Lena Menstrual Cup Original - Soft Reusable Medical-Grade Silicone Period Cups for Women Heavy Flow, Comfortable 12-Hour Leak-Free Protection, Beginner-Friendly Feminine Care - Large, Purple

I think that in general menstrual cups are difficult to review meaningfully because personal anatomy quirks are such a factor, so I'm going to try to give some information that hopefully will make it easier to evaluate whether or not my experience will match up with yours. I'm also going to do my best to avoid TMI whenever possible, but let's be realistic: this is a review of a menstrual cup. There is some amount of TMI that is just part of the process. I am a long-time menstrual cup user (both the Diva Cup and the Lunette), but I have always preferred to sometimes use other feminine hygiene products under some circumstances - sometimes it's just easier to use tampons, and I prefer to not use anything internal at night if I can get away with it. I prefer menstrual cups specifically (1) when I wake up with cramps but haven't actually gotten my period yet, and (2) on my one or two really heavy flow days, when I would have to change a super absorbency tampon every hour or so but could get away with four to six hours on a menstrual cup. I have always had to trim the stem of menstrual cups (the little piece that sticks out below the cup) because I find them uncomfortable and I don't think they make removing them any easier. In terms of which brands I've used, I started with the Diva Cup, switched to the Lunette because I had some discomfort with the Diva Cup (the smaller one), but found the Diva Cup a lot easier to pop open than the Lunette, so I switched back. I am in my thirties, but because the smaller Diva Cup was already a little uncomfortable (I am a delicate flower), I didn't ever switch to the larger one. I haven't ever been pregnant. Given that context... I chose to try the larger Lena Cup specifically because of the shape. I'd had some problems with leaks on the smaller Diva Cup, but I was pretty sure it was because of the heaviness of my flow and not the diameter of the cup, so I didn't want to switch to the larger one (as I'd mentioned, the smaller one was already a little uncomfortable). The Diva Cup gets wider when you go to the larger cup. The Lena Cup gets taller. The Lena Cup is also less flared - from pictures, I could tell that it was a more consistent width from top to bottom, which just seemed like it'd work better for me, since I felt like it was really a width issue with the Diva Cup that was causing my discomfort. As it turns out, the Lena Cup is a LOT more comfortable than the Diva Cup for me, personally - as in, the larger Lena Cup is more comfortable than the smaller Diva Cup. Because it's less flared, the pressure (all three of the menstrual cups I have tried exert some outward pressure) is more distributed, and that makes it a lot less uncomfortable for me. It's not totally unnoticeable, but it's more like wearing a tampon than having something pushing at me in a really localized area and in a really intrusive way. (It is, however, more noticeable than a tampon, and it seems to sort of... take up valuable bladder space, so I do have to pee more frequently. See? TMI.) I'm not sure if it's the shape or what, but something about the design of the Lena Cup also makes it a lot easier than either the Diva Cup or the Lunette to change tidily, particularly in public restrooms. The blood collects at the bottom, not on the sides (which was a HUGE problem for me with the Diva Cup), and it seems like it's easier to remove it without spilling. [My feeling on the public restrooms is that if you can't change it in a public restroom it's a total nonstarter as a feminine hygiene product, so here's a tip about emptying menstrual cups in public restrooms in general: wash your hands and wet down a paper towel before you go into the stall, empty the cup into the toilet, wipe it out with toilet paper, and then use the wet paper towel to wipe the sides and inside of the cup before reinserting it. Paper towel gets folded up and goes in the trash receptacle (NOT the toilet), like a tampon or a pad. Everything else gets flushed. This requires a few tries before you get the hang of doing it without setting that wet but clean paper towel down on the knee of your jeans and no, it's not ideal, obviously, or a long-term solution, but it'll get the job done in a pinch.] The real place where the Lena Cup excels for me, though, is that I have had absolutely no problems with leaks. None. Not even overnight on my really heavy flow days on a weekend when I'm sleeping in. None. It's a real godsend, not to have to wear a pantiliner or backup pad or get up in the night to empty it, and to know that I can actually get some work done during the day without setting an alarm to interrupt me every couple of hours just to make sure everything is still copacetic. I haven't gone longer than ten hours without changing it, even when I do sleep with it in, or longer than about six hours during the day, but emptying it three or four times a day without incident is a vast, *vast* improvement over either the Diva Cup (which was fine as long as I was wearing a pantiliner to deal with leaks but still kind of nerve-wracking) or tampons (which I had to change literally every hour, and woe unto me if I forgot). A few other notes. The material on the Lena Cup is very firm and it pops open easily after being folded for insertion: I can't do a tri-fold with it (which I had to do with the Lunette and didn't like), but a bifold works just fine (it was sort of hit or miss on the Diva Cup). The air holes are really easy to keep clean (this was really, *really* not true on the Diva Cup). The downside (and isn't there always one) is that I do think it's a little bit harder to remove than the Diva Cup. I did trim the stem, as I mentioned before, and I always remove menstrual cups by pinching the base, but it seemed like the Lena Cup was just a lot more firmly seated, the first couple times I tried. This is possibly related to why it doesn't leak, so I'll take it. I've used it a fair few times now and I've got the hang of it at this point, so we're good. I still do not use it exclusively in preference to tampons or pads.

