03/01/2026
PSA for all my ladies:
Studies show that menstrual products contain toxic chemicals that can disrupt hormones, decrease fertility, and even potentially cause cancer.
The average woman will use over 11,000 feminine products (tampons and/or pads) in their lifetime. 😳
Over 15 papers have been published in the last 11 years that measure chemicals in menstrual products, as well as human biomarkers of chemical exposure.
These studies detected PFAS (forever chemicals), phthalates, BPA, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), parabens, environmental phenols, fragrance chemicals, pesticides, and dioxins all in the menstrual products that millions of women use every month.
These chemicals can affect the endocrine system, have been linked to breast cancer, developmental issues, decreased fertility, obesity, asthma, headaches, and lowered immunity.
These toxins can even accumulate in breast milk and affect neurodevelopment in children.
Honestly, it’s shocking the amount of toxic chemicals that could exist in a product specifically designed for girls and women to use in one of the most sensitive and absorbent areas of our bodies. 😭
Thankfully, there are safe options for women to use today and this is a fairly inexpensive and easy safe swap to make!
Some of my recommended pad + tampon brands:
🌿 Organyc
🌿 Bon
🌿 The Honey Pot Co.
🌿 Cora
🌿 Natracare
🌿 Lola
🌿Totm
🌿 Grace & Green
🌿 Daye
🌿 pinkie (great for first periods)
🌿 Rael
Reusable organic cotton pads, which is what my daughter uses. (You can get these off of Amazon - make sure they’re made with GOTS certified organic cotton!)
** this may not be an all encompassing list so if you need a second set of eyes, drop the brand in the comments!!
All of these brands have different qualities - some are applicator free, some use bpa-free plastic, cardboard, or plant-based applicators… I included several because I know everyone has different preferences, especially in this area! Overall, all these brands are going to be MUCH safer than conventional brands.
Now remember… you can’t change what you’ve done in the past when you didn’t know! And while I know how easy it is to get caught up in the regret of wishing you’d done things differently the last few decades, that mindset does not serve you!!! 🙅🏼♀️
Now that you know better, you’re able to do better and thankfully our bodies are designed to heal even after years of unintentional toxic exposure. So don’t stress, friends, just maintain healthy changes when and where you can! You’ve got this 🫶🏼
SOURCES:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37743685/?fbclid=IwVERDUAQRQM9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEerhcy8lvrY_Ij2mf9Kv4sKvSZ_8rYeQRscY1m-1nmH_b7oKikgBp9YlIXBGw_aem_fo5Ahdnk2EpAhBSoihenNw
Menstrual products contained measurable levels of a range of endocrine disrupting chemicals including phthalates, phenols and parabens. This reflects a potentially important route of exposure to chemicals that can impact women's reproductive health.
