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I’ve been using tampons for years. Then I came across this product called the Lily Cup. I thought, how is this thing supposed to fit up in there? It just looked so big and uncomfortable. So many people I knew raved about this tiny product, that I had to try it out.

And full disclosure, this is my honest Lily Cup review experience as a first-time menstrual cup user.

So let’s get into it.

What is a Menstrual Cup?

First things first, what is a menstrual cup?

A menstrual cup is a device made of medical-grade silicone that is inserted into the vaginal canal to collect menstrual blood rather than absorb it. It looks like a small cup with a little tail at the bottom that you can use to pull it out.

However, not all cups are the same. Some are wider, some are thinner, some are more sturdy, while others are soft and easily bendable. This is because everyone’s body is different! It may take you a few tries to find the right cup for you, but once you find it, chances are you’ll love using a menstrual cup.

Cups are made to last on average, 10 years. That can save you a lot of money on pads and tampons!

The first cup was actually invented in the 1930s by a woman named Leona Chalmers. Her cup was made of rubber but, due to WWII, production stopped and her cup never really became popular.

Today, there are tons of different types of menstrual cups on the market that vary in size and shape.

Why Cups Are Better Than Pads or Tampons

Do you know what’s actually in a tampon?

Tampons are mostly made from cotton and viscose rayon which is a product made of wood pulp. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in America both of these materials are safe. However, some believe that this isn’t the case.

You see, when cotton or rayon is processed it is bleached with chlorine. And when cotton is grown, it can be exposed to pesticides. You wouldn’t want to put any of those things in your body, would you?

As of 2021, there is very little research on the relationship between tampons and women’s health issues down the line. The most common concern is being exposed to a chemical called dioxin which is a byproduct of the bleaching process. It has previously been linked to cancer and endometriosis in women. The FDA now requires that companies use chlorine-free bleach during the bleaching process.

The exposure is very low; however, our vagina’s are very absorbent.

If a woman uses a tampon 24 hours a day for five days every month for 30 years, she will have a tampon in her vagina for a combined five years of her life.

Dana G. Smith

That’s a long time to have something inside of you. Taking this amount of time into consideration, and the absorbency of a vagina, it sounds like there could be some exposure over time. But, nothing has been proven.

A woman also uses 12,000 tampons in a lifetime and just as many pads. That’s a lot of waste that you can stop contributing to simply by using a menstrual cup, such as the lily cup.

INTIMINA, a Brand You Can Trust

INTIMINA is a Swedish company that has a wide range of feminine products. Their mission is to provide products and information for every stage of life from your first mensuration to menopause. The development of their products is backed by leading medical boards.

There are 2 types of product lines available on their website: Pelvic Floor Strengthening and Menstrual Care. The Pelvic Floor Strengthening line includes items like kettle weights to tighten and tone your vagina. The Menstrual Care line includes menstrual cups and a disk as well as cleaning and care products.

For this lily cup review post, I will just discuss their menstrual care line. In the future, I may try some products from their Pelvic Floor Strengthening line.

There are currently 4 different types of options in INTIMINA’s menstrual cup line which are all made of medical-grade silicone. Each of these options can be worn for 8-12 hours depending on your flow.

The Lily Cup One and Lily Cup Compact are both collapsable cups that can easily fit into a small carrying case. The Lily Cup One has a small ring at the bottom to give you something to hold onto when you remove it. This cup only comes in one size and is marketed towards first-time cup users. The Lily Cup Compact has the traditional tip on the bottom but comes in two sizes.

Typically all menstrual cups come in 2 sizes, A or B. Size A is designed for those who haven’t given birth or have a light flow. Size B is designed for those that have given birth or have a heavier flow.

The original Lily Cup is the only cup that can be rolled as thin as a tampon. It is also designed for those that have a high cervix. The top of the Lily Cup is slightly angled to fit your anatomy. It has the smoothest silicone exterior with a spill-proof rim. Keep in mind that this cup is longer than others. It comes with a breathable carrying pouch for easy storage when you’re not using it.