I bought my first Lena cup in May but wanted to give it a few months before I left a review, since I felt that way my review could be more helpful to others. This was my first time ever trying a menstrual cup - I have used tampons pretty much for the past 10-15 years. Based on the company's recommendation in the FAQ, I initially purchased a size small. I hesitated with the sizing at first because although they recommend the size small for women who haven't used a menstrual cup before or had children, I didn't think it would be big enough because I have a crazy heavy flow (sorry, TMI). Nonetheless, given their recommendation and the fact that I'm a pretty small person, I decided to start with the small. The very first period, I really had difficulty getting the cup into me. It would take me like 6 or 7 tries each time, so I pretty much gave up after the first two days because I got so sore. Also, I was having to pull it out and empty it every 2.5ish - 3 hours, which was really annoying because even with my heavy periods, ultra tampons usually give me 3-4 hours. So after switching over to tampons again mid-period, I figured I would give it another shot the next month. In the meantime, I had received an email from the company just checking in with me, so I responded with my two concerns- that I had a hard time inserting it and that I was having to change it too frequently. I then received a very nice response with some helpful tips and letting me know that I should follow up if I had any more concerns after trying them. So, June came around and I tried the cup again, keeping in mind the insertion tips they had sent. Lo and behold, the tips + the extra practice made it much, much easier to insert the second time around (taking an average of 2x per insertion - not perfect but much better than the first month). Unfortunately, I still could only go 2.5ish -3 hours on my heaviest days before emptying - otherwise the cup would get too full and I would leak. So, I followed up with the company, just letting them know, and they responded back right away saying that they thought I might be happier with a larg cup and would send one out to me free of charge! Having just finished my July (and third) period using the large cup, I can finally feel comfortable in saying that this is an awesome product and an awesome company. I ended up using the large the entire period because I was too lazy to switch to the small, and unlike tampons, it's not dangerous to use a larger size even when your flow is lighter. It was harder inserting the larger cup, but it still only took about 2-3 tries per time (and I expect that to get easier as I continue to use it in the future). This might be TMI but I find that the easiest way to insert it is by folding it into the 7-fold and then kind of just feeding it into my vagina. I can't push it in too hard or quickly because that hurts, but by inserting slowly and gently, it doesn't hurt at all. I have had zero problems with it sealing over my cervix, but it's easier to stick your finger around the edges to make sure it has formed the seal. Time wise with the large cup - on heavy days, I can go about 4 hours before having to empty, and on lighter days, I can go forever before remembering to empty. So while the heavy days are pretty similar to ultra tampons, the lighter days are SO much better because I don't feel nervous if it sits in me for longer than 8 hours ( the max for tampons)! Plus, this cup doesn't dry me out like tampons do. It's also wayyyy cheaper - I've already saved money by just using it for 3 cycles. It's also better for the environment (if you care about things like that) plus you don't have to worry about having accessible trash cans (not always easy when you're a guest at someone else's house). I will say this - I like to wash it off in between taking it out and inserting again, and to wash my hands as well. So, I am most comfortable using this when I know I can use a private bathroom with a sink right by me. I would not feel comfortable emptying and changing in a public restroom. Besides for the mess on my hands (TMI but I haven't perfected emptying/inserting without getting anything on my fingers), I wouldn't want my fingers that close/inside my vagina after having to touch public surfaces (such as the stall door). That's just me though - I'm a germaphobe. It's definitely easy and possible to use in any bathroom, I personally just wouldn't do it yet in public ones. I hope this review can help anyone else out there contemplating switching to a cup from tampons. This review is totally honest and not biased, even though they did send me the large cup for free after the small cup (which I had paid full price for) wasn't working for me on my heavy days. At no point did they ask me to write a review when they gave me the large cup for free. And that's the main reason I'm happy to write such a good review - I can't stand the companies that now pay people or give people free things in exchange for biased reviews. This company just wants its consumers to be happy and to be able to use their products, which is so awesome and which makes me much more likely to recommend to friends.

