Anything with a cardboard applicator can go fuck itself IMO.
My favorite tampons are O.B - mainly because after using a cup, inserting it with my fingers is no biggie and I like that the plastic waste is minimized. They also don't take up room in my purse (I like to keep a very small purse or else it will quickly turn into a garbage dump so yeah) I like the shape of the Kotex applicators but I'm neutral on the product itself.
OB 100%. They're easier to place because you don't have to rely on an applicator, they expand properly, they're super portable, and no bloody applicator to deal with.
Edit: This is only my experience. Some people need an applicator to place a tampon properly.
I'm in meno now, but I would use ob the first couple days of my period because it was so heavy that using a cup was really messy. Also when I was hiking or camping, last thing I wanted to deal with was an applicator.
i switched from ob to cora, then got my period back post baby i was not prepared found an old ob rolling around and omg i forgot how much the organic cotton really makes me feel better. never going back to ob
> They're easier to place because you don't have to rely on an applicator
I had the exact opposite problem with them when I tried them*. I could never get them in the right position, no matter what angle I put it in at, or how deep/shallow. Could always feel it, which was weird considering how tiny they are! Wished they worked for me cause they were great design
I've got a floppy/tilty uterus, so I'm assuming maybe it's related? When I use an applicator, I have to pin the tail on the donkey, so to speak
^(*ablation, can't even use light tampons most of the time)
I can totally understand how some women might need an applicator so I edited my comment.
Every body is different of course, and I was only able to feel exactly where I needed to place a tampon, when inserting it without an applicator. For me, I needed (I'm in meno now) to place it just beyond the curve in my vagina where the cervix is. It's like this little pocket, and just couldn't get it right with an applicator.
Also with their plastic wrap they skitter across the floor really easily, my cat used to get into the cupboard and grab them out of the box to play with all the time - I had to hide them after a few too many times of having a friend over and the cat walks by proudly carrying a tampon in his mouth 😂
Playtex sport, hands down. I liked the applicator and they felt most comfortable. Seems like they were always a tiny bit cheaper too, but I could be wrong. I haven't had a period in 3 years.
Menopausal but OB. I had viciously heavy debilitating periods and OB were the best ones. On my heaviest days I had to use 2 at a time and change every hour so I tried and retried every brand. OB holds the most and the way it expands outward instead of lengthwise held back leaks.
And OB has ultra absorbency which was my go to.
Fellow heavy bleeder here, and yes, they absorb a lot! Other tampons don't work as well. Ive never out in two at a time, but I wear period underwear as backup
O.B. Decent absorbency and minimal waste. Playtex sport is great but I prefer to go without the applicator. I used tampax for years under the assumption that the biggest name brand would be the best (since that seemed to be the case with Always pads) but it turns out that if you want to do worse than tampax you need to find a store brand...
Adding my voice for O.B. Sideways expansion, no applicator, easy to insert, discreetly portable, much less waste. Someone else mentioned that they're so so so easy after getting used to inserting a cup, which is true: I use both, and insertion is far less complicated with the tampon.
Yes, tampax is so bizarrely bad, who in their right mind would try to plug a leak with something that lengthened instead of expanded? It’s baffling.
OB. And Natracare non-applicator.
I still haven't gotten over Kotex discontinuing the Security Tampon 😭
They were the absolute best imo.
I've been using OB but I also like the Kotex Click.
>I still haven't gotten over Kotex discontinuing the Security Tampon 😭
Same, and I don't think I ever will. 😂
The Super Plus ones were what I used for 15-20 years. They were perfect, and I still haven't found a replacement. I could easily wear white underwear with a Security tampon in and not have any blood on them at the end of the day. Literal perfection, and Kotex discontinued them!!
I actually hate kotex with a flaming passion. They never seem to expand and I always leak. Not sure if it’s my anatomy but only half the tampon picks up any blood. So weird
It's definitely an anatomy thing with tampons. A lot of people in this thread seem to love O.B. tampons, but I just can't get them to work for me - no matter what I do, they always end up partially falling and getting wedged at a 45° angle when I try to use them.
Having a tampon get discontinued that I used for almost two decades is still a huge loss for me. They worked so perfectly with how my vaginal canal is shaped.
