Diva Cup

Some of the healthier, more environmentally friendly beauty care switches I have been writing about lately (like the Oil Cleaning Method, the No-Shampoo hair care regimen, and natural deodorant) are new to me.  However, today I want to talk about something that I have been using for years: the Diva Cup.


Diva Cups (as pictured on the right) are flexible, silicone cups that are used to catch menstrual blood. Over time, they are the most environmentally friendly, economical, and healthy option. However, I think their most compelling advantage is how overwhelmingly practical they are.

When you use tampons or pads, you need to change them every 4-6 hours.  Diva cups need to be emptied every 12 hours.  That means if you are at work or school all day, or on a boat with friends, or hiking through the Rockies, you don't need to bring any extra "supplies" with you.  Plus, you don't need to find a place to change your tampon/pads out, or a trash can to toss them in.  Honestly, I forget that I am on my period some days.  As a side note (and I cannot prove this) since I spend less time thinking about being on my period, I seem to experience fewer/less severe side effects (like cramps, PMS, you know what I mean).

Now, back to the big picture stuff.  First, Diva Cups are good for up to 10 years.  That means that you only have to throw away the packaging and the cup itself once ever decade or so.  The Diva Cup website says:  Since The DivaCup™ is reusable, it is very economical. As well, you can feel confident that you are doing your part in environmental conservation. Landfill and pollution problems are on the rise and continue to be a worldwide concern. In 1998, 7 billion tampons and 13 billion sanitary pads and their packaging made their way into landfills and sewage systems in the USA alone!


On a related note, you only have to buy a new one every 5-10 years.  They cost around $25. If you figure out roughly how many packages of your current pads/tampons you use every year and multiply that by how much each package costs, I bet you spend more than that each year.  Then remember that the Diva Cup is good for years.

Finally, let me just say that they are comfortable and easy to use.  I have been using Diva Cups (actually, just one) for the past 5 years, and I love it.  However, there are tons of other similar products on the market.  Look around and see which one appeals to you.

Click here to see more of my eco-friendly alternatives.