D. The Reusable Tampon Applicator | Review
May 05, 2019
I hate tampon applicators for their negative impact on the environment, I hate the fact that you use them for 5 seconds and then you're done, they get trashed and forgotten about, but at the same time, I can't use tampons without an applicator. I've had my period since I was 11 and only started using tampons when I was 18, but they never felt comfortable, not until I tried my first tampon applicator. I'm now 23, can you imagine how much plastic I've willingly used and trashed just so I could use a tampon? If you remember my Zero Waste Swaps: Bathroom post, you may remember that I mentioned DAME, a young brand I found by simply trying to figure out if I could possibly reuse tampon applicators, as I thought they were such a big waste. Once I found DAME, I was completely sold on the idea. Who's DAME you might ask? DAME is a sustainable personal care brand created by two friends, Celia and Alec, who created, back in 2017, the world's very first reusable tampon applicator. They create high performance, low-impact alternatives, designed to inspire positive environmental change and, in recognition of their innovative design, D and DAME’s organic tampons were awarded a 2018 Dezeen Design Award, showing everyone that sustainable can be beautiful.
As some of you might know, billions of period products are thrown away every year and can't be recycled or avoided, until now. Tampon applicators are a huge part of this problem, most get flushed down the toilet and end up in our beaches and oceans, which I'm sure you've seen before. DAME decided this had to end, both women and the planet deserve better, and so they've set out to face this problem head on. "Bleed red, think green" is their motto and they do it better than anyone.
Co-founder Celia Pool commented, “We created D to give women more choice over their period. Brilliant reusable period products have existed for decades, but they’re not for everyone. (...) We saw a need to provide these women with a product they feel comfortable with, but in a much more sustainable way. By making a small switch to a D, women can have a huge impact on the planet.” and I honestly couldn't agree more.
So, this is D, a sleek little helper, simple to use and keep clean, and as convenient as the regular tampon applicators you're used to have around, without the waste. DAME collaborated with medical engineers to design D, which is crafted from BPA free medical grade Mediprene®, with inbuilt antimicrobial Sanipolymers® that keeps D hygienic. Its' ergonomic design ensures total comfort and you can wear whichever tampon you usually wear, from lite to super plus, no matter the brand. But DAME didn't just create D on its own, once you buy your D, it comes in a small and sleek bathroom tin with a cotton pouch to keep your D safe wherever you go AND 6 of DAME's organic and toxic free tampons. Trust me, once you go organic with your tampons you won't want to go back.
DAME's organic cotton tampons are fully biodegradable, created from nothing but organic cotton, which unlike conventional tampons, aren't treated with nasty chemicals or contain any plastics, making them safer for our bodies and our planet. And guess what, when you buy your D applicator + a box of tampons (regular or super) you get free shipping, no code necessary, wherever you are in the world. Plus, you can subscribe to have however many boxes of tampons delivered right to your door every 1, 2 or 3 months, you can read more about it right here. They also come in cardboard boxes made out of recycled sources which are 100% recyclable and, even though the tampons themselves are wrapped in a thin layer of plastic, only because that is still the most effective option to keep them in an air tight environment, they're working on finding a better and greener option.
Being so totally in love with this brand and their ideals, you can imagine how happy and excited I was when the lovely Nell got in contact with me, asking if I'd like to try out their product and maybe review it on my blog. I immediately said yes and, a few weeks later, received my D in the mail, no plastic in sight, such a dream.
Some of you might think "wouldn't it be easier to just use a menstrual cup or reusable pads?" and, to some, it might. I've tried a menstrual cup and, unfortunately, couldn't get along with it, it was painful, uncomfortable and just plain awkward to attempt to put it on while I was in the comfort of my own home, let alone try it in a public restroom. I've thought about buying reusable pads or period pants, but I honestly feel conflicted about owning something that perishable, for lack of a better word. D, on the other hand, feels absolutely natural and easy to use. There's no friction, no pain, no discomfort, it works just like any other applicator, with the exception of having to insert a tampon each time, and it does its job as well as any other, while still feeling smooth and soft.
The directions for inserting the D applicator are as basic as you need them to be, all you need is to insert any size tampon into the top part of the applicator and push it in with the base, it can't get any simpler, no C folds, no S folds... Then you simply need to pull the applicator out as you normally would with a plastic one. After trying a menstrual cup I was definitely expecting some sort of learning curve to hit me, but the only thing that happened was a little failure on my part. The first time I tried it, the tampon got stuck in the very end, I ended up wasting 3 tampons until I realized I was the problem, I hadn't pushed the base of the applicator up enough when inserting the tampon, it should almost snap together. After a few tries, I found the switch quite effortless and, despite the 3 tampons, there was less hassle and waste to deal with.
Something else I'd like to cover, their awesome packaging! Their reusable silver and green tin is a breath of fresh air when compared to the typical period products, there's no pink in sight, no adverts of women in short skirts or tight shorts smiling into oblivion as if being on your period is the happiest time of your life, no mention of how discrete the product is, as though we should all be ashamed of menstruating. As for their tampons, they are incredibly soft, especially compared to the ones I first used 5 years ago before I changed to organic cotton ones, which always felt like they had some sort of plastic layer on them, they were hard and almost sharp, but not DAME's, they're like soft clouds and I can't recommend them enough.
