Good-bye Granny Panties…..!!

Now, many women (me included) go right for ‘granny panties’ (defined as panties that cover the entire rear, hips and a large portion of the lower stomach) when Cousin Red comes calling. You know the garments I’m writing about—the big ones that aren’t really sexy, but are both comfortable and absolutely functional. They keep your pads in place, your water bloat in check, and just generally make you feel OK during the 3-7 days when you aren’t feeling so hot.  Isn’t comfort on your period of key importance?  If I’m running on the treadmill, doing a load of laundry, chasing the kiddies around, or just sitting at the computer writing, the last thing I want to worry about is leakage. I want the comfort that I won’t leak all over my clothes or onto the bed sheets at night for that matter.

Enter the women of Sexy Period™. After meeting in a entrepreneurship class their junior year at Brown University, Sexy Period founders Julie Sygiel and Eunice Png formulated the idea of fashionable, leak-resistant underwear.  These two fascinating young women from the East coast have since patented and now manufacture what their company has staked as unclaimed market—“functional lingerie.”

The entrepreneurial young women spent two years developing their patent-pending leak resistant and breathable fabric—which has since been stitched into delightfully beautiful underwear designs that women can wear any day of the month—even heavy flow days—without worry.

This is an amazing breakthrough for menstruating women, since all of us know that on heavy flow days, the occasional leak can occur—leaving our clothing (sometimes very expensive couture)– marked with red dots.  It’s not fun, and it certainly doesn’t make one feel feminine.

According to SexyPeriod.com:   “Sexy Period^™ panties are made of fabric that has 3 distinct layers to keep you protected! The inner layers wick away and absorb fluids, while the outer layer traps and prevents leaks so you’re kept feeling comfortable and confident. Our breathable, leak resistant panties make embarrassing period spills a thing of the past!”

Gosh, that’s pretty confident!

Priced at between US $32-$44 depending on design/size, these panties may not be the brand that I stock my entire underwear drawer with just yet. However, I think the price is reasonable for a garment touting absolute protection from leaks onto my expensive jeans, gowns and business suits.  I think “The Underwear Girls” (as Julie and Eunice were known on campus) may be onto something…..

Check them out at http://www.sexyperiod.com 

I’m off to purchase a pair myself to determine if what they are selling is true. If anyone who reads this blog has tried a pair themselves, please leave a comment with your experience and personal feedback.

Good to be GREEN….

 

This past week was very educational in that we learned more about organics. Organics? Yes, organics.

Most young women (and their older counterparts of which I am a proud member…) are very familiar with name-brand tampons, pads and liner products  (i.e. Always, Stayfree, o.b., Tampax, Playtex…you get the idea). However, in the last several years, new companies have emerged to redefine feminine care products using organic materials–definitely in support of the growing ‘green’ movements.

One such company, Seventh Generation, based in Vermont, have taken direct aim at delivering green, organic feminine hygiene products, among other green products. The very generous company sent a box of pad and tampon samples (very nice of them) so that our clients too can experience the benefit of organic products.

According to Seventh Generation, conventional tampons are commonly made from a blend of cotton and rayon. The rayon is often whitened (or bleached) with chemicals containing chlorine, which can result in dangerous, chlorinated toxins being released into the environment. Over time, these chlorinated toxins can accumulate.  Beyond this, there are concerns that the conventionally grown cotton used in standard tampon design, is treated with pesticides, frangrances and dyes–many of which are identified as ‘human carcinogens.’

Seventh Generation organic cotton tampons contain cotton grown without pesticides and not bleached with chemicals.

Some of our clients have already asked us whether or not organic tampons avert TSS (written about in an earlier blog post) when compared to other name brands. What we learned is that, Dr. Philip Tierno of New York University Medical Center, a leading expert on Toxic Shock Syndrome, believes that TSS  results from the ‘rayon’ fibers in conventional tampons.   His book,  THE SECRET LIFE OF GERMS, outlines that to date, there have been no reported cases of TSS based upon the use of all-cotton tampons.

Hmmmmph! Now that was an eye-opening factoid that just cannot be ignored.

Since our goal is to not only celebrate, but EDUCATE our clients about available products, we’re planning on running a promotion to sample Seventh Generation products within all our orders until the very generous supply the company sent, is eliminated. Heck, we’re actually going to trial them ourselves to test out how organics compare as far as look, feel, and absorbancy and will report back our mini focus group findings in a later post.

Until then, on this day that celebrates all things ‘green,’ (St. Patrick’s Day), we would like to recommend investigation of Seventh Generation‘s organic products.

Given the growing concern about toxins — which has reached our eyes and ears — and our table as well–Period Packs is committed to helping spread the word about the benefits of organic and we’re now considering building an ‘organic’ Period Pack containing Seventh Generation products for those families and young women interested in a more green and organic route to feminine care.