In a Few Words - Life Changing for Endo - Mega Flow Cycle! This is an amazing cup (my first time using menstrual cups). I bought the dual set of Large and Small. I used only the large cup so far. I absolutely love it and love the customer service that the company gives. First of all, the company is so attentive, kind and very professional. The customer service alone wins you over. They are really interested in their customers. They gave excellent follow up to my questions as well as they stand behind their product. In this day and age of unscrupulous companies and tactics, you can't get any better than that with customer satisfaction. Second, the cup is the exact firmness that I needed since I have never had children, I have very strong pelvic floor muscles, I'm in my late 40's and of the two sizes the large was best for me since I have not a heavy but mega flow (I have Endometriosis which can cause heavy bleeding). Incidentally, even though I have the Mega flow, the cup seems to have shorten my cycle this month. It didn’t control the flow, but I went from 7 days to a 5 day cycle. Anyway, the learning curve for me was only about three insertions. The first time, I left the stem on and the cup was uncomfortable. The second time, I cut half the stem off and the cup was still uncomfortable for me. By the third time I inserted the cup and completely cut off the stem (Tip - make sure not to cut the stem too low so that you don't cut into the actual cup) it was perfection! As long as I was sure to insert the cup and push it up as far as it would go for me, I was comfortable. My cup sits low in the vagina; however, if I left it too low I could feel the grip rings. So, I always pushed the cup up farther until I could not really feel the grip rings, and it was mind blowing ease and comfort when it was placed right. I used the punch down fold and it worked every time with that particular fold. I once tried the 7 fold, and it simply didn't work for me. Since I have a mega flow, the first 2 days I had to change my cup every 2hrs 40 minutes (yes, I was in the house on those days, so I did time it exactly). I probably could have gotten 20 more minutes of time from the cup since it was only filled below the air holes. So, I will say, moving forward I need to change every 3 hours on my 2 heaviest days. This was better for me since normally I would use 2 overnight pads at the same time and change them every 1.5 hrs on my first 2 days. How many leaks did I have? I had NONE when I used the punch down fold. How is that possible with the Mega flow? It's because the cup is so well made and the firmness makes the cup pop open every single time. The only time I did have a leak is when I tried the 7 fold. It is not the fold for me; it made insertion difficult and I could feel the cup not opening completely. Also, I don’t believe that my cup created the seal, at least not most of the time. I say this because removal was a breeze. It was just as easy for me to remove as to insert. With that being said, for me whether the cup sealed or not, the cup worked for me every time without leaks (Also being a first time menstrual cup user, I paired it with a pad/panty liner). After my first day using the cup, I decided to try water based KY jelly for insertion and it worked even better. I actually got so comfortable using this cup that I was able to change it in a public restroom on my 3 day without one problem. I had everything with me, small water bottle, wet paper towel and non-latex gloves (Incidentally, I always use gloves when inserting and removing to prevent blood on my hands and to minimize chances of any kind of infection or bacteria on my bare hand even though I wash them first). If there was one thing I would like is, I wish I could get 4 hours out of the cup, because I have an event I attend weekly and need that time to be worry free until I get home. So, I guess if LENA had the Mega Flow cup (maybe 40 ml of capacity) it would make my cycle almost forgettable. All in all, the LENA cup is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my period.

