Thinx These cotton-elastane hip-huggers, which look like granny panties as imagined by Victoria’s Secret, claim to soak up two tampons’ worth of blood. I wore them sans plug on my heaviest day, and they were super comfy and leak-free, though by mid-afternoon, they emitted a mild metallic scent, so I reached for the Tampax. I’d wear them again, but on a lighter day. $47, shethinx.com.
Luna Pads This Vancouver-based, eco-friendly fabric pad company also makes cute cotton-Spandex undies with a pocket built into the crotch, where you insert a washable cotton pad. I wore them on day three, which is always a bloodbath, and the removable liners held up well for about eight hours. The only drawback? Camel toe in front; hot dog bun in back. They’re good for nighttime but not discreet enough for day. $35, lunapads.com.
Knix Wear Knix’s sporty Everyday Seamless Bikini with leak-proof liner is designed to act either as backup to your go-to mode of protection or for going solo on light-flow days. I tried a pair sans other protection and found it readily absorbed and concealed my end-of-period dribs and drabs, though the crotch was a bit stiff to begin with—and starchy after a few hours. $22, knixwear.com.
More Menses:
On the Rag: 5 Stages of No-Period Panic
On the Rag: My Bloody Job Interview
On the Rag: My First Tampon
On the Rag: The Rise of the Artisanal Period
On the Rag: Know Your Flow
On the Rag: Death By Tampon