The Mooncup Original Menstrual Cup Reviews

4.4 Rating 567 Reviews

About Mooncup:

Mooncup began with a clear goal: to give people a healthier, sustainable way to manage their periods.

Back in 2002, we launched the world’s first medical-grade silicone menstrual cup, pioneering a movement that put health and the planet first. We saw an industry where profit came before people, ingredients were hidden, and plastics reigned, so we challenged the status quo.

Now, we're on a mission to become the world’s biggest sustainable period care brand. We’ve just launched Mooncup period pads into Sainsbury’s, Boots, Holland & Barrett and Look Fantastic. We’re also partnering with workplaces, gyms and hotels (like Canva, Danone, Third Space, Gymshark and Claridge’s) to offer free period care in bathrooms.

We use only science-backed, body-safe ingredients because your period products should work with your body, not against it.

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Phone:

7939963513

Email:

customercare@wearemooncup.com

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Toastersrock

Verified Reviewer

“These are great if like me, you are conscious about what you are using on / in your body. They are very easy to use and easy to clean and can be stored safely in my bag in the small pouch you are supplied with. They can be a little bit messy when you are just starting out but this doesn't last forever. Also, just a word of warning, from my experience, buy the smaller one if you haven't had given birth naturally as even though I answered the questions and was advised to buy the bigger one it is a bit too big and slightly uncomfortable as a result.”

