Pixie Cup - Soft, Safe, Reusable Menstrual Cup - Ranked 1 for The Best Tampon Alternative - 100% Medical-Grade Silicone Period Cup for Feminine Care - Buy One We Give One (Large)

Okay I’m about to get real and graphic so if you can’t handle what I’m about to share, skip this review.I’m 5’4’’ and morbidly obese at about 330 pounds. I would shop for my wallet killers aka pads and tampons down the same aisle when I need to replenish. I kept looking at the Diva Cup on the shelf and was turned off by the price. That’s what gets me...the price. Was I that willing to fork over a ridiculous amount of money for something that’s supposed to save me so much more the rest of my life? No lol! Money is too tight these days.So I broke down and asked in a makeup group I’m in on Facebook about the Diva Cup and what their thoughts were on it. A vast, large majority said it was best thing they ever had. Which is exactly what I wanted to hear. I needed to hear the support whether it was good or bad. So I ordered this at the tail end of my period so it’s not like I had a lot of “obstacles” in the way trying this out.I’m a very huge woman so I found that doing the trifold method versus just folding the cup over once worked best for me. I relaxed my muscles and just pretended like it was a tampon I’m inserting only it’s a purple silicone funnel lol! I tried inserting standing up and it just wasn’t working for me. I did wayyyyy better sitting down on the toilet which is best when you have to take it out anyway. I almost had it perfectly placed the first time inserting it. Reading the directions first put me at ease. Little things like you can pee with it in and not to use it for post natal bleeding. It was nice to read the small pamphlet for helpful tips, advice and how to take care of your menstrual cup. It felt funny at first and then I made myself move around more. I sat down on the sofa and I felt the cup go up more and I felt even more comfortable. One thing’s for sure, you can’t be afraid to get friendly with your “southern territory” so that you can make sure the cup is positioned like it should. Don’t be afraid to push the cup up higher. If you feel like something is stuck down below, it’s probably not in right. When it feels comfy, you’ll know. Some will feel it and others won’t. For me, I know it’s there and yes I feel it but it’s not an annoyance. I never felt uncomfortable to the point I need to adjust it.For those of you that work a lot, this cup is supposed to serve no leak protection for up to 12 hours and it’s true. I get up in the morning and unplug to shower and sanitize my cup. I pop it in and although it’s supposed to be leak free protection, there’s nothing wrong with putting on a panty liner for insurance. So that’s what I do. I go to work as normal and by the time I get home, I unplug, clean, sanitize and shower. I’m usually at my heaviest on day 2-3 and I go 5 days max when I’m on my cycle on average. I work at a daycare (for now....last day is in three days and then I’m going to a desk job!). Working with kids you’re up and down, constantly moving.I wore a panty liner and the Pixie Cup today and there was no leaking whatsoever and no discomfort of any kind. No smells. No blood on my underwear. No tampon in sight. No long Infinity pads the size of an eagle’s wing span. Being so big is so tough. I’ll have a heavy cycle and I’ll wear the Super absorbency tampon with a Heavy or Overnight absorbency Always Infinity pad at the same time. And having a big backside it just sucks up my underwear and then blood can easily got up the crack of my butt no matter what kind of menstrual armor I put on and I have to go to the bathroom just to wipe myself up. Granted, I wear black pants everyday, but blood can smell and no one is gonna tell me I smell but they might if I’m not around. Or I go to the bathroom and sit down on the toilet and there’s blood on the back part of the toilet. So I wipe the blood away and Lysol the toilet until it’s dead and wipe it down like I’m getting paid for it. I hated how I would smell and I was changing my pads and tampons.This Pixie Cup has given me peace of mind and freedom. For once, something makes me feel good about myself. Maybe once I get this weight loss surgery next year I’ll be even more confident in my body and struggle less with inserting this Pixie Cup. We have a 9 year old and 2 year old, both girls. So maybe when that time of the month starts for them, it might be something for them to consider if they’re comfy with it and save some money and protect their bodies in the long run. It’s important that they make their own choices when it comes to what they wanna do with the feminine products they use. Since I’m now educated in the benefits of a menstrual cup, not just for saving money, but for better health practices too, it’s another option for our