lunette Archives - The Debtist

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I suppose it’s safe to say that this is a space wherein I talk about the topics people normally never talk about – like money, social status and the American nightmare. It’s no surprise, then, that I will talk about how menstruating persons can reduce waste, one Lunette cup at a time. So as not to disclude half of the population, I would like to open this topic up by saying that we all know someone who menstruates. So whether or not that’s you, I hope you still read on to see how we can work as a society to reduce waste in this absolutely common and normal thing.

It is now 2021 and the availability of menstrual products on the market are vast compared to what it was a decade ago. It can be difficult to choose the best solution and it depends on many factors, including cost, lifestyle, level of physical activity, fit, comfort, and consumption preferences. But before we go into why Lunette satisfies all of these factors for me, let’s first discuss what you need to know about menstrual cups in general.

What You Need to Know About Menstrual Cups

Menstrual cups are sustainable alternatives to disposable tampons and pads. There are many positive characteristics around menstrual cups, such as:

They are environmentally friendlier than disposable products.
They teach us a lot about our individual anatomies.
They are comfortable to use.
They are efficient at leak control, even during physical activity such as running or yoga classes.
They open our minds to normalizing menstruation cycles and open our hearts to sharing with other people the way sin which we mange them.

However, it isn’t all unicorns and rainbows right away. Some difficulties when transitioning to them include:

Like everything else, they require a bit of practice in terms of placement and removal, but once mastered, it’s as easy as using tampons.
It takes a while to learn what your body needs and to understand your flow schedule. No one else can teach that except you.
They are a bit more inconvenient for traveling in places where clean water is inaccessible or for emptying in public restrooms.

When I ask others whether they would be willing to transition, most of them naturally have fear around switching over. I will say, however, that it is no different from learning how to first deal with the monthly Mother Nature visits back in our wee teenage years. Remember how awkward that was? We survived once, we can survive again.

I try to put it this way. Think about how much money you spend a year buying disposable tampons and pads. Count how many products you send to the landfill each month. Research what exactly it is you are putting in your body. Recall the number of inconvenient times you’ve had to run to a pharmacy. For me, plenty.

Focus on your health, your lifestyle, and your impact, and use that to overcome anxiety and uncertainty. I find that when we fear something, it is usually because it is something we don’t understand. But it is important we try to elevate ourselves past that point, and if at the end of the day it still isn’t your thing, then at least you know WHY.

Why I Love Lunette Cup

So why Lunette, specifically? If I am being honest, Lunette was the first one I happened to try. Promoting Lunette isn’t discounting the other available menstrual cups on the market, but when I find something I like, I stick with it to avoid decision fatigue and overwhelm. Lunette, to me, was not only good enough at first go, it was bloody awesome on all counts. Both the company and the product are doing fabulous things, which I briefly outline below.

Environmental Impact

The vegan masterpiece from Scandinavia is a reusable and recyclable product. The company’s efforts to be as sustainable as possible is apparent in their zero-waste packaging and renewable energy. This is also one of the few companies that encourage remote work from their employees, a transition that I really wish to see in the near future.

Social Impact

Lunette understands that education is the key to empower menstruating persons. Destigmatizing periods is a form of activism that we all need to take a part in. They have printed and distributed over 150,000 education booklets around the world. Over 30,000 Lunette cups have been donated through various organizations, while over 500 education packs are delivered to health professionals every year. So far, their product has prevented over a billion period products from reaching the landfills and our ocean. On top of all this, they have increased awareness via their fun, informative, and beautiful blog.

A Frugal Choice

At $32 a cup, this and other menstrual cups, are a frugalist’s best friend. A small box of tampons that last me about one cycle costs $5-7. Multiplied by twelve cycles a year, that comes out to $60-84 per year. A Lunette cup lasted me three years, which would have been about $180-252 in tampons. Assuming the lower end range, buying a Lunette cup saved me $150 over the course of three years. It also kept away at least 432 tampons from the landfill and oceans.