Helpful Report

“So. Where do I start with this review?I want to preface this review by saying that I was driven to write this review to help women like me make an objective choice.Most reviews I read for the Mooncup wax lyrical about how environmentally friendly they are and how they prevent sanitary waste in landfill and blah blah eco-warrior type comments.There is a perception that the Mooncup is a 'hippy' thing that only eco-warriors and activist Vegans wear. As it happens, the only woman I felt confident enough to discuss my choice with was, in fact, an Activist Vegan, and this made me sad: Sad that in this modern age, something that happens every single month is so scarcely discussed and so few women have possession of all the facts and know all of their options!I wanted to write this review from the perspective of your average, everyday woman. Whilst I care about the environment and recycle diligently, I'm by no stretch of the imagination any kind of eco-warrior, 'hippy', or free-bleeding feminist activist. I'm an average woman who loves leather handbags, works in an office, loves IT, gaming, gardening and my pets.When I was a teenager, the mooncup was mentioned, briefly, in passing. Our sanitary options were presented as 'Pads and Tampons'. Many MANY women I know have no idea what a menstrual cup even IS, let alone even CONSIDER using one. So if, like me, you are trying to find actual USEFUL reviews, I hope this will help you.So what prompted me to start looking at the Mooncup in the first place? Comfort. I've reached my 30's - that's over 15 years of monthly menstruation - having never comfortably been able to use Tampons. I can literally count the number of times I have successfully and comfortably used a Tampon on one hand. I hate them. They make me sore, the string rubs, they are dry and uncomfortable and I always feel like they are in the wrong place. So far, I've mainly relied on pads. My fellow women, if you are here for the same reasons I was, it is because you are sick of wearing a nappy for 1 in every 4 weeks. Sick of the sweating, the smell, the never feeling clean no matter how much you wipe, or how many 'Moist toilet wipes' you use.So I went looking for an alternative to Tampons that could be worn internally to free me from the drudgery of pads. And I found the Mooncup. Actually, I found a bewildering array of cups with names like 'Viva cup', 'Diva Cup', 'Moon cup' etc. To my untrained, inexperienced eye, they all looked the same. The price points varied wildly and the reviews focussed mainly on how amazing it was not to be contributing to landfill... Not the important stuff like 'what it actually FEELS like' and 'what is the difference between this cup and that cup'.So I narrowed my choices down to the 'top 3' - Diva, Viva and Mooncup. Then, because the reviews didn't help me AT ALL, I thought about who I might know that might actually have a clue. I happen to work with a very vocal activist Vegan. So of everyone I know, I figured she would either know herself or know people she could ask. Turns out, she knew plenty. In her opinion, the Mooncup was the most comfortable. For her, the Diva cup was longer in the body and so less comfortable.As someone who struggles with Tampons, I decided 'longer in the body' would probably = discomfort for me too, so I decided to err on the side of caution and buy the one my friend and colleague used. If for no other reason than because I had neither the experience or the money to 'take a risk' on something unknown. At least I KNEW someone who used the Mooncup and could give me pointers if I needed them. Turns out, I really didn't. I'm a convert.First things first: Internal menstrual cups are REALLY not suitable for Hymen-intact virgins. You need to be able to 'handle' yourself with confidence and any barrier affecting the insertion of fingers or items into the Vagina is going to make wearing a mooncup a difficult and likely-painful experience. If you have broken your hymen (either through natural exercise, intercourse, or self pleasure), and are confident inserting tampons and/or other items into your vaginal passage, you should be fine. Sex with a penis is not a pre-requisite of wearing a Mooncup, but I'd definitely say a ruptured hymen is almost essential.Secondly: I went looking for images on the internet of what I was likely to see when using a Mooncup. Do you know what I found? NOTHING. In a world where 'Rule 34' is a thing and there are ALL KINDS of pornography, I found NOTHING relating to 'In use' Mooncups. I'm not going to lie - it's not a clean experience. If you cannot bear to get menstrual blood on your hands or fingers, you might as well leave now. You WILL get a bit messy. This is inevitable. If you are a tampon user, you will likely be used to a bit of blood on your hands. Using a mooncup is a bit messier than that. If you've ever used Tampons, I'm certain there will have been times when you insert one and it doesn't quite sit right. Instead of discarding it (perhaps because you've only got one, or are running out of time), I'm certain, at some point, you will have popped a finger or two up there to reposition it a bit. This is what it's like to insert a mooncup. You should EXPECT to get menstrual blood and fluid on your hands.BUT: It's not as bad as you think it's going to be. I always hated pads because I find the smell nauseating. I think a lot of it has to do with this fresh blood sitting around inside a pad in a warm, moist environment. To me, it smells like rotting meat - regardless of how often the pad or tampon is changed. The mooncup is a TOTALLY different experience. The blood and fluid is slightly gelatinous - like egg- white, and for me, there is very little smell beyond the slight tang of blood. This is VASTLY better and actually surprised me a little. I've never seen what menstrual flow actually LOOKS like before: I've always seen the 'absorbed' version. There is a lot less actual BLOOD than you think there will be - it seems to be 50% blood, 50% clear fluid. Sorry if you find