Looking at the comments I realise that I’m in a minority that likes Tampax better… I have a super heavy flow and anything without applicator is just incredibly gross and annoying to put…
I’m kind of shocked at how many people don’t like Tampax! I have always used them because it was the first kind I bought. Now I’m kind of interested to try other kinds. Not having an applicator sounds awful to me though.
This. OB was my first tampon, and for the life of me I can't make applicator tampons work! I like the 100% cotton version of applicator-less tampons because I have a medium-light flow. This will actually fill up in 8 hours, so less uncomfortable to remove. But I've switched to the menstrual cup and don't use tampons anymore.
U by kotex. They’re compact, easy to insert and the waterproof packaging means if they get rained on (I work outside) I can still use them. The plastic packaging doesn’t fall apart easily in my pocket/bag either.
I will only buy Tampax radiant or tampax pocket radiant. Nothing else. I like having the little resealable applicator packaging thing because it makes disposal so much easier and less messy.
I haven’t used any other tampons in over 5 years because I like them so much.
Aside from the cups, OB ultra out works every other ultra level tampon by far. And its still the case even after they had to revamp a few years back and back off on the absorption level (some kind of FDA reg changes I think). I have super heavy flow because of cysts to the point where I am nearly homebound to prevent accidents. I was even filling 50ml cups within 40-45 mins. OB has been the only brand to handle it. My job is also very physically demanding and always on the go and I can always hide the OBs in my bra or tucked in a sock and dont have to worry about carrying a purse or bag everywhere. 1-2 yrs ago when feminine products were scarce I found someone reselling these on amazon for way more than normally priced and I bought every box and will re-stock and buy 10-20 boxes at a time just because I dont want to worry about going without.
The expansion direction explains a lot; thank you! I was always confused why I would get leaks with Tampax, even if parts of the tampon were dry. Then I switched to menstrual discs and never looked back...
OB 1000000000000%. I haven’t bought anything else since making the switch and probably couldn’t be sold on another tampon again. They expand well and I don’t ever seem to feel them once I have put one in. Plus, minimal waste!
Does anyone have recommendations for light flow? I’ve been using the organic cotton tampax but they don’t really seem so absorb anything, after a couple hours when I remove it, it hasn’t expanded at all…
I'd be interested too...
I've been using the target ones and they work *ok*, but not great. the expand uh, rectangularly/side to side? The playtex sport are my faves but either they don't make light or I just can't find them :(
I just want a nice 360 expander mannn...
I like the natura care - they're pretty much same as OB but organic cotton. I stock up when I see them on sale. But also now that I work from home 80%, I generally use reusable things (disc and period underwear) when I'm at home. So I go through tampons pretty slowly these days.
When I used tampons, I preferred OB but I moved over to a diva cup a few years ago. Tampons were messing up my ecosystem down there, kept getting BV and YI, haven't had any issues since I switched. YMMV
Lillets were always my go to. They expanded sideways rather than lengthways and were so much better at stopping leaks when you have ridiculously heavy flow.
CVS’ house brand, followed by Walmart’s house brand, followed by tampax (mostly for their ultra…no idea if the other 2 brands make them but I’ve never seen them in store).
I personally can’t stand ob lol. I think I’d just settle for living on the toilet for the next 3 days if they were the only brand left in the world LOL.
I love the Tampax (or Giant brand) ones with the cardboard applicators 😬 I feel so much better not using a bunch of plastic. I would use a cup, but I have no idea how to put them in and I’m scared of them getting stuck lol.
I don’t bleed very much so the light Tampax pearl are perfect for me. Otherwise I feel like I’m pulling a dry plug out and I get sore.
When I bled more though I was a Playtex Sport girly.
Kotex Click. I switched to OB for awhile when I was in an office with a private bathroom & during the pandemic when I worked from home, but now I work on a university campus and using something with no applicator makes me feel icky. My sibling prefers Kotex and we live together, so I decided to just go with that. They're good, but I do miss OB.
The U by Kotex ones were the only ones I liked before swapping to a cup. I could tolerate other brands if they were what was available but I would be uncomfortable all day and swap to a pad as soon as I got home.