A Minimalist’s Best Friend

I am weird about storing multiple things for future use. In short, I hate doing it. We only have 1-2 toilet paper rolls available at a time. I only buy toothpaste or soap when it runs out. I don’t keep things for the “just because”. It’s the organized, controlling, clutter-free minimalist in me. So when it comes to period products, I don’t like keeping a box under the sink for just-in-case. I also dislike carrying four tampons or two pads in my purse wherever I go. No sirree, not for me. I keep a Lunette cup satchel in a tiny clutch, along with my wallet, cell phone and lip balm. That’s it. For the minimalist, they have this cute clear cup that I absolutely adore.

A Safe Product

The Lunette cup is made with medical silicone that is BPA free and chemical free. It is FDA approved and verified as vegan friendly. It also contains no latex for those who are allergic. Be aware of cheaper menstrual cups that are made with low quality materials that could include BPA, phthalates, latex and heavy metals. Also, look at where it is being made. Be cautious if they are coming from China. Learn what to avoid when buying a menstrual cup for the first time here.

Lifestyle First

What I chase is not money or accolades, but a lifestyle – and an atypical one at that. Lunette, however, fits that lifestyle. I like to purchase environmentally friendly products that make good social impact, which Lunette does. I like as few things as possible and as inexpensive as possible, without sacrificing quality. I like zero-fuss when it comes to my day-to-day. I like comfort, versatility, and ease of use. Simplicity is key. Lunette satisfies all of those requirements, too. I can depend on it during periods of physical activity such as running and yoga. I can depend on it at work, at home, and during sleep. It is easy to maintain and clean, especially with Lunette’s vegan cleanser solution – it only takes a drop. And it can hold twice as much as a tampon plus, so it reduces the amount of times I have to stop during my day to empty them. My period weeks are without a hitch! The only time Lunette has been a challenge for me was when I travelled to countries wherein I could not depend on the cleanliness of their tap water. In which case, I do switch my menstrual management over to Thinx, which I wrote about here! However, Lunette has stood by me for everything else. And with their release of 100% biodegradable cleansing wipes, it is possible that travelling post-COVID wouldn’t be so much of a challenge anymore. It’s a game changer for those who like to camp, road trip, or simply walk 20 hours around a new city.

If you wish to live a more sustainable lifestyle, a healthier one, a more frugal one, or even a simpler one, I would highly recommend making the switch and trying Lunette Cup. Perhaps 2021 is the year to make a commitment to the planet and yourself. If so, make use of their offer this month and purchase an animal-friendly Lunette. All Lunette Menstrual Cups are 20% OFF with the code veganuary at checkout, an ode to their public registration with the Vegan Society. You can use this or any of my affiliate links within this blog.

For those who are just starting on their menstrual cup journey, I highly recommend the Lunette Starter Kit. It comes with one cup, the cleanser, and cupwipes. I was gifted the two cup version, which allows flexibility depending on the flow. The size guide can help you decide which to buy if this is your first time. Or you can always get the starter kit with two cups to learn more about yourself. Both happen to be on sale.

Once again, I thank you for your open mind, your willingness to listen, your intention to understand, and your support of this blog space, including the companies that support me. This post was sponsored by Lunette, but all thoughts, opinions, and content are originally mine.

Before Lunette cups….

I struggled about the monthly wasteful habits I was engaging in. Specifically, single-use tampons in plastic capsules and the occasional single-use pads. TMI? Read on anyways. If you think about it, assuming each menstruating person uses an average of 4 tampons a day for seven days a week, twelve times out of a year, for thirty seven years, basic math tells me that each menstruating human uses 12,432 tampons over the course of time that Mother Nature chooses to visit. Multiply that number by all humans favoring tampons, and you’ve got a whole lot of tampon plastic applicators covering up that landfill. Now, not everyone prefers this method, so say they use pads instead. The math comes to something similar, and the visual of a piece of land covered with a mountain of pads is just as stark. So when I started to consider the planet’s needs and wants, I started to fret about my monthly decisions.

I considered many different alternatives.

