicone (from what I’ve read). You could try a Keeper Cup, made of different material or a soft cup (softcup.com), also made of different material I think.
Good luck!