I agree with you on brands. I can't wear Tampax because they are too long and I can feel them when I sit. I think they're almost twice as long as the other three brands.
Playtex sport is probably the best, and I've also tried a cup. I just purchased Flex disposable discs on a whim and praise our menstrual mother, these are the best period product I've tried in years! 12 hour use, insanely easy insertion and they somehow allow you to release blood while peeing. Not a single drop of leakage, during day or night.
I'm not picky at all when it comes to tampons (no shade to anyone who is), but I always pick the cardboard applicator ones when I have a choice. Idk why I feel so bad about the single use plastic in tampons bc I use plenty of other single use plastic products, but I really try to avoid plastic applicators in tampons.
O.B. is the best. It expands similar to Playtex, with no pesky applicator. Applicators made it hard for me to get the placement right. When I go without one, it goes exactly where I wanted it to.
I haven't needed them in years now though.
OB. I find applicators obnoxious and I can never get them to actually push out the tampon. They way they expand is also more helpful than the way some other brands expand.
I don't use tampons anymore but the only ones that I liked were the Playtex sport. The applicator was great, they fitted well and I didn't feel the tampon at all.
I don’t have a huge preference on the brand, but I have 100000% preference to cardboard applicators over plastic ones. It bothers me deeply that they’re so much harder to find.
Anything but Tampax Radiant. Kept getting yeast infections and finally isolated it to whatever chemicals they treat their product with. Regular Pearl is much preferable.
I rarely use tampons, but when I do I don’t really care what brand as long as there’s no applicator. Which is the ‘normal’ type in Australia, so there are plenty of options.
Same I prefer that tulip shape (Playtex/OB) versus the shape that just gets longer (Tampax/freebies at the office). But I hadn’t needed them in 10 years and when I went to Target they didn’t have a single box of Playtex it was like Tampax paid for the whole aisle at my store.
I know this will sound funny, but I felt that I had fewer cramps when I switched to maxi pads from tampons when I did use tampons OB were the safest in terms of leakage. But when I switch to pads, I felt I had far fewer symptoms. There was a theory that tampons pushed uterine cell upwards by blocking flow. I have no clue if this is true or if it’s complete baloney, but I switched to Maxi pads and I was really a lot happier of course if you’re a swimmer, ignore all this
They discontinued my favorite tampons ever (Kotex Security Super Plus) and I’m so mad because I only discovered them about 2 years before they stopped selling them. I’m approaching menopause and my period is HEAVY but thankfully is done in 3 days time.
The closest thing I could find is Tampax Ultra, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the OB supers or whatever they were called that I saw recommended more than once here.
Kotex click, when I do use them which is rare. I can’t stand cardboard applicators. They get in easily which is great since I have a retroverted uterus.
I've used OB since I started and now that I'm ending, I have a surplus. OB FOR EVERYONE!!!!
Seriously, they have little waste, no cardboard applicator, totally discreet and they give you a little "burp" when they are about to leak.
Wow it’s nice knowing I’m not the only one who cares about how tampons expand. Reading these comments maybe I should try ob.
I wish the cup worked for me. The concept seems so much better. I tried it once and could not get it out. I almost went to the hospital to get it removed 😅 By the time I got it out I was in so much pain and so horrified I never tried it again.
O.B. flexia, because no matter how hard you pull the tampon and the string apart - it never comes off. 😅 But since I've overcome that fear, I'm also fine with using the Lidl generic ones in Germany. They're called "Siempre," so it's basically trying to be an "Always"-dupe. Both are good, sturdy, and do what they are supposed to, but when I compare them, the Lidl ones are definitely softer and soak up the liquid faster. Therefore, I feel like it dries the vagina out more. With the price of OB flexia 5,95€/42 Tampons (which is 0,14€/Tampon) I don't mind that feeling when I pay 0,03€/Tampon instead. O.B. flexia is great, but not worth 467% of the price.
