What to take when travelling on your period

So you’ve been planning that trip with your partner, friends, family or alone for months, you’ve got your list and budget ready, detailed travelling expenses, days out and tables booked at the restaurants - everything neatly planned right? Well, not quite everything, that timely visitor that tags along - your period. 

In this article you will discover which products to add to your travel kit for full intimate wellbeing. 

Tampons and menstrual cups: compact, safe options

These are the most compact products for women’s intimate care and menstruation.

• Tampons: they are the most compact and easiest to carry with you. They are also discreet and comfortable, whilst also allowing us to do water activities and sports comfortably if that is part of our plan. We should bear in mind the size which indicates the absorption power depending on the day of our period, and also that wearing the same tampon for more than 8 hours is not recommended.
• Menstrual cups: the main recommendation is that you should have tried them out before in order to know the size of the cup that best fits your body and your menstrual flow. It is a very convenient option as it can be worn for a long time, even up to 12 hours. The only inconvenience is that we need access to clean water, and if possible being able to boil it to sterilise the cup for the next use.

Sanitary towels and day protectors: perfect for long trips

Sanitary towels and panty liners are the easiest ones to change, although sometimes we do not feel as clean and fresh. They can also be used as a backup for heavy flow days if we use tampons or menstrual cups.

There are now much thinner and lighter sanitary towels available on the market, that are less bulky and are able to absorb more, with the ultimate aim of providing better protection without losing the fresh feeling or feeling “dirty”.

The cons though are that they can be uncomfortable when walking a lot or doing certain other physical activities.

Intimate gels and wet wipes for quick cleaning

We should take intimate gels and specific wet wipes with us, as they will help us feel more comfortable on our trip.

• Intimate gels: we should make sure that the product is “specific for women’s intimate hygiene” and preferably stating the pH (or that they are recommended by gynaecologists). We should avoid heavily perfumed ones or any containing aggressive antiseptic agents if we do not need them.
• Intimate wipes: These are a basic must to refresh and clean ourselves quickly in public restrooms or on flights (choose alcohol and fragrance free).

Furthermore, we should always add an extra change of cotton underwear in our travel kit for better breathability in that area and some standard painkillers (Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, etc.) for any period pains we may have.