First, I switched to recycled pads and tampons without plastic applicators. But still, knowing that I threw these away at the end of the day really bothered me. Then, I thought of the reusable rags that remind me of medieval times. A doable deed, but then I didn’t love the idea of walking around in soaked rags all day, and what of swimming? So then I looked into underwear that is made from materials that soak up the leaks. A fan of the new wave engineering, but then what of the smell? This post just gets worse and worse doesn’t it? And still, it didn’t solve my problem with the swimming. (Why the obsession with swimming you may ask. In high school, I was part of a swim class that required me to be in a pool every day, at a time when I was just starting recurring menstrual cycles. So yeah, the problem of periods and swimming still go hand in hand, and always will.) But as with everything that seems like it can’t get any worse, eventually, it gets better.

I found Lunette cup…

…right when I was about to give up. If I am being completely honest, what caught my attention at first was the fact that I could choose whatever color I wanted. This post is becoming all around shameless. For new users, what is a menstrual cup you may ask. For lack of a better image, think of a literal cup used to catch your flow. It’s reusable, safe, odorless, eco-friendly, and most importantly, comfortable. So comfortable I forget about Mother Nature all together, for up to twelve hours at a time! Which is such an upgrade from the typical 4-6 hours with other single-use tampons and pads.

The first question that I asked was, “How safe?” We’ve all been taught to care about the food that goes into our bodies, so why not the other things too? Lunette cups are made from medical-grade silicone that is FDA approved, hypoallergenic, toxin-free, durable, and isn’t harmful to human tissue. This Finnish company has thought of it all!

The next question obviously is how to use. The packaging comes with a very simple diagram with light verbage to walk every first user through the steps. After washing your hands (duh!), you simply fold the silicone cup and insert, allowing you to go about your day for up to twelve hours, worry free! Depending on one’s flow rate, you may have to remove and empty the cup more often than twelve hours. For convenience, there are two cup sizes, one larger than the other to accommodate heavier flows so that days are not bogged down with emptying cups. Once emptied, rinse, and repeat. The rinsing simply involves using cold water and then hot water. If you are concerned about needing to do this at a public restroom with only one common sink area, Lunette has got you covered with their Lunette CupWipes! But honestly, 12 hours is a long time, so as long as you remember to empty right before you leave the house and right after you get home, then there really is no need for the CupWipes. Then again, not everybody is a homebody. At the end of the cycle, I always boil my menstrual cup in a pot of water for 20 minutes. Lunette sends a small pouch with every purchase to store your cup in during non-menstruating days, which allows me to carry it around at all times, in case of surprise visits.

So now, the specifics…

…to the Lunette cup for me personally. TMI continues. And yes, I created questions for myself, then answered them. This is such a peculiar post…

Color: Pink! Erm, well, violet, technically.

Size: Lunette Size 1. This is the smaller size. I am 5’1″ and am barely over 100 pounds. I chose this one because to me, it seems it would be more comfortable for my petite frame.

How many times do you empty the cup? 4 times a day for the first few days, 2-3 times for the later days. I could probably empty it less frequently if I get the larger size.

How long have you been using the Lunette Cup? I have been using Lunette cup for the past four months. I can’t believe I have lived so many years without one!

Have you ever used their cleaning products? No, not yet. I find that boiling the cup upon first receiving it and after every cycle is sufficient.

Is there a time where you’ve found it inconvenient? Yes. Only once. When we traveled to Mexico City and I was not confident that faucet water was as bacteria free as I would like. I had to keep waiting for a time and place where I was able to take a bottled water into a private bathroom with me and use that to rinse the cup. This may have been the only time I would have bought the cleaning products, if I thought of it ahead of time.

Is it difficult to use? No! The learning curve is flat as a valley, it’s so easy! And it teaches you so much about your anatomy. I think we all need to start learning more about our bodies, in general, instead of always trying to hide away from it. I think everyone should give this a try.

For those interested in trying Lunette for the first time, use the code EarthDay18 to get 20% off of all Single Lunette Cups! Feeling charitable? Try the Charitable Buy One, Give One Menstrual Cup, benefitting girls and women in need around the world.