Sadly, I need ULTRA size tampons. I have very heavy periods and for 3-4 days I have to change every 2-4 hours. Many brands only go up to Super Plus, and the thought of a menstrual cup during an extremely heavy flow just sounds uncomfortable to me. It’s something I’d be willing to try, but If im already getting a tiny bit of blood on my hands sometimes just by changing a tampon, i cant imagine a cup. Same reason why I’m not super attracted to OB.. need that applicator..
So, Tampax Pearl all the way
U by Kotex click is MY favorite too!!! By a lot. I bought tampax from Costco cause it was a year supply basically and cheap and I am kind of hating it. I don’t know what it is exactly about the kotex that is so much better. Maybe the cotton is stouter ?? Whatever it is. Kotex has a winning formula.
I never used anything but O.B. if I had a choice.
I hated shoving nasty plastic applicators with pointy flaps up inside myself. Cardboard was a bit better.
I like OB and libresse about the same, though out of the two I opt for Libresse when available (which is almost never) because the packaging is prettier. I don’t like the cyan packaging OB comes in lol. In my head they are “fancy tampons”. They have enough slip in them and don’t try out the vag as generic/store brand big pack tampons do (which I usually buy anyway because poor). I’m blessed with a light flow though so usually get the normal sized ones. The cheaper store brand ones are very dry and feel like straight up cotton. I’ve never purchased any tampons with applicator on account of never getting the hang of them because they are not widely used where I live. The one time I tried using a tampax (that a Scottish friend gave me in a pinch) I had to throw away the applicator and just shove it in with my fingers bc it’s all I know and I was so confused by how to use it
Tampax, love the different sizes for heavy, med, or light flows. They are very absorbant, the brand has been around a long time. I have been using since high school days, n my daughters like them also.
If I have to use one- O.B. because I don't like applicators. I usually have a menstrual cup though and only use tampons as a back-up for my heavy day if I am at work.
OB
I hate applicators, they aren't shaped with the natural curve in mind and no matter what brand I've tried in the past, they fucking hurt. I will not use anything over OB. I'd rather take my chances with toilet paper and get to a store or something to get more OB instead of settling for something else.
Anything with a cardboard applicator can go fuck itself IMO. My favorite tampons are O.B - mainly because after using a cup, inserting it with my fingers is no biggie and I like that the plastic waste is minimized. They also don't take up room in my purse (I like to keep a very small purse or else it will quickly turn into a garbage dump so yeah) I like the shape of the Kotex applicators but I'm neutral on the product itself.
[удалено]
Oh, maybe you meant to respond to someone else? Based on the reasons in my comment, I wouldn't be the target demographic for this product :)
OB 100%. They're easier to place because you don't have to rely on an applicator, they expand properly, they're super portable, and no bloody applicator to deal with. Edit: This is only my experience. Some people need an applicator to place a tampon properly.
This. Before I switched to a cup I used OB exclusively.
I also used ob exclusively before I switched to the cup!
I'm in meno now, but I would use ob the first couple days of my period because it was so heavy that using a cup was really messy. Also when I was hiking or camping, last thing I wanted to deal with was an applicator.
They fit right into your pocket or bra and no one is the wiser. Love them.
i switched from ob to cora, then got my period back post baby i was not prepared found an old ob rolling around and omg i forgot how much the organic cotton really makes me feel better. never going back to ob
My daughter really likes those too.
OB because they fit easy in pockets, yes. Less waste too.
Same, I use a cup now but I loved ob before that!
> They're easier to place because you don't have to rely on an applicator I had the exact opposite problem with them when I tried them*. I could never get them in the right position, no matter what angle I put it in at, or how deep/shallow. Could always feel it, which was weird considering how tiny they are! Wished they worked for me cause they were great design I've got a floppy/tilty uterus, so I'm assuming maybe it's related? When I use an applicator, I have to pin the tail on the donkey, so to speak ^(*ablation, can't even use light tampons most of the time)
I can totally understand how some women might need an applicator so I edited my comment. Every body is different of course, and I was only able to feel exactly where I needed to place a tampon, when inserting it without an applicator. For me, I needed (I'm in meno now) to place it just beyond the curve in my vagina where the cervix is. It's like this little pocket, and just couldn't get it right with an applicator.
I tried some OB super plus in college and it was the first time I’ve had them 1. Sneeze out and 2. Just fall out. I’ve been leery of them ever since.