I've been using a menstrual cup for over a year now. I've used both sizes of the Diva Cup and Lena Cup. I also wrote a similar review under the Diva Cup's product, but much of the information I have to share is the same. I started out using the Diva Cup, so mentions of the Lena come a bit later in my review. I bought the Model 1 (pre-birth) Diva Cup over a year ago and I think it's a great one to start with. It isn't too soft or too firm, or too big for that matter. You may want to watch some YouTube videos about cups to find the right size and length for you. (One good way to determine this is to measure where your cervix is). You will also want to take into consideration if you've had children, how heavy your flow is, and how small you are. While it took me a few months to get the right fold, I never had an issue with the cup being uncomfortable once opened because of my small size. I tried the C-fold and the 7-fold, but the one that works best for me (regardless of the type of cup) is the punch-down fold. Word of advice? Use lube. This makes insertion so much easier. I like the ones by Aloe Cadabra and Sliquid. This is my process for insertion: Fold the cup using the punch-down fold and hold in one hand, apply a small amount of lube with the other and spread on the cup, take a wide stance, insert the cup fully, perform a few Kegel exercises to move the cup and make sure it's inserted fully, bear down again and use 1-2 fingers to ensure the cup is opened and is in the proper spot. Emptying: The first two days my flow is medium, sometimes medium-heavy, and I change it once in the middle of the day and once at night before bed. The final 2-3 days are light to light-medium and I only change once per day! To remove, simply perform a few Kegels to get the cup lower, grasp the cup with one hand, fold it into the C-shape with the other (this makes it easier to remove), and dump the contents into the toilet. This should definitely be done while sitting on the toilet because this does cause spillage. If you're in public, you can simply rinse with water from a bottle over the toilet and reinsert. At home, I use a simple soap (I think it's the 365 brand from Whole Foods that has maybe 2-3 ingredients) and not the premade ones offered by Cup brands. Other Cleaning Advice: Some people boil their cups, and if you want to do that, I'd look to other reviews. I don't want to ruin mine and I think cleaning my cup after each use with a basic soap (that doesn't have ingredients they specifically say shouldn't be used) is sufficient for me. Brands: Like I said, the Model 1 Diva Cup is what I started out with. This has more of a V shape. I bought the Lena Cup in the small size maybe 4-5 months after purchasing my Diva; this one is a bell shape. The Lena Cup is a bit more firm and might work better if you're having trouble getting the Diva Cup to pop open. Lena also has great customer service and when I thought the larger size might work better for me, they sent me one free of charge. The larger Lena was the first large size I tried and it was slightly uncomfortable the first 5-6 times I wore it. I just don't think the bell shape worked best for my body. I just recently bought the Model 2 Diva cup, even though I haven't had children and I'm under whatever age they specify, but it works better for me on my first two days because of my slightly heavier flow. Unfortunately, find the right cup for you is a bit of trail and error. However, like I noted above, Lena's customer service is awesome so if you feel like you got the wrong size, you should be able to try the other without having to purchase. Leaking: I have tried the two sizes by Diva Cup and Lena Cup and all three of the aforementioned folds. I know my cups are open and in the proper spot. I however can't stop slight leakage (basically spotting quantities) from happening. I bought period panties from THINX (second best period companion ever!) and that allows me to (a) not ruin my underwear and (b) not purchase disposable and uncomfortable liners. I noticed I had the most leakage with the larger Lena Cup. Again, I think this simply because the bell shape isn't what is best for my body. Stems: On both cups, I feel like the stems are useless. I don't have a high cervix, so they aren't helpful to pull out the cup and they are just plain annoying to be honest. I read other reviews and took their advice: snip with scissors and then use a nail filer to make the edges smooth. Problem solved. Overall: While I do primarily use my Diva Cup because the shape is better for my body, I still wouldn't hesitate to recommend Lena. It's much easier to open (so you're less likely to have leakage issues) and I did appreciate the wonderful customer service. All in all, I just want to get people to try menstrual cups, period! If you made it this far, congratulations! Cups have a learning curve but once you master them they are amazing. No waste. Not uncomfortable. No TSS. No nasty chemicals. Less changing. Way more affordable! Please leave comments if you have any questions at all.