All in all, menstrual cups, period panties and reusable pads are all great sustainable period products, but none are the right one if you're a tampon user. Taking into account how many people use disposable tampon applicators, having an option that is both familiar and reusable in a world that needs to tackle the plastic problem right now, can only be a good thing. DAME managed to create a product perfect for those who want to do more for the planet but haven't been able to do so for whatever physical or monetary reason they might have and I can't imagine going back to what I used before.
As some of you might know, billions of period products are thrown away every year and can't be recycled or avoided, until now. Tampon applicators are a huge part of this problem, most get flushed down the toilet and end up in our beaches and oceans, which I'm sure you've seen before. DAME decided this had to end, both women and the planet deserve better, and so they've set out to face this problem head on. "Bleed red, think green" is their motto and they do it better than anyone.
Co-founder Celia Pool commented, “We created D to give women more choice over their period. Brilliant reusable period products have existed for decades, but they’re not for everyone. (...) We saw a need to provide these women with a product they feel comfortable with, but in a much more sustainable way. By making a small switch to a D, women can have a huge impact on the planet.” and I honestly couldn't agree more.
So, this is D, a sleek little helper, simple to use and keep clean, and as convenient as the regular tampon applicators you're used to have around, without the waste. DAME collaborated with medical engineers to design D, which is crafted from BPA free medical grade Mediprene®, with inbuilt antimicrobial Sanipolymers® that keeps D hygienic. Its' ergonomic design ensures total comfort and you can wear whichever tampon you usually wear, from lite to super plus, no matter the brand. But DAME didn't just create D on its own, once you buy your D, it comes in a small and sleek bathroom tin with a cotton pouch to keep your D safe wherever you go AND 6 of DAME's organic and toxic free tampons. Trust me, once you go organic with your tampons you won't want to go back.
DAME's organic cotton tampons are fully biodegradable, created from nothing but organic cotton, which unlike conventional tampons, aren't treated with nasty chemicals or contain any plastics, making them safer for our bodies and our planet. And guess what, when you buy your D applicator + a box of tampons (regular or super) you get free shipping, no code necessary, wherever you are in the world. Plus, you can subscribe to have however many boxes of tampons delivered right to your door every 1, 2 or 3 months, you can read more about it right here. They also come in cardboard boxes made out of recycled sources which are 100% recyclable and, even though the tampons themselves are wrapped in a thin layer of plastic, only because that is still the most effective option to keep them in an air tight environment, they're working on finding a better and greener option.
Being so totally in love with this brand and their ideals, you can imagine how happy and excited I was when the lovely Nell got in contact with me, asking if I'd like to try out their product and maybe review it on my blog. I immediately said yes and, a few weeks later, received my D in the mail, no plastic in sight, such a dream.
Some of you might think "wouldn't it be easier to just use a menstrual cup or reusable pads?" and, to some, it might. I've tried a menstrual cup and, unfortunately, couldn't get along with it, it was painful, uncomfortable and just plain awkward to attempt to put it on while I was in the comfort of my own home, let alone try it in a public restroom. I've thought about buying reusable pads or period pants, but I honestly feel conflicted about owning something that perishable, for lack of a better word. D, on the other hand, feels absolutely natural and easy to use. There's no friction, no pain, no discomfort, it works just like any other applicator, with the exception of having to insert a tampon each time, and it does its job as well as any other, while still feeling smooth and soft.
The directions for inserting the D applicator are as basic as you need them to be, all you need is to insert any size tampon into the top part of the applicator and push it in with the base, it can't get any simpler, no C folds, no S folds... Then you simply need to pull the applicator out as you normally would with a plastic one. After trying a menstrual cup I was definitely expecting some sort of learning curve to hit me, but the only thing that happened was a little failure on my part. The first time I tried it, the tampon got stuck in the very end, I ended up wasting 3 tampons until I realized I was the problem, I hadn't pushed the base of the applicator up enough when inserting the tampon, it should almost snap together. After a few tries, I found the switch quite effortless and, despite the 3 tampons, there was less hassle and waste to deal with.
Something else I'd like to cover, their awesome packaging! Their reusable silver and green tin is a breath of fresh air when compared to the typical period products, there's no pink in sight, no adverts of women in short skirts or tight shorts smiling into oblivion as if being on your period is the happiest time of your life, no mention of how discrete the product is, as though we should all be ashamed of menstruating. As for their tampons, they are incredibly soft, especially compared to the ones I first used 5 years ago before I changed to organic cotton ones, which always felt like they had some sort of plastic layer on them, they were hard and almost sharp, but not DAME's, they're like soft clouds and I can't recommend them enough.
All in all, menstrual cups, period panties and reusable pads are all great sustainable period products, but none are the right one if you're a tampon user. Taking into account how many people use disposable tampon applicators, having an option that is both familiar and reusable in a world that needs to tackle the plastic problem right now, can only be a good thing. DAME managed to create a product perfect for those who want to do more for the planet but haven't been able to do so for whatever physical or monetary reason they might have and I can't imagine going back to what I used before.
Disclaimer: We Are Dame sent me their product to review, I was not paid to do so nor was I promised anything in return. The opinion expressed on this review is mine and mine alone.
3 comments
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ReplyDeleteHelllo, thanks for posting this informative and useful post. your blog is very nice, such useful information is very accurate and I love learning more on this.
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