this a bit squicky, but this was the information I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW when I was trying to make my decision, so I hope me sharing these details is helpful to you.The 'messiest' days are (unsurprisingly) the heavy flow days. You will find that the fluid behaves like really stretchy egg white and can be a bit awkward to clean up. But these were the days I valued the freedom of the cup the most! You can always use plenty of soap!We should not be afraid to discuss this - this is a NATURAL function of our bodies!Thirdly: When I started looking at Menstrual cups, I assumed the cup sat around the Cervix in a similar way to a contraceptive diaphragm. This is NOT the case. The cup actually sits much lower in the Vagina. In fact, the ridge around the top sits roughly around G-spot area (about as far in as the length of your middle finger). There are two ways to fold it to get it inside - the 'C' fold where you flatten it and fold it in half, and the 'Tulip fold' where you tuck the lip inside and squeeze it into a tulip shape (the Mooncup comes with a booklet explaining these and showing pictures). For me, the Tulip fold works best.Because it sits relatively low, I found the little 'grippy tube' at the bottom was irritating me. So I cut the whole thing off. I recommend 'trying it on' when you first get it - preferably when you aren't on your period.Removing a cup to be emptied can be messier than insertion - especially if you accidentally tip it (like I did the second time I tried to clean it). But I find that once removed, I can clean it off with Toilet paper and give it a rinse under the hot tap before re-insertion, and the more you get used to it, the easier and faster the whole process becomes.I won't lie, I've never actually used a messier form of protection in my life. BUT, for me it feels like I can't believe it's taken me this long to actually find a solution like this! I feel like I'm finally free of waddling around with a pad between my legs, and I have a viable alternative to the discomfort of the tampon. Even if you don't get on with it, for me, just trying it was worth every penny! I'm so glad I kept an open mind! I'm prepared to trade off a little bit of blood on my fingers for the comfort and freedom I have with this device.So, once the cup is in, I usually run my finger around the rim to make sure it 'popped back into shape' correctly (or you will leak). Remember how when you insert a Tampon you have to be careful not to tug on the string? Yeah, not an issue with a Mooncup. It's ridiculously comfortable. I literally cannot feel the cup or ridge at all. Once you find the right seating position for the cup, and cut the little 'gripper tube' to the right length (or totally off), it feels even LESS invasive than a Tampon. I always find I can feel tampons, but the mooncup body is made of Silicon (you know, the same stuff you can find in almost any modern kitchen - muffin cases, jelly moulds, loaf 'tins' which seems crazy to me - you'll cook with Silicon but still prefer to shove wads of cotton inside your body?), with a firmer silicon 'ring'. So the whole thing moves and conforms to your internal contours. It doesn't absorb anything so you never feel chaffed or dry. There are little holes around it to aid in forming a seal with the vaginal walls - these WILL fill with 'gunk'. Sorry but it's true. A Rinse under the tap usually clears it right out, though.As with anything, when you have a foreign object in the vagina, you may feel the effect of it - for me, I find there is a slight sensation of 'something' against the front wall. It's not uncomfortable, just 'THERE'. In fact, it is vastly more comfortable than wearing Tampons and TOTALLY worth not having to wear a pad!I've only just started using mine, so I find that I feel more confident pairing the cup with a thin Panty liner - so far this has not proven to be necessary. But considering I'm on a heavy flow day and all I'm wearing is a thin liner, I'm ecstatic!Because it's not made of cotton, and the menstrual flow is held in a natural state (as opposed to being absorbed into fabric), there is much much less risk of toxic shock syndrome. For the first time in my life, I wore an internal sanitary device to bed. It was wonderful - I slept much more comfortably than I usually would! I wore a pad (again, first time so I'm getting used to it and learning to trust it), but I didn't need to worry about the pad slipping, or 'tucking it in' to make sure it doesn't leak. I woke up clean and leak-free and fell in love with my menstrual cup a little bit more.I tried to talk about my cup with my Mother and Sister, and they looked at me like I'd gone insane. My sister is disgusted by the concept and my mother had never heard of them. This needs to change. If, like me, you are just an average woman looking for a tampon alternative with no agenda other than your own comfort, please add your own reviews and experiences to the voices on here. Being ecologically friendly is one of many reasons to use a mooncup, and whilst it is a noble one, I don't think there are enough voices championing the personal benefits of the device.As for me, I took the plunge and opened my mind to use something that has unfairly been stereotyped as a 'hippy device', and already I can see that it has improved my menstrual experience no end! I'm free of pads and tampons, you can wear it to swim and exercise, and because of the decreased risk of Toxic shock, you can wear it for longer periods.Yes, at around £20, it represents a sizable cost for a single sanitary device. BUT, since it's reusable, I've already saved at least £4 in pads I haven't needed to wear. Within 4 months it will have paid for itself.As an aside, you will also find mention of the Menstrual cup among women trying to get pregnant - either using donor sperm, or as a method of 'keeping it in' after intercourse. It's a silicone cup - use it however you want. As long as you keep it clean and store it properly you can be confident using it however you want.”