daughters to consider when that time comes for them.Another important thing I was worried about is this thing disappearing into my body and I never see it again. For those of you that have had a child, push like you’re pushing a baby out and you’ll see the end of the cup and remove it. For those of you who haven’t had a baby, push as if you’re trying to pee or like your trying to have a bowel movement. I always wondered that if I shove this thing up there, will it want me to retrieve it haha. Keep in mind I’m a very big woman so when I sit down, that Tsumani-like force of my butt pressing against any surface is going to move things North, South, East and West I ain’t lying. And I still was able to get it out.So yes, I’m impressed with this, told my mom about my experience and how much I liked it. She didn’t even know something like this existed even though it’s been out for a long time now. I explained to her how it’s used, the benefits, etc. She wish she had it when she started her cycle.As far as the cleansing wipes, they’re good and if you wanna go cheaper, you can always have a small bathroom clutch bag and store some unscented baby wipes in a zip lock or get a travel sized pack of wipes and store it inside of your bathroom clutch so that you can easily clean your cup in the bathroom if you’re out in public or at your place of business. In case you might drop your cup in the toilet, get a backup cup or have a backup pad or two just to keep yourself covered until you can properly sanitize it once you get home. I even used Vagisil to clean my Pixie Cup and very hot water. I’m cheap, I try to use what I have before spending a ton of money right away.Hope this review helped!

Finally, I think I have found MY cup. I have been using menstrual cups for about 15 years, which means I have tried more than a few in my quest to find the perfect one for me. I am in my 40s now, pre menopausal which means terribly heavy flow (which I have always had due to rebellious ovaries) and constant fear of leaks, especially in public. I just went through my first cycle with this cup, (size XL) and I can happily say that the only time I experienced any manner of leakage was during the night, when I normally have issues with all other cups...but that was only upon actually rolling out of bed to stand up, thus squishing the cup which was already full to capacity and causing a bit of overflow. Other than this, I had no other issues at all!!! Here's my take on the cup itself:Design: Despite the XL being green, which is my favorite color, I don't give two flying figs what the thing looks like considering where it's going, but the thickness of the cup is what I feel makes it fab. Unlike more pliable cups, I feel the lack of leakage has a great deal to do with the fact that it doesn't squish as easily, and the Pixie is nice and firm.Insertion: If you are a practiced cup user, you will have no issues with putting this cup in. It's business as usual...fold in half, then in half again. If you are a new cup user, you will have issues no matter which cup you choose, as there is a bit of a learning curve, so don't let this stop you. I say, go for it. Give this one a try. I will never, ever use another tampon so long as I live and this is the best menstrual cup that I have yet to use.Comfort: As with most, this cup cannot be felt if inserted properly. I tend to pop one in before work when I begin to cramp and know my period is soon to arrive just as a safety precaution in case I begin my flow and am not at home. Complete comfort the whole time to forgetting I have it in until I experience the 'duh' moment and remember to check it that evening.Removal: Again, business as usual. Bear down, pinch and pull. Easy peasy. I dont know whether the little tab at the end makes it any easier to remove or not as I tend to pull the tip of the cup itself, not the tabs, but it seems 'grippy' and removal is just as easy as others I have used.Maintenance: This is the first cup for me that has come with little wipes, which is cool when I use this at work. Are they necessary? Probably not, but I thought it was a nice touch. As with others, I boil my cup after each cycle to sanitize and store it in it's cute little pink pouch until the next month.Would I recommend this? Most definitely! I have 2 daughters who have not yet begun their cycles, and while I will start them out on smaller cups for obvious reasons, I plan to order another for myself very soon as back up and one for each of my daughters for when they start menstruating. Another thing I love, by ordering all these additional cups myself, I am helping to donate menstrual cups to women who would likely otherwise not have one. Bravo Pixie for such generosity, and understanding just how much one little silicone cup can change the way a woman looks at an unavoidable unpleasant situation!