PERIOD UNDIES: can you really let it bleed?
February 22, 2019
“Period underwear” no longer refers to the old, stained, hole ridden pair of panties you only sport on days when the super-max tampon isn’t cutting it.
A lot of questions about period undies have found their way into our DM’s. You’re panty curious but not quite ready to invest the $35 for a pair of THINX and a grapefruit (okay, first complaint the grapefruit is NOT included with a THINX purchase) The Ovee Team has tested 4 different brands and 7 different styles so all you menstruators have the info you need before letting it bleed.
Unbound
Booshies
KNIX
Leakproof Thong
SUSTAIN
Underwear
THINX
Classic Thong
THINX
Cotton Thong
CUTE FRUIT
Trump/Pence
THINX
The Cheeky
Our Favorite
At $22 it was the most affordable. The fabric was synthetic but extremely breathable and didn’t retain moisture (compared to the THINX classic thong). They are also seamless so no pesky underwear lines if that’s something that’s important to you.
These weren’t super absorbent, definitely for a lighter day or to wear during a workout when you’re concerned about a tampon leaking.
They are available in 3 different color options.
Bonus: Knix also make bras, shirts, bodysuits, etc.
The cotton thong comes in 2 different colors and is recommended for your lightest days.
For us, it absorbed about the same amount of blood as the THINK original thong, but without the yeast infection side effect!
If you’re thinking to buy THINX we would recommend their cotton products over their original. Cotton fabric naturally breathes better than synthetic fabrics (can be helpful in preventing vaginal infections!).
Thinx has a wide variety of underwear, good news is we tried out several of them for you! *Bonus Points: Super appreciate their commitment to supporting menstruators around the globe and their dedication to period innovation and education.
THE CLASSIC THONG | $24
Comfort
These look super cute! BUT the original thong is real thicc. The material is a stretchy spandex and double layered. It was a bit too much material for our liking.
After one day in 90% humidity, we would absolutely warn against wearing these any time you’re going to sweat and can’t change out of them immediately. Not a great option if you have any type of yeast or bacterial infection; the fabric does not breathe and the added moisture creates the perfect environment for yeast to flourish.
Absorbency
Would compare this to the absorbency of a light tampon. Great for days when you’re afraid of leaking or aren’t quite sure if your period is gone just yet.
THE CLASSIC CHEEKY | $30
Comfort
ALSO very thick fabric and had the same problem with moisture as the thong, but a great option if you like full coverage.
Absorbency
Holds a lot of liquid! Courtney was able to wear these on a lighter day towards the end of her period with no pad or tampon.
Was THINX worth the hype? We weren’t particularly impressed with the THINX classic line. While they were super aesthetically pleasing, they weren’t that comfortable, gave us major swamp ass, and inflamed our vaginal infections. We did however enjoy their Organic Cotton line. If you’re gonna go with THINX, go for the cotton undies. They were much more breathable and held the same amount of blood as the classic.
Most Ethically Made
Obsessed with this brand! Cute fruit is a feminist, ethical intimates brand that donates $1 from every sale to Planned Parenthood.
We purchased the Trump/ Pence two pack full coverage undies. Great to split a pack with a friend if you’re still deciding about the price.
These were super comfortable. Made of all cotton, full coverage, was great to sleep in. The only complaint was they were a bit bulky and a bit uncomfortable to wear with tight pants but perfect for lounging and dresses.
These are EXTREMELY absorbent. Was able to wear this all day on a medium flow day with minimal leakage.
We loved the brand and their focus on inclusive design. Not going to lie, seeing Trump’s face in between my legs when going to the bathroom was initially very disturbing, but by the end of the day was oddly satisfying seeing his face covered with blood.
They are a bit pricier than other undies, however, we were comfortable with the price knowing they were ethically made and some of the proceeds are donated to Planned Parenthood.
Sustain makes a lot of great products (lubes, condoms, tampons) unfortunately we don’t think their period underwear is one of them.
Hot damn that is a lot of fabric. These were massive in size and felt more like wearing a diaper.
All that fabric made these the most absorbent. The best option if you have a heavy flow or have trouble with leaking while you sleep.
TLDR
We are a fan of period undies! When you find the right fit, they can be magical. We loved not having to worry about spotting in the later days of our cycle and not having to second guess if we were bleeding through or not. Some are pricey, but it did save in the long run not having to buy panty liners.
They were easy to clean, just rinsed with cold water after wearing (what I usually do with period stained undies anyways), tossed in with my delicates, and air dried. Beware the yeast infection, especially if the pair you’re wearing is not breathable. For our yeast prone friends, we recommend the cotton brands like the THINX cotton line or Cute Fruit.
Hope you found what you needed. Now go forth and menstruate uninhibited with thoughts of furniture, jeans, or exercise bike staining.
the testers
COURTNEY
I had recently gotten an IUD replaced. Before that I didn’t have a period for 4 years. Now I have random cramping and spotting. The spotting is usually only in the mornings and is a bit thicker consistency and darker in color.
JANE
When I had the arm implant BC (Nexplanon) I would bleed every other week and my flow was heavy AF, and now that I have an IUD my flow is only every month, but still heavy AF for the first 3-4 days then spotting for the last 3! I use tampons, but I get lazy the last few days and just let it flow.
