This 2018 has been an effort to live in a more sustainable way. I’m choosing more eco-friendly products and finding creative solutions to mindless consumption. My latest movement has been purchasing my Eva Cup. The Eva Cup is a reusable menstrual tool for women. It’s made of silicon and can drastically decrease the number of disposable products that end up in landfills, plus it might even work better. Besides it’s environmental benefits, the Eva Cup and similar products may be healthier for your vagina. Here’s my experience using the Eva Cup.
What is the Eva Cup
The Eva Cup from the Anigan company is a similar contraption to the Diva Cup. It’s a silicone cup that can be inserted into your vagina for up to 8 hours and it will catch all the fluids that your body releases during your period. I admit it sounds scary at first, but what’s even scarier than that is inserting multiple chemical laden tampons into your body every month.
The product claims to be eco-friendly, free of harsh irritants, reusable, and that it is leak proof. So, does it work?
Pros
The Eva cup is considerably cheaper than the more popular menstrual cup brand the Diva Cup. In fact, it’s about half the price. My first time wearing it, I wore it on one of my heavier period days and found that I could wear it for a considerable amount of time. I even went swimming with it! I was a little worried that it wouldn’t hold up, but I didn’t have any issues that day and I had an amazing time with friends on the lake.
Another benefit of using this product is the amount of money that you will save on other disposable products. I am not quitting them altogether, but I will be able to cut down on the amount that I use. It’s a $20 investment that will save you more money in the long run.
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Cons
The first thing that I dislike about this product is that it kind of hurts to insert. There are two sizes of Eva Cups a size 1 (for women who have not yet had children and are under the age of 30), and size 2 (for women who have either had a child or are over the age of 30). I use a size 1. The cup has a thick silicone ring around the edge that you squeeze and fold to insert. This process can be difficult and may hurt a little bit. Using water as a lubricant can help with this process. But once it’s in, you can’t feel a thing. And that I do love.
The second issue I had with the product is mild spotting. Especially if you use it on a heavy day and insert it while there’s a large amount of fluid flowing (sorry for the visuals I’m painting). The spotting wasn’t severe and I used a panty liner for these times.
Lastly, just as it hurt to insert the cup, it can be difficult to remove. The bottom of the cup has a long ribbed tip that you grab onto to remove the cup. I found that it was difficult to get a good grip on the tip and you really have to get your fingers up in there if you know what I mean. Once you finally do get a good grip you have to pull and fold the hard silicone ring. It can take a while to slide it out. Then, you empty the contents into the toilet and wash the cup with a mild soap before re-inserting.
Final Thoughts
The cup is great because I know that it can handle whatever my body throws at it for hours and I don’t have to worry about major leaks or having a spare on hand. Despite the initial discomfort when inserting, I really like the product. I can sleep at night knowing that I’m secure (with the help of a pantyliner). I’m even wearing it as I type this. Cleaning this product is very easy and I’m happy to have finally given this product a shot after years of fear.
Do you have an eco-friendly feminine product that you swear by and think that I should try? Please let me know in the comments section.