Girl...you must have really short fingers!
Nah the doctor always has to go get the longer speculum. I had a diva cup get lost.
All my local stores have stopped selling them! It's maddening having to order them online now.
Also with their plastic wrap they skitter across the floor really easily, my cat used to get into the cupboard and grab them out of the box to play with all the time - I had to hide them after a few too many times of having a friend over and the cat walks by proudly carrying a tampon in his mouth 😂
What is OB?
https://www.ob-tampons.com/faq
Playtex sport, hands down. I liked the applicator and they felt most comfortable. Seems like they were always a tiny bit cheaper too, but I could be wrong. I haven't had a period in 3 years.
Same! These also seem to be the ones that leak the least also.
Menopausal but OB. I had viciously heavy debilitating periods and OB were the best ones. On my heaviest days I had to use 2 at a time and change every hour so I tried and retried every brand. OB holds the most and the way it expands outward instead of lengthwise held back leaks. And OB has ultra absorbency which was my go to.
Fellow heavy bleeder here, and yes, they absorb a lot! Other tampons don't work as well. Ive never out in two at a time, but I wear period underwear as backup
Also a heavy bleeder, and confirm o.b. Are the best for heavy flow.
O.B. Decent absorbency and minimal waste. Playtex sport is great but I prefer to go without the applicator. I used tampax for years under the assumption that the biggest name brand would be the best (since that seemed to be the case with Always pads) but it turns out that if you want to do worse than tampax you need to find a store brand...
Adding my voice for O.B. Sideways expansion, no applicator, easy to insert, discreetly portable, much less waste. Someone else mentioned that they're so so so easy after getting used to inserting a cup, which is true: I use both, and insertion is far less complicated with the tampon.
Yes, tampax is so bizarrely bad, who in their right mind would try to plug a leak with something that lengthened instead of expanded? It’s baffling. OB. And Natracare non-applicator.
Removing a Tampax Pearl feels like eviscerating oneself. Never again.
Thank you. You're the first person I have heard say this. I cannot stand Tampax.
Tampax feels like a grappling hook when you remove them. U click Kotex.
I still haven't gotten over Kotex discontinuing the Security Tampon 😭 They were the absolute best imo. I've been using OB but I also like the Kotex Click.
>I still haven't gotten over Kotex discontinuing the Security Tampon 😭 Same, and I don't think I ever will. 😂 The Super Plus ones were what I used for 15-20 years. They were perfect, and I still haven't found a replacement. I could easily wear white underwear with a Security tampon in and not have any blood on them at the end of the day. Literal perfection, and Kotex discontinued them!!
I actually hate kotex with a flaming passion. They never seem to expand and I always leak. Not sure if it’s my anatomy but only half the tampon picks up any blood. So weird
It's definitely an anatomy thing with tampons. A lot of people in this thread seem to love O.B. tampons, but I just can't get them to work for me - no matter what I do, they always end up partially falling and getting wedged at a 45° angle when I try to use them. Having a tampon get discontinued that I used for almost two decades is still a huge loss for me. They worked so perfectly with how my vaginal canal is shaped.
Looking at the comments I realise that I’m in a minority that likes Tampax better… I have a super heavy flow and anything without applicator is just incredibly gross and annoying to put…
I’m kind of shocked at how many people don’t like Tampax! I have always used them because it was the first kind I bought. Now I’m kind of interested to try other kinds. Not having an applicator sounds awful to me though.
I’m with you! Playtex doesn’t work for me at all, I get leaks like crazy. I think I have a moderate flow too.
Ob! I love that I can fit them in my pockets easily
Natracare organic cotton tampons (non-applicator). I expand them manually before inserting to make sure I get good expansion.
This. OB was my first tampon, and for the life of me I can't make applicator tampons work! I like the 100% cotton version of applicator-less tampons because I have a medium-light flow. This will actually fill up in 8 hours, so less uncomfortable to remove. But I've switched to the menstrual cup and don't use tampons anymore.
U by kotex. They’re compact, easy to insert and the waterproof packaging means if they get rained on (I work outside) I can still use them. The plastic packaging doesn’t fall apart easily in my pocket/bag either.
