New brand of Tampax to hit UK - Are you gonna be a pearly queen? (Tampax Pearl Tampons Super)

Member Name: bluerose81

Product:	Tampax Pearl Tampons Super
Date:	29/08/09 (66 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Extremely comfortable to use

Disadvantages: Plastic applicators are not biodegradable

I have always liked the Tampax brand of applicator tampons because they are such a familiar label, but when I am short of money I will often buy a cheaper brand as there never seems to be much difference between them anyway. I recently needed to buy some in an emergency so I ended up grabbing of box of Tampax Pearl at £2.99 for 18. I was pleasantly surprised as how different they were to use.

They come in a loose, easy to open wrapper, and the string is braided to provide extra absorbency and protection from leaks, but the main advantage to Tampax Pearl is that the applicator is designed so that the tampon can be inserted effortlessly.

For a start, the applicator is slimmer than standard cardboard applicators, and it is made of a smooth plastic which makes it much more comfortable to insert. It also has a 'placement grip' for your fingers so you don't lose hold of it, and it has a slim 'insertion stick' which makes it look a bit like a hypodermic needle.

Only us ladies are aware of the pickle we can get into when we just want to 'perform our private operation' quickly so we can carry on with what we were doing, only to end up faffing about with a crumpled cardboard applicator tampon from the bottom of our bag that just won't go in! And if it gets too slippy, I don't know about you, but I end up ripping the applicator off and inserting it by itself. It looks like Proctor & Gamble's product is the result of some good market research.

So, Tampax Pearl definitely have an advantage over other types of applicator tampons, and I would particularly recommend them to young ladies who have just started their periods, due to the comfort factor and the less daunting size.

The only worrying thing is the fact that the applicators are made of plastic which obviously is not biodegradable. I cannot image even the most conscientious amongst us giving our applicators a rinse and putting them in the recycling bin. It would be better if a more environmentally friendly version was invented so a lot more women would feel good about using them.

I should mention that it is not considered healthy to constantly wear tampons throughout your period, partly due to the fact that most commercial tampons contain chemicals. Tampons are great because of the extra freedom they give you, but it is advisable to give yourself a break at some point in the day; if you are staying in for the evening, for example. Tampons are associated with an illness called Toxic Shock Syndrome. TSS is rare, but it is serious, and so it would be a good idea to familiarise yourself with the symptoms from the Tampax Pearl leaftlet which you will find in the box.

So all in all, it is a good, if not environmentally friendly product so I have rated it only 3 stars purely because of that drawback. They achieve what they set out to achieve, effortless insertion.

Take care of yourself, ladies!

Summary: Good product