For more information about organic feminine care and their benefits, Seventh Generation makes videos and advice available via the following website: http://www.seventhgeneration.com/lets-talk-period

Scenting the ‘Sweet Spot…’

In the short year since Period Packs has been in business, we’ve collaborated with wonderful professionals and companies across several disciplines—one of which we want to highlight in this week’s Pack Talk: SweetSpot Labs®.

 We stumbled across SweetSpot Labs and immediately fell in love with the company, which manufactures a unique line of pH-balanced and uniquely-scented products specifically designed for women’s ‘sweet spot.’  Founded by uber-entrepreneur Shari Creed, who invested years in both the beauty and fashion worlds, SweetSpot Labs is a result of a direct collision between her own personal life experience and a noticeable void in the category of intimate care.

SweetSpot Labs products include wipes, wipettes, gentle wash and balancing mist in four styles: Citrus Galbanum, Geranium Lavender, Basil Grapefruit (our favorite) and Unscented.  Through our own review and experiences with the products, we’ve found them to be exactly as advertised.  The proper blending of essential oils in these products (and elimination of drying alcohol which often causes sensitivity or irritation) deliver on their promise and definitely ensure that women can keep their ‘sweet spot’ fresh.

For menstruating women, who often worry about potential odor, these amazing products make a significant difference in keeping pH balanced and the entire sweet spot in order!

We love their products, carry and promote them, and personally, couldn’t do without!

Visit them at http://www.sweetspotlabs.com/ to review available products which now include perfectly suited gift packs if you want to get the full SweetSpot Labs experience. We’re fans and hope that all our clients who try these products, will want more. We know we do!

“Menstrual Bracelet” – Mood ring of the millenium?

When an invention stirs controversy, there must be something interesting about it.

Such is the case of Karl Dorn, an inventor (and plasterer) from Britain.

Dorn recently entered an inventors contest with a wrist-based product called, “Help for Husbands.”  The product is simply a wristband, reminiscent of mood rings of the 70s, that monitors body temperature of the wearer, and changes color a few days prior to the onset of menstruation–thus advising others of potential mood swings before they occur.

 Hmmm….

The 43-year-old plasterer from from Southend, Essex (United Kingdom) said that the idea percolated after years of chatting with his male friends about their domestic tales of woe. “It’s a visual aid for men so they can be a little bit more understanding at certain times of the month,” he said.

This development comes on the heels of news reports from Norway wherein some businesses were attempting to demand that female workers wear a red bracelet to indicate that they were menstruating–therefore providing a reason as to why they required an increase in bathroom breaks?   WHAT???    How humiliating!  businesses apparently suggested (via survey) that lost productivity was causing grave concern and therefore, they were seeking bases for that lost productivity. One of the reasons cited was an increase in bathroom use of its female employees.

Within the last year, even technology has caught up with what I like to tag, ‘fear of womanhood.’ MEDL Mobile, for example, last year launched Code Red, an iPhone/iPad application that allows men to keep track of a woman’s period–again–so that he can be more sensitive during those PMS-days.  A quick search also finds, PMS Buddy, another free, online application that is supposed to highlight those days when women are more ‘irritable.’

Frankly, I’m stunned. 

There are two communities of thought when it comes to menstruation. Either you are okay with it as a biological course for women and ‘it is what it is.’ Or, you are an uneducated ass requiring significant education about the fact that women don’t ‘opt’ to get their period. It just happens.

As such, mocking women for having it, suggesting it makes women weaker, angrier, less productive, ‘hormonal’ or anything along those lines–is in short, lame.  

Men, if you need a visual aid or reminder, try visiting the local pharmacy or supermarket and troll the tampon/menstrual pad aisle. If you can identify which women are menstruating versus those just stocking up on supplies, comment on this post.  There’s no real difference. Men and women can both become ‘short-fused’ and most of the time, it has little (or no) connection to a hormone shift.

What strikes me the most is that businesses (including mine) are taking direct aim and female menstruation. What gives? I know why I’m doing it–and it isn’t because I could win an inventor’s contest or procure a million dollars in revenue (even if I dream it may). What it boils down to in my opinion is that really, we’re becoming more comfortable with ourselves. After years of hiding behind closed doors or under layers of petticoats, men and women are identifying with the opposite sex more. Great news. 

Yet, since the Dorn ‘menstrual bracelet’ is still a theory without a prototype, and MEDL Mobile won’t release sales figures for its new application, let’s just see what happens. Are we really gaining more comfort with the realities of our differences or simply looking for a way to make (or keep) a few bucks?  You be the judge….

Read more about the Dorn invention:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1359757/Time-month-warning-wristband-tells-men-wives-PMS.html#ixzz1FYo6wOWT

For background on the Norwegian coup for red bracelets, go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334400/Female-staff-Norway-ordered-wear-red-bracelets-period.html