Boys, look away. This one's for the ladies.

I've decided to come clean with all of you. I don't use tampons or pads. THERE! I said it. (I feel so much better now.)

For about 7 years, I've used a menstrual cup to deal with my period (the Diva Cup, specifically.) I've always felt that there is a stigma around girly products and periods in general, and no one talks about it. But this cup is too good to keep to myself, so I'm sharing.

A menstrual cup is made of silicone and you insert it. The difference between the Diva Cup and tampons? You only have to empty the cup once every 12 hours or so, and it's reusable. I haven't bought tampons or pads in 7 years. SEVEN YEARS!!! It sits low in the vagina and forms a seal to capture any fluids. And because it's made of silicone, it warms to your body and you can't feel it. I've had only 2 accidents since I've been using the Diva Cup.

Some cons:

• You have to be comfortable with your body. Insertion is INSERTION. You have to be all up in your junk. But it gets easy after a few tries. And shouldn't we all be comfortable with our bodies? (That's total bs, btw. It took me LOTS of tries to be totally comfortable with it. But it's SO worth it!)
• It takes practice. I got the hang of it after 2 cycles. But after that, I didn't need backup pads.

The pros!

• You can wear it anywhere: swimming, running (like I run. HA!), and overnight, without worrying about leakage. Once it's been inserted properly, it won't leak unless it's full. (The cup holds about 1 ounce of fluid, and the average period is 3-4 ounces over the entire cycle. The cup is usually less than half full in 12 hours.)  
• It's the Ron Popeil Rotisserie Oven of period gear. Set It, and Forget It! I've actually forgotten I've had it in before. 
• You NEVER HAVE TO BUY PADS OR TAMPONS AGAIN!!! I can't stress this point enough. It's environmentally friendly!
• It's also very cost efficient. It costs about $25-30 up front, but you save so much more than that in the long run. The website says to change it yearly, but I've read testimonials that say they've used it safely for 10 years or more. I'm on my 7th year with the same one. I boil it between cycles and I've never had a problem with it.
• You can wear it longer than tampons. I empty it once a day. THAT'S IT. I don't have to remember to bring tampons with me, or change it during the day. I clean it out in the morning, and again at night before bed.

So that's my take on the Diva Cup. They have a long FAQ on their web site if you want more information, and it is available for purchase online or at Whole Foods.