If you’re a guy, keep reading because you need to know about what women go through every month. If you’re a girl, keep reading too. The Sinaya cup (or menstrual cups in general) might just change your life.

First of, some questions that you might have:

What the heck is a menstrual cup? Menstrual cups are small reusable cups around the size of a shot glass that’s meant to collect menstrual blood.   So yes, you do have to insert it in and no, unlike tampons or pads, it doesn’t absorb the blood.

How the heck does that work? When you insert the menstrual cup correctly, the rim creates a suction that holds the cup in place so it can collect the blood as it comes out of your cervix.

That sounds painful. Does it hurt? Not really. It looks big but there are different ways of folding the Sinaya Cup so it gets small and compact enough to be inserted into the vaginal canal. You don’t really feel it in if you insert it correctly because the silicone molds to the shape of your body.

So you’re saying that virgins can’t use it? First of all, let’s separate the idea of sexual virginity from the idea of having something inserted into the vagina. Unless you plan on having sex with the Sinaya cup, the Sinaya Cup can’t ‘devirginize’ you. I do, however, acknowledge the existence of the hymen and since you’re inserting an object into the vaginal canal, there is a chance of the hymen being torn or stretched.

What are the benefits? Why should I even consider switching from menstrual pads? I’m glad you asked. Here’re 5 Reasons why the Sinaya Cup is a Total Game Changer:

1. Imagine the savings! Since menstrual cups are reusable, you only need to buy one every few years. And since the Sinaya Cup in particular is made of medical grade silicone and assuming that you take care of the cup properly, in theory the Sinaya Cup can last well over five years.
2. It’s incredibly compact and perfect for travel! God, how I wish I’d known about the Sinaya Cup before my trip to Europe last May. This would’ve saved me so much hassle. Still, I’m very much happy that I would only need to pack this small, tiny thing into my bag every time I’m going on a trip instead of big, bulky napkins.
3. When you use the Sinaya Cup instead of disposables, you help save Mother Earth! Because menstrual cups are reusable, you help reduce the waste in this world.
4. You can go so much longer with menstrual cups in than a normal tampon or pad! Of course, everybody’s flows are different but I personally can go as long as seven hours on my heaviest day before I need to change the Sinaya Cup out. On my lighter days though, I can leave it in for as long as twelve hours (I insert it in the morning before I leave for work and empty it out when I get back home).   Because it’s not a tampon, there’re very low risks for Toxic Shock Syndrome.
5. It’s totally waterproof! Because the Sinaya cup doesn’t absorb fluids, the menstrual cup doesn’t expand when you are submerged fully in water. No more wet diapers during swimming trips!

That sounds too good to be true. There must be cons to this thing. Well, like everything in this world, the Sinaya Cup isn’t perfect. Here are some of the cons that I’ve personally found as I used the Sinaya Cup during my last two cycles:

1. 1. There is a learning curve to using a menstrual cup. I bought mine August last year but I only managed to insert it properly last December. Although to be fair, I was only trying to use sporadically during those times. Once I got it in though, I had no problems with insertion afterwards.
   2. I found that I needed to use some sort of lubricant to insert it with no fuss. Part of the reason why it took me so long to use the Sinaya Cup was because I couldn’t insert it without lube. After going online and watching about a gazillion Youtube Videos about menstrual cups, I found that I could use virgin coconut oil to help glide it in. I still don’t know how they do it with just water though.
   3. Taking it out does take a minimal amount of effort. Because menstrual cups work properly when they get that suction to the vaginal walls, that same suction makes it a bit difficult to get the cup out. During my first few uses of the Sinaya Cup, I just grabbed hold of the stem and sort of yanked it out but after watching a gazillion more videos, I found that it really helps when you bear down. I had no idea that I could even do the bearing down thing but it does really help in pushing the menstrual cup out. While it is infinitely easier to just replace a menstrual pad, I find that the extra five minutes (maximum) I consume when emptying and re-inserting the cup is negligible because once the Sinaya Cup is in, I can forget about it for as long as seven hours.
   4. It is a bit of a hassle to remove and reinsert in public restrooms. Ideally, you’re supposed to rinse the menstrual cup out before you reinsert but I’ve read that you can make do with just wiping. Thankfully I’ve managed so far to plan out my trips outside of the house that I’ve never had to empty out my Sinaya Cup at the mall. I have, however, emptied the Sinaya Cup at the office and honestly, as long as you have a bidet (or a bottle of water) you’re good to go.
   5. I find that sometimes I do leak, mostly during the earlier phases of my period when I have a heavier flow. It’s nothing like leaking while menstrual pads though; I find that there is a sudden gush (you girls know what I’m talking about) when I clench my legs or when I get up suddenly so I think it’s more of the Sinaya Cup overflowing because it’s being squeezed. Also the leak is very minimal and doesn’t even soak up a panty liner.
   6. Menstrual cups are somewhat pricy, especially when compared to the price of menstrual napkins. The Sinaya Cup in particular is far more expensive but that’s because the founders have this project where they give a menstrual cup to a woman in Cagayan Valley (I think) for every Sinaya Cup that gets purchased. If you find the price too steep, there are generic brands that are on sale on Lazada. You can check them out below.

Despite these cons however, I still freakin’ love my Sinaya Cup and can’t see myself ever switching back to pads. It’s the compact-ability that won me over because if you go on as many trips as I do, a pocket-sized thing like the Sinaya Cup that takes care of periods is an absolute godsend. You may have more questions about menstrual cups in general and I’d be more than happy to answer any posted in the comments. You can also check out Precious Star Pads for a whole lot of useful information if you’re at all intrigued by Menstrual Cups.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sinayacup

Sinaya Cup website: www.sinayacup.com/

*This is not a sponsored post by the Sinaya Cup. I am, however, a Lazada affiliate and will receive a small commission if you use the links above to purchase your own menstrual cup from Lazada.