I think this thing just changed my period life. So to preface i grew up in a house with three sisters (one of which has moved out) but my younger of the two is still here. We go through pads/tampons super super quickly since we often sync up on our cycles so it’s very expensive to keep replenishing the stock of menstrual products. There’s also the issue of my sister being bad at telling whoever is going to the store next that she used the last of whichever product when it no longer conveniences her and it screws over the next person who needs that product. You can imagine how annoying that would be for period products. Anyways i had been hearing lots of people were trying out the diva cup and after lots of back and forth (mainly me being scared on insertion and getting it out) i decided to go on amazon and get one to try it out. it’s more sustainable, lower odor, and people seem to like it. amazon came up with a bunch of different options and i looked through many reviews and finally landed on the Lena cup! there were so many great and in depth reviews and people were telling everyone every good and bad aspect and how they loved not only the product but the company as well, so i got one! i just tried it out today so i’m going to explain how it went. woke up, oh great i’m bleeding :/, but oh wait i get to try out my cup! i already figured i had a higher cervix so i had an idea of how to position it as well as my first time years ago putting in a tampon was a breeze for me personally and i was very comfortable finding my angle that positions best for my flow so that helped a ton. when first inserting i read the instructions and thought the inward fold would be my best bet but when inserting it kept popping open and was a bit uncomfortable and not nearly high up enough to pop open so i tried the 7 fold and it went in great! after a bit of finagling it popped open and suctioned into place! i personally didn’t have to cut the string it sits perfectly in the entrance of my vagina but if you have a lower cervix you may have to adjust it. after an hour or two i wanted to check that i wasn’t leaking and wasn’t about to leak so i mentally prepped myself to take out the cup (this was the part i was most scared of). went to the bathroom and found the string and wiggled it back and forth like the instructions said and it did lower but the suction really holds it in so i went to squeeze the base of the cup to release the suction. this part was a little difficult as i had just gotten stiletto shaped acrylics the day before (not a good idea i know) and i didn’t want to stab my vagina so i had to adjust very carefully and use both hands (one to hold the string and one to pinch the base). once i pinched the base it released perfectly and came out fairly easily. i dumped the blood and rinsed it thoroughly and then reinserted with no issue! i did all of this once again before work and wore it for my short shift. i will say i was glad it was a short shift as i did fill up the cup within 5 hours and at the very end leaked onto my panty liner a bit. i would’ve changed it but where i work we don’t have private bathrooms and i’m not comfortable washing it in the sink where anyone could see so next time i might wear a thin pad or maybe go up a size in cups. overall the cup was very comfortable, felt like a tampon i could really only feel the end of the string and that was only if i moved a certain way. i’m not comfortable wearing it to bed yet just because i tend to try and sleep for 6-11 hours depending on my schedule and while i do get a lighter flow when i sleep i don’t think this size would be able to catch all of my flow. sorry that this ending bit is a little unstructured but i want to hit on a few other points. with the cup you get no odor until you’re dumping it (and that’s only towards the end of the period when the blood is a bit older). another point i want to hit on might be a little tmi this whole thing may have been tmi haha, but when i poop i don’t love having it in. you can feel the pressure of it and i’m sure i just have to get used to it but it just feels a little odd? anyways this has been my review of the lena cup! 5/5 stars for this i really like it and will edit with anything worth mentioning at the end of my period since i am a bit worried and insertion and taking it out when my flow is lighter and less lubricated so we’ll see how that goes. definitely try this product though, it’s great for the environment and you get to know your body better❤️

As soon as I heard that I could have 0 waste from my periods using a menstrual cup and washable pads, I ordered some immediately. I've been using this cup for about 3 months and here are my experiences as a person not used to and typically uncomfortable with insertion: I use this cup about a day after my period starts since I have a heavy flow for most of my cycle. Or at least I thought I did based on the amount of pads and tampons I would go through. I personally was never comfortable using tampons inserted since I could never get them in correctly and only used them on top of my pad like a sponge. These would get completely soaked and I would have to use at least two large ones a day. So, obviously I had a much higher learning curve than most since I had to learn how to insert anything properly. I insert mine while sitting on a toilet since I find this the most comfortable (and in case I have any drips). On some tries it slips out of my fingers too early, is uncomfortable, and I have to remove it and try again. It usually takes 1-2 tries each time for the first few days to insert it deep enough consistently. Sometimes I have to shift it around to get it to fully expand and seal. When it is in right, I sometimes feel a bit of pressure like something is stretching my vagina, but this goes away after an hour or so. After, I don't feel it and have zero issues with leaks, though I wear washable pads just in case. Removal is usually painless. I wiggle the stem, pinch the bottom, and try to fold it over like how I inserted it since otherwise it would be painful to remove. Some days its fine and others I just can't relax enough or can't get the right grip/fold and it hurts trying to remove it. This is just a technique I have to practice since I'm not used to insertion to begin with. I give my vagina a break if a removal was particularly uncomfortable since I don't want to get stressed about using it. Generally, I am fine and comfortable with using my cup for most of my period. Otherwise, the only issue I have is the stem is a little long, though I haven't trimmed it yet since it is very helpful for removal atm. When I have the cup too low I can feel the stem poking me, but when its inserted deep enough I don't. Cleaning between use is super easy. I just rinse with cold water, using my fingers to scrub, then hot. I dry with a towel, make sure there is no lint or debris. Between uses I boil as instructed while I'm cleaning the kitchen. All in all, I like using the cup since when it works, it works! Its simple to clean and I can just pop it in the little drawstring bag and into the bag with my washable pads for storage. Since using the cup, I've had zero issues with leaks and stained underwear. Its something I will definitely get more skilled at using with time and it will save on a lot of smelly trash and money spent on women's products.

