The Diva Cup: An Honest Review

The Diva Cup — A highly underrated innovation for female menstruation that people don’t really talk about, but absolutely should be talking about.

I’m going to be blatantly forward as we hash this review out:
The good, the bad, & the ugly in all its female glory.

 

Have you heard of The Diva Cup? I hadn’t until recently.
In general, our society seemingly tends to shy away from openly discussing the many facets concerning womanhood; childbirth and maternal leave, pregnancy, sexual abstinence and birth control, equality in numerous endeavors… you name it, women have had to deal with it, and mostly in hushed tones. This dilemma is even more apparent when it comes to one subject in particular– *dun dun dun* — that time of the month.
People in general appear oddly hesitant to discuss much at all regarding the biological functions that the fairer sex must endure, and the best way to handle any adversity that comes along with it. Every woman is unique and wonderful in her own way, and Lord knows we come in all shapes and sizes right along with different flow rates and cramps (or lack thereof as is the case with a few lucky ladies). Safe to say, most of us get plagued with a plethora of issues whenever Aunt Flow decides to pay a visit, and I for one believe firmly it is high time to push past the obsolete taboo of discussing menstruation and get to some solutions for the good of all my earthly sisters.

So– what’s the deal with this Diva Cup? In short, it’s a specialized 100% silicone contraption cup (BPA free, dye-free) made to capture your lady essence when it’s time to do so. In what we now know about the adverse consequences of tampon use and dangers associated therein (hello toxic shock syndrome), this is a far cry better than the painstaking issues of dealing with tampons leaking, running out just when you need another, or just the fact that they’re expensive as hell. Beauty of the Diva cup? Not only is it a MUCH safer alternative for your body, but it’s absolutely REUSABLE! That’s right — in theory, you never have to buy tampons month after month ever again.

Before my take on this contraption, I believe it’s necessary to note a few things:
As a fair heads up, The Diva Cup is but one brand of menstrual cup in the available market, but since this is the specific product a friend recommended to me (we talked in depth– or more like I bombarded her with a myriad of questions and she was nice enough to help a sister out) and what I personally used, that’s what we’ll discuss today. My review here is in no way knocking any other brand or type of reusable cup that anyone has experienced success with — to each her own! Secondly:

The Diva Cup actually offers two different cups; one is meant for women under 30 who haven’t had children:
And a second version for those who are over 30 and have had children, whether by C-section or vaginally.

Diva Cup #2: 30+ years/Mothers

I admit I was a little skeptic about the idea of a magical cup that would release me from my monthly woes and pain in my ass that are tampons, but I was quickly astounded by the adaptability of these wonderful devices as I happened upon my next cycle.
The claim to fame is simple enough to understand — produced in and imported from Canada, these wonder cups claim that they’re user-friendly, odor-free, and even compatible with active lifestyles (i.e. you can go swimming  or hit the gym with these bad girls in action and not fear leaking).
To reiterate in comparison, not only can tampons cause health issues both short-term and long-term, but as a paper product they are neither eco-friendly to make nor dispose of in landfills mixed in with other garbage. In contrast, The Diva Cup company itself recommends replacing the cup annually, though various users have reviewed that with proper care (that is, cleaning it properly and storing it properly using fiscal responsibility), their menstrual cups (varying brands) average a shelf life of 2-4 years, and in some accounts, even longer! I personally think once you’re past a 3 year mark, a device put in such a delicate area has more than done its job and should be able to retire to let the next chief-in-office reign, but that’s my two cents as a new user who hasn’t had proper longevity of use to ascertain a personal experience account in that regard (but… stay tuned! I’m sure I’ll include a follow-up post in another year once I’ve reached my cup-iversary). 😉

 

As an added bonus for safety points, the United States FDA gave its seal of approval to The Diva Cup which may grant extra peace of mind to those who are hesitant to change a system they’ve used for years.

The Diva Cup comes with it’s own discreet storage satchel.

That brings us to my review!

Sorry not sorry for potential TMI, because frankness is what we’re shooting for here.
Let it be said: I am a heavy bleeder. Yes, I am one of God’s gifted ladies, a “Fertile Myrtle” as my OB/GYN once referred to me, and I was plagued from an early age as resembling a crime scene for the first 3-4 days of my monthly cycle without fail. This usually resigned me to not only feeling like my abdomen was trying to fall out of my ass, but having to double up on menstrual gear usually by means of a thick diaper-esque maxi pad and using super plus tampons every 3 hours or better (especially the first two days). With my flow as such, it’s not hard to understand why tampons and pads are not only expensive, but an inconvenient hassle to keep up on and monitor while trying to work or stay focused through class while worrying about if I’d make it to a bathroom on time for my next change. Even with heavy cycles, there an be a converse problem of getting to the end of your cycle and using too large a tampon for the flow you cannot predict and then experiencing the discomfort of dryness and subsequent irritated-tissues itching. No thanks! Alas, none of that nonsense with The Diva Cup. Really! Without rambling on too long, here’s the quick list:

Cons: It can be a little awkward to put it in the first time (but wasn’t a tampon the same?). Also, if you don’t insert it correctly and “seal” the cup (per the included instructions; basically doing a 360* twist and/or using your finger to manually seal it) there can be leakage. Presumably, by one or two days of use you’ll get the hang of it and how it feels and won’t actually experience this as an actual issue. As a precaution, I used thin panty-liners this time around to make sure I caught any warning of an unsealed cup while getting the hang of it. Still, not bad all in all.

Pros: Everything else. Some reviews mention “feeling” the cup. I feel my uterus pain too much to feel much else, and even at the end of my cycle where cramps diminish, I honestly didn’t get the sensation that there was a silicone funnel of sorts inside my lady bits. In comparison with the long cord of tampons (which you have to cut, or tuck, or worry about leaking from with blood or every time you pee) the cup was pure joy I had the pleasure of forgetting about until time came to empty. Unlike changing tampons, the cup can stay in up to 12 hours. Hello getting my life back!

The Nitty Gritty: Emptying the cup. Not as daunting as it sounds, but nevertheless something to be done with a modicum of respect for the cup. Basically, there are little grip lines near the base where you lightly squeeze enough to get a pinch, and while relaxing your muscles, slowly pull it out upright so as not to spill until you’re ready to dump it–whether straight into the toilet, or be super eco-friendly and do it in the shower. Then you can simply rinse it out, and reinsert. You have the option to buy a specialized “Diva Wash” soap to go with your new best friend, but I opted to try the simple, plain soap route for now until further notice just to see how it goes. I may end up trying the soap down the road, as I’ve heard good things about the soap and how a little goes a long way.

For those who are interested, here are some options for a package with a Diva Cup & it’s special soap all in one:

Diva Cup for ladies under 30, and Diva Wash soap

Or for those ladies interested in getting Diva Cup 2, here’s where you can get the Diva Wash soap by itself (and Diva Cup 2 link included again below):

So there you have it, ladies!
The Diva Cup review by one angry-forever-at-menstrual-cycles female who decided to take the plunge into the brave new world of menstrual cups and take one for the team so we can see what convenience awaits us on the horizon of new inventions. If any reader decides to join me in The Diva Cup endeavor, I’d love to hear feedback on what you other ladies think, particularly because there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to handling our time of the month with grace. That brings us to the end — good luck all, and God Speed with your potential cupping! 😉