Helpful Report

“It's true ladies, it will change your life. I bought this several months ago and wanted to give it a really good go before posting a review. It took a couple of cycles to get used to it, but I think that may have been trust issues more than practical ones! I also found, like several other reviewers, that I needed to snip off half the stem so it didn't dig in when I was sitting down, kitchen scissors did the job nicely. It's easy to remove I dig into the indentations on the stem with my fingernails and give it a gentle tug. I'm freed from reliance on tampons, never have to worry about running out, changing them, leaving them in too long, fibres, chemicals and all that jazz. I do feel cleaner and rather smug about my eco credentials it's also interesting to see how much it is collecting so you can understand your flow and your body and know exactly when it is coming to an end. All girls should have one!The downsides are: I do find on heavy days I need to empty more often as it fills up within a few hours, and if you accidentally insert it at a slight angle it can leak. Also even when folded it is still quite a chunk and much larger than a tampon so it can be a bit uncomfortable getting it in there!Despite these downsides I would never go back to tampons it really is a wonderful invention.”

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“This took some getting used to (worked myself into quite a sweat trying to remove it the first couple of times)! But it was worth it. It isn't always the most convenient sanitary method - eg when using public toilets (you need to remember to take a bottle of water with you for rinsing, and it can be a bit awkward, to say the least!). But, once used to it, and when in nice clean toilets - particularly if there is a sink next to the toilet - I love it! Love the fact I don't need to always have tampons or towels with me and don't need to keep going out and buying them. I wanted to try this out for my daughter's sake as much as anything - I will definitely be recommending a moon cup (or similar) to her when the time comes.”

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“Having only heard about moon cup from a colleague at work I hummed and Hayed about trying it or not.. I tried it for the last three days of my period and Beside it feeling a little uncomfortable when I was walking it done the job.. I don't think it was the moon cup fault though more my error with inserting. I must admit though I found it rather painful to take out but again feel it was my error. I look forward to trying my moon cup again this month x”

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“Okay, I have a little confession... I bought this last May and it's sat in my bedroom drawer for 8 months! Having ran out of tampons I decide to give it a go this period, and I've got to say I regret not using it sooner! It hasn't leaked, I can't feel it once it's in and it's so easy to empty!Here's a few things I've discovered:It's impossible to open your bowels with it in as the muscle movement tends to push it out, so remove it first and you'll be okayI've found the "folded rose" technique the easiest to insert the cup - if you do use the other one you need to make sure it's opened up properly, I do this by feeling all around the sides once it's inserted to make sure it's completely popped outOne of the best ways to tell it's in properly is to listen for the seal, you should hear a sucking noise. Also, it sits low down, much lower than a tampon, and will move into position once you start moving aboutThe stem - I've cut it right down, the way I get the cup out is to gently squeeze the bottom of the cup until I hear the seal break and then gently slide it out, you should be relaxed (if you've ever tried to remove a tampon when you're tense you'll know what I mean!!) don't be frightened to cut it off if it's uncomfortableI hope these tips help someone as I've found this so easy to use, its a case of trial and error to find what works for you. Highly recommend this product!!”

Helpful Report

“If your hesitating about buying one of theses. I would highly recommend. Why have I never heard of these before? I wish I had started using one years ago. Ok details def helped me buy, so details I will provide. I agree with all the positive comments that I read before I purchased one but I also have a few more to add. I stumbled across them while researching how to handle very heavy periods. Now in my middle 40's I was beginning to think about a GP visit but didn't really want medication as managing the heavy periods/ blood clots was my issue. Well this cup has transformed that and made it manageable again. Yes you have to fumble round to get it in and out but actually I think it's less messy than sanitary towels. For the 24 hours of my very heavy days I wouldn't risk not having a sanitary towel in place just in case, maybe as time goes on and I know my cycle well I might not need them but I like the security of not leaking and I do empty the cup regularly. But once those heavy days have passed it can stay in place for hours, no leaks at night like you do with other methods.Before I trimmed the tube end off it was incredibly uncomfortable and itchy but once that was done you don't know it's there.So far no leaks and catching those clots means no more rushing to the loo. Crude I know but the details helped me buy and I was worried it wouldn't work with heavy periods but this has transformed things for me. Just wish I had known about them years ago. Complete convert. Why don't they sell them next to the sanitary protection in the supermarkets as I don't think people know about them. So glad I found this and not on medication to reduce menstrual flow.”

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“hey :) so to everyone out there who i struggling with this i understand your pain... I also struggled but my first period nearly complete with this i am officially converted. Some helpful tips that i found useful 1) it does go in so much easier wet - just wash it under the tap under warm water as i found this makes the silicone slightly more malleable and so glides in easier 2) I firstly used the second folding method on the advise slip as it looked less daunting, however i have found that the 'punching method' as well as then turning it around and inserting it helps a great great deal, this ensures it opens easily inside and creates a good seal and then doesn't allow leakage. 3) to remove - ouch it hurt the first time I tried because I yanked it out - please don't do this, it feels a little odd but the best way to do so is to pinch the bottom of the cup whilst gently pushing out with little pulses of pushing and then easing it from side to side. 4) generally I found the best was to wear the moon cup for myself was to not change it so frequently as I did a tampon - I found the less I kept pulling it out and in the easier it sat nicely inside me and I forgot it was there. 5) I haven't had any children and completely removed the stem of mine so don't be afraid to do so - I wore it two or three times before I completely removed it.I really hope this helps you guys a little as I was a bit in despair when I couldn't get it to sit right and it leaked once due to this but these little techniques have helped me have a more pleasant period :)”

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