I've wanted to try using a menstrual cup for the longest time but I have a tipped/low cervix and I wasn't entirely sure I could make it work for my particular situation...I did a huge amount of research on the subject. (If I had done as much research on stocks and investing as I did menstrual cups - I would probably be a millionaire by now!) I chose the Lena Cup because I really liked the company and also the fact that Bree from Precious Stars Pads was consulted on the design of the cup made it even cooler. (Her YouTube videos about menstrual cups are pretty darn informative). The price was also a little more compatible with what I was willing to spend in consideration of the fact that I wasn’t entirely sure I would be able to use a cup at all. To begin with – I have to tell you that the Lena company itself is fantastic. Once I received my Lena Cup in the mail I also received an email from the Lena Company asking me how I liked it, along with tips about using a menstrual cup. (Great customer service so far!) So here's my experience with the LARGE size Lena Cup: I purchased the large Lena since I've had two children and I'm over 30 years old with a really heavy flow. After using it for an entire cycle I noticed several things: 1. These things are pretty awesome... 2. I had NO LEAKS (pretty amazing since when I use tampons, I have to use ULTRA Tampax WITH a pad and I ALWAYS leak.) 3. Although I was thrilled with the quality and function of the Lena Cup, I found that it started to slip down to the point where I could actually feel it at the opening of my vagina and it wasn't entirely comfortable. SO – I hit “reply” to the email I received from the Lena Company explaining my issue and asking whether I was doing something wrong… I got a reply almost right away letting me know that no one should be uncomfortable while wearing a menstrual cup and that perhaps I should be using the smaller sized cup they sell; therefore, they were sending me a new cup in the small size…for FREE!!! YES. FREE. Now let me tell you something - I am not someone who goes around trying to work the system or get free stuff. I did not expect this response AT ALL…in this day and age, it’s extremely rare to encounter a company who just does something like this no questions asked…but LENA DID! This made me an immediate fan for life. This cycle using the smaller Lena Cup I am having an enormous amount of success. It’s snuggled up where it should be, still no leaks AND it doesn’t feel like it’s sliding out and it’s not at all uncomfortable. 1.These things are definitely awesome… 2. STILL NO LEAKS (Yep, even using the smaller size) 3. Now I have no slipping and the cup isn’t noticeable at ALL. How friggin’ COOL is this company?! Super cool I tell ya. The customer service alone made me a fan and the fact that the small cup actually works for my low cervix and heavy flow has also made me a menstrual cup lover. As far as a review on the cup itself – it’s made of a nice silky silicone, is on the firmer side (the small cup feels a bit firmer than the large one) and the holes are very easy to clean. There are easy grip ridges on the bottom of the cup. The cup does come with a stem which is really easy to grasp but I ended up (like so many do) cutting my stem off. It also comes with a little drawstring pouch for storage/carrying. All in all: Sizes: A+ (because the small works beautifully BUT if my cervix wasn’t so darn low I would be using the larger cup for more capacity and less emptying but hey – that’s not the cups fault) Material: A+ Ease of Cleaning: A+ Storage Bag: A+ Company: A+++ (The Lena Company is number one in my book) Lena Cup: A+++ (I’m such a happy menstrual cup user it’s almost silly!) After my customer service experience, I also came back to Amazon and purchased another Lena Cup for my son’s girlfriend, who cannot use tampons and desperately wanted to try using a cup instead of pads. (we're close like that) I will ALWAYS recommend the Lena Cup to anyone who asks (hell – I’ve been recommending the Lena Cup to everyone who DOESN’T ask! I just launch into the fact that I’m using a cup, how awesome it is and how this particular brand is phenomenal…but that’s just how I am.) THANK YOU LENA CUP!!! XOXO ***FYI*** I just reread this review and it gushes so much that I almost sound like some kind of goofy customer rep trying to boost the reviews – but I swear I’m not. I don’t work for Lena Cup or know anyone who works for Lena Cup…I’m honestly just a really happy and satisfied customer who got amazing customer service from a great company and I’m just someone who really loves her cup!

