One of our customers has kindly allowed us to reproduce her review of the Lunette Model 1 menstrual cup here. As a wedding photographer, she has tried and tested the cup through a full day photoshoot. Read more about her experience!
31st Dec 2015
been using tampons for years and after reading about how it dries up the vagina and causes micro-tears, making it easier to deposit bacteria, i decided to switch to menstrual cups. pads always leaked for me, and i find it really gross when the blood oxidises and starts to smell. plus the amount of waste is phenomenal
about 2 weeks leading up to my period, i practised putting in the cup using different folds. the first few times, the cup didn’t open properly. after a few tries and reading blogs, i realised that it’s easier to release the fold halfway up and let it open, then kegel the cup up. once it can be rotated and doesn’t come out when tugged, it’s opened correctly :)
when i first put it in (without my period), the stem was just sticking out a little and didn't really bother me. however, now that my period is about to start, my cervix is much lower and today when i put it in the stem stuck out quite a bit so i trimmed it. i no longer feel the cup anymore!! if your cervix sits really high up you probably don't even need to trim the stem. when correctly inserted, you don't feel the cup at all. throughout the day i actually forgot i had a cup in there.
also you can safely leave the menstrual cup in without any risk of infection or toxic shock syndrome, you can just wear it and go about your day if you suspect your period is coming (instead of wasting another pad/tampon/pantyliner)
2nd Jan 2016
first day of my period and I had to shoot a full day wedding (i.e. running around, squatting, kneeling down to take photos). i had the cup in since 6am and just got home, so that's about 9 hours. ZERO LEAKS and cup was only about 1/3 full.
I probably wouldn't have had to change a super tampon as well, but there’s the risk of TSS or infections (sometimes it leaks too), whereas a cup can be left in there for many hours without these risks.
the chances of even having to empty the cup in a public toilet is rare unless you have an ultra heavy flow or are out for longer than 12 hours. in any case, just a wipe with toilet paper is good enough and you can wear the cup back again. i also realised my period feels lighter with the cup, not sure if it’s just psychological.
have to return to work later to shoot the dinner banquet and it's safe to say I won't be needing to empty it until I'm home late tonight
3rd Jan 2016
first sleep with the lunette cup on my period, no leaks! feeling like such a champ cus I've heard it takes 1-2 cycles to learn how to wear it correctly. second day of the full day shoot went well! no leaks or anything
4th Jan 2016
Day 3, its been about 16.5 hours in total since I emptied and reinserted the cup at 11pm last night after work. the cup was only 1/3 full
my period isn't heavy but it's not very light as well. I'm not sure why when using tampons I had to change it more often, but my theory is that the tampon dries out the vagina so it produces more moisture which keeps getting absorbed by the tampon?
ALSO, i trained today and did heavy squats, bench presses and deadlifts, and i absolutely did not feel the cup, nor did it leak or move. so if you're active (yoga/pilates/weightlifting/cycling/running/swimming/etc.), you can use the cup and nothing is gonna spill.
anyways I was trying to test the limits of the lunette cup and my period.. I know I probably never have to empty my cup in a public toilet unless I absolutely have to. but I'm rarely out for more than 12 hours anyways.
imagine going on a holiday and not having to bring bags of pads or tampons! don't have to find a toilet to change a tampon, cus you just need to empty your cup when you get back to the hotel. good for beach vacations where it's difficult to find toilets in public
5th Jan 2016
i decided to try leaving it in for 24 hours since it was day 4, and it's usually pretty light. I think the recommended 12 hours is how long it takes for the average person to fill up a cup but there's no risk whatsoever since it's medical grade silicone plus no air from the outside gets into the cup. so I had the cup in from 11pm last night until about 30 mins ago when i went to shower. no smell whatsoever and no spills/leaks the entire 24 hours
reading this, it’s actually pretty normal: http://menstrual-cups.livejournal.com/2566850.html
I realised this period I spent very little time actually dealing with my period. previously I would have to pack tampons when I go out or remember to change my tampons, or wash stains off my underwear (washing the cup takes way less time). I had none of that with the cup, but I'm aware that I'm one of the lucky few who used the cup successfully the very first period. everyone's learning curve is different but I think many people take 2-3 cycles to get it right and then it's a breeze from then on.
what really helped was the many many times I practised with the cup before my period actually started. so if you buy one it'll be good to practise a lot before your period starts. anyways it'll be easier to insert nearing/during your period cus it'll be more lubricated and also your cervix will definitely be lower then