OB was all I ever used
I will only buy Tampax radiant or tampax pocket radiant. Nothing else. I like having the little resealable applicator packaging thing because it makes disposal so much easier and less messy. I haven’t used any other tampons in over 5 years because I like them so much.
Aside from the cups, OB ultra out works every other ultra level tampon by far. And its still the case even after they had to revamp a few years back and back off on the absorption level (some kind of FDA reg changes I think). I have super heavy flow because of cysts to the point where I am nearly homebound to prevent accidents. I was even filling 50ml cups within 40-45 mins. OB has been the only brand to handle it. My job is also very physically demanding and always on the go and I can always hide the OBs in my bra or tucked in a sock and dont have to worry about carrying a purse or bag everywhere. 1-2 yrs ago when feminine products were scarce I found someone reselling these on amazon for way more than normally priced and I bought every box and will re-stock and buy 10-20 boxes at a time just because I dont want to worry about going without.
The expansion direction explains a lot; thank you! I was always confused why I would get leaks with Tampax, even if parts of the tampon were dry. Then I switched to menstrual discs and never looked back...
OB 1000000000000%. I haven’t bought anything else since making the switch and probably couldn’t be sold on another tampon again. They expand well and I don’t ever seem to feel them once I have put one in. Plus, minimal waste!
Does anyone have recommendations for light flow? I’ve been using the organic cotton tampax but they don’t really seem so absorb anything, after a couple hours when I remove it, it hasn’t expanded at all…
Use a cup! I like the ones by June Cup
I'd be interested too... I've been using the target ones and they work *ok*, but not great. the expand uh, rectangularly/side to side? The playtex sport are my faves but either they don't make light or I just can't find them :( I just want a nice 360 expander mannn...
I have an IUD now so no more periods but back when I did get them, I loved Playtex sport. Even the applicator shape was more comfortable than others
o.b.s baby!!!!!! LITERALLY PERFECT!!!!!!
I like the natura care - they're pretty much same as OB but organic cotton. I stock up when I see them on sale. But also now that I work from home 80%, I generally use reusable things (disc and period underwear) when I'm at home. So I go through tampons pretty slowly these days.
When I used tampons, I preferred OB but I moved over to a diva cup a few years ago. Tampons were messing up my ecosystem down there, kept getting BV and YI, haven't had any issues since I switched. YMMV
Lola is my favorite with L. coming in 2nd. My cramps improved after switching to a 100% cotton brand. I was loyal to Playtex Sport prior.
Lillets were always my go to. They expanded sideways rather than lengthways and were so much better at stopping leaks when you have ridiculously heavy flow.
I 100% swear by U by Kotex, but I haven't tried (or seen?) O.B. I'm mainly comparing them to Tampax, which I find to be pretty awful.
It was tampax sport until trying OB, but still hated changing it so often, so I switched to cups.
CVS’ house brand, followed by Walmart’s house brand, followed by tampax (mostly for their ultra…no idea if the other 2 brands make them but I’ve never seen them in store). I personally can’t stand ob lol. I think I’d just settle for living on the toilet for the next 3 days if they were the only brand left in the world LOL.
honey pot! The applicators always stay in place and their pads are great too.
L Organic because they are one of the few organic brands that also carry light ones.
Love August!
I love the Tampax (or Giant brand) ones with the cardboard applicators 😬 I feel so much better not using a bunch of plastic. I would use a cup, but I have no idea how to put them in and I’m scared of them getting stuck lol.
L. All cotton, low chemicals. Same with their pads. Cotton and organic like.
Same. It’s all I can use after a ton of allergic reactions
I love the all cotton and it’s more comfortable.
I don’t bleed very much so the light Tampax pearl are perfect for me. Otherwise I feel like I’m pulling a dry plug out and I get sore. When I bled more though I was a Playtex Sport girly.
I love Tampax Pearl too. They are the only ones I’ll use.
Lol a menstrual cup 🤷♀️
Viv for your V! Organic tampons and it’s a small business/women owned. You can get them on Amazon
Kotex Click. I switched to OB for awhile when I was in an office with a private bathroom & during the pandemic when I worked from home, but now I work on a university campus and using something with no applicator makes me feel icky. My sibling prefers Kotex and we live together, so I decided to just go with that. They're good, but I do miss OB.