I first learned about menstrual cups when I saw that the period subscription box I was using offered Softcups. I was intrigued by the concept, so I gave them a try...and I loved them! This led me to look into reusable cups. Softcups are shaped and function very differently than reusable cups, so I did quite a bit of research before settling on this Lena cup. The main cup that comes to mind when people mention menstrual cups is the Diva cup; however, I learned that Diva cups are some of the largest menstrual cups available, and that they're not a great fit for everyone. The cup has to be small enough to properly expand and lightly suction to the walls of your vagina. If it's too large, it won't seal and can collapse, which causes leaks and is also uncomfortable. Since I wasn't really sure how to measure myself, I didn't want to risk wasting a good bit of money on a cup that might be too big. So, I spent hours researching for some of the smallest cups I could find. I compared the width of the rim and the length of the body (not including the stem) of so many brands. It was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be since many brands don't list the measurements. It's great that most brands have a large and a small option, but one brand's small can be larger than another brand's large, which is maddening! For example, the small Diva is 43mm wide and 53mm long, while the large Lena cup is smaller at 45mm wide and 50.7mm long. This small Lena is 41mm wide and 46mm long, so it is significantly smaller than the small Diva. I believe the small Lena is a much better size for first-time users, unless you are absolutely certain that your cervix sits high during menstruation and can use a longer cup. Other things to consider when choosing a cup are what it's made of, where it was made, and what safety standards it meets. Lena cups are made of medical grade silicone, are made in the USA, and are FDA-registered, so I was confident that it was safe to use. Now, for what I love about my Lena cup: • No more leaks!!! I've never had a leak during the day or even overnight, and I can actually wear nice underwear with confidence knowing that they won't be ruined. It holds so much more than the tampons I was using. When I first starting using this cup, I emptied it every few hours (like I did with tampons), and it was nowhere close to being full. I can safely go all day without having to empty the cup. • No more dealing with my period in a public restroom! I only have to empty it when I wake up and right before bed, which is the best thing ever! I can't even express how much I love not having to deal with it during the day. Public bathrooms are already not ideal, so not having to worry about changing a tampon is a huge plus! On heavy days (which are rare), I might have to empty it once during the day, but I literally have never needed to empty it in a public restroom in the 15 months that I've been using this cup...compared to changing tampons every few hours. If I do need to empty it in a public restroom, it's nice that I don't need to carry anything with me, and it's no messier than changing a tampon. • Better for my vagina! Tampons don't discriminate when they're absorbing, so they can really dry you out (and anyone who has ever pulled out a dry tampon knows how freaking painful that it is!). That messes with pretty much everything up there, especially the good bacteria and your pH level. They also increase your risk of developing toxic shock syndrome (TSS) because they absorb and trap any bad bacteria. Cups don't mess with any of that. Since they don't absorb anything, your vagina remains unchanged, so there's no bounce-back time after your period where it needs to rebuild the supply of good bacteria and get back to a healthy pH level. Your risk of developing TSS is also much, much lower, so menstrual cups are safer to use over longer periods of time. • Better for the environment and my wallet! I love that there's no trash (wrapper, applicator, the tampon itself) each time I use my cup. When you think about the thousands of tampons you'd use throughout your life, that's a lot of waste that won't end up in a landfill. And for the price of a few boxes of tampons, you'll get years of use out of a cup (as long as you take care of it). I'm saving a ton of money by not buying tampons every month, and I'm reducing the amount of waste I produce, so that's a win-win. I really don't have any negatives for this cup. It has some minor staining after 15 months of use, which is completely normal and will happen with any cup you buy. I'm sure a dilute hydrogen peroxide soak will make it look brand new again. I recently bought some backup Lena cups, so I've included pictures of the new ones (a small pink compared to a large clear). I was curious to try the large, since the small works so well. It did fully open, but it was harder to remove because there was more suction and it was just a bigger cup to remove. I will continue to use my smalls, and I will keep the large for after I have children. I also showed what the rim of the small looks like for two different folds (the C/U fold and the origami fold). There are many different ways to fold a cup, and it's completely up to personal preference. If you've read through this mini-essay of a review, I hope it helped! The condensed version is that I cannot recommend this cup enough! It has truly changed everything about my period experience, and I no longer dread when it arrives. Do your research, look up tips, watch YouTube videos, and give it a try!!