And, lastly, is the Ziggy Cup which is a flat design. It is marketed as the only cup that you can have sex with while using. Because this cup is more of a ring design, it doesn’t have a stem or ring to easily grip and remove which can make it a little more tricky to take out.

So now, the part that you’ve been waiting for, my experience with the Lily Cup.

My Lily Cup Review

I was honestly really apprehensive to use a cup. I kept telling myself I’d buy one soon but kept putting it off. One of my good friends always raved about them.

But when you’re standing in the aisle of feminine products looking at the price of tampons versus the price of a cup, the tampon always won. It took me moving across the world with only one legitimate cup brand available to finally make a purchase.

The lily cup was the only brand available on Turkey’s version of Amazon called Trendyol. There were generic cups, but I didn’t trust them since you can get almost anything as a knockoff in Turkey. So I went ahead and purchased the lily cup. It actually ended up arriving on the last day of my period, perfect timing, I know. This meant that I had to wait until next month to test it out.

Flash forward a few weeks and that time of the month was upon me once again, but this time I was actually looking forward to it.

That morning I boiled the cup and got it ready for its first use. I was really worried about inserting it, but it actually wasn’t too bad. I chose to use the punch-down fold and was able to insert it within 2-3 tries. Of course, I was thinking it can’t be that easy! Did I do it right? It seemed to be in the right spot since I couldn’t feel it anymore. Within a few minutes, I could feel the cup pop open and I knew that it was properly sealed. I put a pantyliner in and went about my day as normal.

Typically I have cramps on the first day, but nothing that keeps me from doing normal things. But with the lily cup inside, my cramps were more uncomfortable than usual. I figured it was just my body getting used to having something inside me.

I kept the lily cup inside for the whole day. It felt really strange not to have to change anything. I didn’t leak at all, which I was surprised to find.

When the time came to take the cup out, I read that you should bear down or try to push the cup out a little bit so that it’s easier to pull out. This is definitely true and helps remove the cup. I will say it’s tricker to take the cup out than to put the cup in. It you’ve having a hard time, take a break for a few minutes and try again.

I didn’t think it was that messy when I finally got the cup out. Yes, your fingers will have some blood on them. And, yes, you will have to get up in there in your vagina, but you’re getting to know your own body. You can also see just how much blood your body loses during your period.

After the first day, my cramps went away and I began to have more of a normal cramp free period. I used the used the cup while I was taking an aerial yoga class. I was nervous that it might leak or be uncomfortable in some positions, but I got through the class with no leaks and no pain. So it’s definitely aerial yoga approved!

Over the next couple of cycles I began to become more comfortable using the cup. It got easier to insert and remove.

Would I Recommend the Lily Cup?

In conclusion, for my lily cup review, I definitely recommend using The Lily Cup.

This is the only menstrual cup that I’ve tried, and it’s known to be longer than others. However, I didn’t know this when I bought it. This feature is good for those that have a high cervix while on their period. I never actually measured my cervix, but it ended up being a comfortable size for me.

So far I’ve used the lily cup for three cycles. It’s really convenient to have the cup in the whole day and only change it when I come home from work. I love not having any period waste and just dumping the blood into the toilet. I also recommend buying two cups so that you can wash and boil one properly while you’re using the other one. Then you can interchange them throughout your cycle.

Another reason I would highly recommend The Lily Cup is that when you’re traveling you don’t have to worry about finding feminine products in different countries. Different tampon absorbencies aren’t as widely available in other parts of the world or aren’t available at all. Pads can become bulky when traveling and be made of different materials than you’re used to. That’s why The Lily Cup has become part of my zero-waste travel kit. You can check out my list of 15 items I use to travel waste-free.

Don’t wait for your next period with tampons or pads. Start using the Lily Cup and have waste-free periods today!