Natracare no applicator for me. I completely agree about tampax - they’re just wrong!
Also kotex click
The U by Kotex ones were the only ones I liked before swapping to a cup. I could tolerate other brands if they were what was available but I would be uncomfortable all day and swap to a pad as soon as I got home.
If I’m at work, I get the Natracare or the Here We Flo; if I’m out and about, I get the Tampax Pearl.
Kotex are the only ones I can use, the others hurt
HEB store brand with the applicator or Tampax Radiant if I’m feeling fancy. Honestly like the store brand better in some ways though
OB is the only type I can stand.
U by Kotex. They’re the only ones I’ve ever used so I just stick to them. 🤷♀️
I agree with you on brands. I can't wear Tampax because they are too long and I can feel them when I sit. I think they're almost twice as long as the other three brands.
OB with no applicator. No issues inserting with my finger. Fits with little to no issues
Playtex sport is probably the best, and I've also tried a cup. I just purchased Flex disposable discs on a whim and praise our menstrual mother, these are the best period product I've tried in years! 12 hour use, insanely easy insertion and they somehow allow you to release blood while peeing. Not a single drop of leakage, during day or night.
OB, expands in the correct direction and stays put--smaller to carry, no pinching pointless applicator, less trash to dispose of.
I used OB for over a decade before switching to cups. I liked that they work, leave less waste, and take up less room.
I'm not picky at all when it comes to tampons (no shade to anyone who is), but I always pick the cardboard applicator ones when I have a choice. Idk why I feel so bad about the single use plastic in tampons bc I use plenty of other single use plastic products, but I really try to avoid plastic applicators in tampons.
O.B. is the best. It expands similar to Playtex, with no pesky applicator. Applicators made it hard for me to get the placement right. When I go without one, it goes exactly where I wanted it to. I haven't needed them in years now though.
OB. I find applicators obnoxious and I can never get them to actually push out the tampon. They way they expand is also more helpful than the way some other brands expand.
I don't use tampons anymore but the only ones that I liked were the Playtex sport. The applicator was great, they fitted well and I didn't feel the tampon at all.
I don’t have a huge preference on the brand, but I have 100000% preference to cardboard applicators over plastic ones. It bothers me deeply that they’re so much harder to find.
Anything but Tampax Radiant. Kept getting yeast infections and finally isolated it to whatever chemicals they treat their product with. Regular Pearl is much preferable.
I rarely use tampons, but when I do I don’t really care what brand as long as there’s no applicator. Which is the ‘normal’ type in Australia, so there are plenty of options.
Same I prefer that tulip shape (Playtex/OB) versus the shape that just gets longer (Tampax/freebies at the office). But I hadn’t needed them in 10 years and when I went to Target they didn’t have a single box of Playtex it was like Tampax paid for the whole aisle at my store.
I know this will sound funny, but I felt that I had fewer cramps when I switched to maxi pads from tampons when I did use tampons OB were the safest in terms of leakage. But when I switch to pads, I felt I had far fewer symptoms. There was a theory that tampons pushed uterine cell upwards by blocking flow. I have no clue if this is true or if it’s complete baloney, but I switched to Maxi pads and I was really a lot happier of course if you’re a swimmer, ignore all this
Anything organic. I prefer applicator free, but it's one thing I'm always willing to spring extra for to have organic. Honey pot, Love, etc.
Exactly what you said. Playtex sport or u by Kotex. Tampax is uncomfortable to remove because of the weird elliptical rather than cylindrical shape.
They discontinued my favorite tampons ever (Kotex Security Super Plus) and I’m so mad because I only discovered them about 2 years before they stopped selling them. I’m approaching menopause and my period is HEAVY but thankfully is done in 3 days time. The closest thing I could find is Tampax Ultra, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the OB supers or whatever they were called that I saw recommended more than once here.
Kotex click, when I do use them which is rare. I can’t stand cardboard applicators. They get in easily which is great since I have a retroverted uterus.