I had always been squeamish about the idea of menstrual cups but anxiety about an overnight work event coupled with a super heavy flow led me to finally giving them a shot at 34 years old. I had been a pad user up until this point and as tampons don't work for me due to a low cervix, I had wrong assumed that cups would be the same. I chose the larger size and it was an absolute game changer. There was definitely a learning curve, it took me several goes of inserting and removing to get there but I did. After I inserted it for the first time, I had some trouble and did the classic panic that I wouldn't be able to get it out. The seal was strong and it took a few goes before I was fully comfortable reaching in to break it. As someone who has never given birth, I also found the final moments of removal a little painful but bearable. For me, the cup sat with the base just at the entrance to my vagina so with a gentle push from my pelvic floor, it brought it down enough for me to grip and I found I didnt need to use the stem at all. I worried about the cup spilling on removal but again, this was not an issue. Generally, the cup was comfortable. I did have painful cramps this cycle but it would be hard to size of the cup influenced this at all. I could feel the stem as the cup sat low for me so I would be tempted to trim the stem. Capacity wise, I have a heavy flow so I worried that the cup would overflow or leak but this didn't happen. I changed the cup 4 times a day at my heaviest, on waking, at lunch, when I got home from work and before bed and it would be about half full. Overall, I would say that I wished I'd have made the change from pads to a cup earlier. It was infinitely more comfortable than using pads and was wonderful not to have to worry about flooding as I usually do due to my heavy flow. I did find that I had to wear some extra protection as there would be a little residual blood after each changing but I am now planning on buying some reusable pads to deal with this. The added bonus of knowing you're not contributing to environmental damage is also wonderful. Happy first time user, very happy I gave it a go!

The learning curve is a bit hard. And it's not that soft and flexible. Great product, great packaging and great delivery. Thanks Lena and Amazon.

Questa è la mia prima coppetta e, dopo un utilizzo di quasi un anno, posso dire che mi pento di non averla acquistata prima. Certo, diciamocelo, come per tutte le coppette ci vuole un po’ per capire il modo giusto per indossarla ma, essendo morbidissima, una volta abituati non si sente nulla e si ha una sensazione di comodità incredibile. L’ho usata al mare, per fare sport, per viaggiare... e non ne sono mai stata delusa! La consiglio assolutamente!

I decided to make the switch to menstrual cups and was drawn to Lena's attitude towards sizing. Rather than having a small size for younger (under 30) or prepartum women and a large size for older (over 30) or postpartum women, they simply advertise their cups for lighter and heavier flows, both of which most women encounter during their period. I, therefore, decided to order the two size pack. While the smaller size was perfect, the larger size (which I preferred to wear on heavier days) was uncomfortable to remove. I contacted their customer services team who encouraged me to try their larger sensitive model free of cost and it was a perfect match (albeit less quick to insert due to its lack of rigidity)! The Lena team was extremely helpful and followed up on my experience with the large sensitive cup, which is my go to from the start to the end of my period. Switching to a menstrual cup has been life changing and I was fortunate enough to find a perfect match in the Lena cup! A message to other menstrual cup companies: Please don't make me dread my 30th birthday and the unexplainable, seemingly overnight enlargement my lady parts.

I’ve been using menstrual cups for over 5 years now and I was looking for a menstrual cup with two sizes and a thinner material. I did some research and decide to take a chance on this cup and I’m glad I did, because they fit perfectly for me. I use the smaller cup for the start and end of my period and the larger one in the middle of my period. Also the cup comes with a tab you can use to pull your menstrual cups out (you can cut the tab shorter if it’s too long).