Thanks Thinx - A Review

***WARNING: TMI Graphic girly content ahead. NSF kids or guys who don't discuss menstruation with their ladies on the regular ***

When I learned that there was such a thing as period panties, I got excited. Let's just say that when I cruise the crimson sea, it's always high tide. The idea, then, of a leak-proof and comfy option for the likes of me was beyond appealing, since I hate the sensation of feeling as though I'm sloshing around in diapers.

There are apparently several brands of menstrual underwear out there on the market, but I decided to be swayed by the one that popped up on my social media with a savvy marketing campaign. Thinx is a New York-based women-founded company that helps girls and women in the developing world. Good idea and good deed, too? Sold. So I broke the bank and bought three pairs: two hip-hugger and a boy short. And I waited for them to arrive, and then for an opportunity to test them out.

Now that I've had a few (heavy) days to try them out, the verdict is in: I wish I had bought more! Absorbency is solid; I could wear any of the three pairs with just a Tampax and not sully my clothes, and while I only allowed myself to sport any given pair for about 8 hours, that was still a good trial. It felt liberating to not have to "double up" on those first ugly days, if you know what I mean. The cleaning process was a little gross, since you have to cold water rinse them immediately upon changing, and that can be a bit of a bloody mess. Hanging to dry wasn't an issue for me, and not filling my garbage can and the landfill with sullied pads is a *huge* plus in my books. The hip-hugger style fit me well and was really comfy to wear. The boy shorts, unfortunately, kept rolling under my fat roll (lovely, I know), and I was constantly pulling up my underwear. Unsightly and inconvenient. Still, no accidents, so while I don't love that style, I figure I can still wear them to bed or something. I even tried it overnight on a less intense day, and it worked better than my normal set up, which involves a number of Always and a tampon. Next time I will give it a full night on a flood day to see if it holds up (God help my sheets).

The whole idea of period panties was baffling to me at first. I was perplexed at how it all absorbs without soaking and sagging, but apparently there is a science to this.

Frankly, for me it seems to work. I don't stink and it doesn't seem to create embarrassing clothing situations, so that's good enough for me! I don't know how it handles the less-than-liquid issues, though, but I am pretty sure a Google search can answer that!

The only downside to Thinx is that no pair of undies can hold a day's worth of output, so you kind of have to factor that in when you figure out how many pairs you would need for a cycle. In my case, I really could use a dozen pairs, no lie. The other downside is that if you're out and about and you have to change your undies, you're rinsing in a public washroom sink and carting around soiled panties until you can get home and do the laundry. That's a little bit gross, IMHO. Finally - I only bought them in black. I don't know how monstrous the light-coloured undies might look after 8 hours on Day 2. Ick.

So should you invest in some Thinx? They're not cheap at $30+USD per pair, but I guess if you can get a lot of mileage out of yours, then you're saving on pads. I am curious to try some of the other period panties out there, and if they have a better price point, I'm game to give them a go rather than invest all of my hard-earned buckeroos on Thinx. That said, from what I've read, Thinx is kind of the Cadillac of period panties; many of the reviews I've read on the other ones don't seem to glow quite as much. However, I wasn't paid for this review, so I have no obligation to tell you where to shop and what to buy; instead, I would suggest that you do your research on the options out there, and see if menstrual panties work for you, period (pun intended).