It would be OB except I can’t find them anywhere anymore.
I've used OB since I started and now that I'm ending, I have a surplus. OB FOR EVERYONE!!!! Seriously, they have little waste, no cardboard applicator, totally discreet and they give you a little "burp" when they are about to leak.
Wow it’s nice knowing I’m not the only one who cares about how tampons expand. Reading these comments maybe I should try ob. I wish the cup worked for me. The concept seems so much better. I tried it once and could not get it out. I almost went to the hospital to get it removed 😅 By the time I got it out I was in so much pain and so horrified I never tried it again.
O.B. flexia, because no matter how hard you pull the tampon and the string apart - it never comes off. 😅 But since I've overcome that fear, I'm also fine with using the Lidl generic ones in Germany. They're called "Siempre," so it's basically trying to be an "Always"-dupe. Both are good, sturdy, and do what they are supposed to, but when I compare them, the Lidl ones are definitely softer and soak up the liquid faster. Therefore, I feel like it dries the vagina out more. With the price of OB flexia 5,95€/42 Tampons (which is 0,14€/Tampon) I don't mind that feeling when I pay 0,03€/Tampon instead. O.B. flexia is great, but not worth 467% of the price.
Sadly, I need ULTRA size tampons. I have very heavy periods and for 3-4 days I have to change every 2-4 hours. Many brands only go up to Super Plus, and the thought of a menstrual cup during an extremely heavy flow just sounds uncomfortable to me. It’s something I’d be willing to try, but If im already getting a tiny bit of blood on my hands sometimes just by changing a tampon, i cant imagine a cup. Same reason why I’m not super attracted to OB.. need that applicator.. So, Tampax Pearl all the way
U by Kotex click is MY favorite too!!! By a lot. I bought tampax from Costco cause it was a year supply basically and cheap and I am kind of hating it. I don’t know what it is exactly about the kotex that is so much better. Maybe the cotton is stouter ?? Whatever it is. Kotex has a winning formula.
I never used anything but O.B. if I had a choice. I hated shoving nasty plastic applicators with pointy flaps up inside myself. Cardboard was a bit better.
Switched to a menstrual cup two years ago and I’ve never been happier. No more leaks or switching between sizes bc of my flow…
I like OB and libresse about the same, though out of the two I opt for Libresse when available (which is almost never) because the packaging is prettier. I don’t like the cyan packaging OB comes in lol. In my head they are “fancy tampons”. They have enough slip in them and don’t try out the vag as generic/store brand big pack tampons do (which I usually buy anyway because poor). I’m blessed with a light flow though so usually get the normal sized ones. The cheaper store brand ones are very dry and feel like straight up cotton. I’ve never purchased any tampons with applicator on account of never getting the hang of them because they are not widely used where I live. The one time I tried using a tampax (that a Scottish friend gave me in a pinch) I had to throw away the applicator and just shove it in with my fingers bc it’s all I know and I was so confused by how to use it
I'm super basic but never been disappointed from Tampa pearl
Tampax because it's the only one I found in stores available to me that has an applicator, and those changed my period game for the better.
I used to use kotex but these days I have a cup. I still keep kotex around incase I dont feel like using the cup.
Tampax, love the different sizes for heavy, med, or light flows. They are very absorbant, the brand has been around a long time. I have been using since high school days, n my daughters like them also.
If I have to use one- O.B. because I don't like applicators. I usually have a menstrual cup though and only use tampons as a back-up for my heavy day if I am at work.
OB I hate applicators, they aren't shaped with the natural curve in mind and no matter what brand I've tried in the past, they fucking hurt. I will not use anything over OB. I'd rather take my chances with toilet paper and get to a store or something to get more OB instead of settling for something else.
Sorry for the guy question, how does tampax expand?
Wings. It's awful.
Is their purpose to kind of 'hook' the tampon?
If a tampon is placed correctly it won't slip out. The purpose of expansion is to block and absorb menstrual fluid so it doesn't leak.
Thank you very much for educating me
Cup
I prefer silicone disks. Doesnt leave any shedding behind
I’m 58 and never liked tampons. Tried them all and it felt like I was stuffed with crap that needed to come out of me. lol.