100% Honest Review: Thinx Period-Proof Underwear (Hi-waist, boy short, and hiphugger)
Warning: If you don't like reading about the menstrual cycle (periods) or feel queasy about blood, and topics related to it, please stopping reading now, and return to other areas of Phil and Mama.
Disclosure: I did not receive any free items or sponsorship for this post. The opinions published here are purely my own.
Update: March 2019: I’m still using Thinx period panties every month! Not an ad, not sponsored.
Hi friends! I've been dying to try Thinx period-proof panties for the longest. When my flow is at its heaviest, it always leak out at night, no matter how long or thick the pads I use are. Red stains on our white sheets are the bane of my existence, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. When it's hot and muggy, pads are so uncomfy! And since my inner thighs have gotten curvier, the pads rub against my skin, and sometimes, they cause uncomfortable (and unsightly!) bumps. Pads are disgusting to change, and they are not cheap!
I've never used tampons or menstrual cups before, so I'm stuck with pads. But not anymore! I've waited a while to try Thinx. The PR period goddess over at Thinx never got around to sending me samples (that's busy NY for you!) so I finally forked out around 100 USD to buy a three-pair cycle set: one hi waist, one hiphugger, and one boy short. Lucky me, they arrived right before my aunty flow, menstrual cramps, hormonal pimples, and PMS-related crankiness came on at full speed! Oh the things we ladies have to go through!
Thinx was created in 2014 by three friends. They're based in NY. They also run Thinx Foundation and give back to girls in the developing world. Kudos, gals!
Product Packaging:
Meh. Frankly, I'm not impressed with the packaging. See for yourself. When I bought a bra from Thirdlove, they sent me that one bra in a pretty box, all wrapped up in fancy tissue paper. I expected my three expensive period-proof panties to arrive in a pretty box, wrapped up and maybe sprinkled with rose petals. (I'm a romantic!) Instead, they arrived like they were just any pair of normal Hanes or Fruit of the Loom, or pantyhose... all three stuffed in a bag. The graphics on the packaging are very cute though!
I followed the instructions and washed them in the washer and air dried them before use.
Product Description:
"THINX is made up of four bits of tech that makes ‘em anti-microbial, moisture-wicking, absorbent, and leak-resistant. The top layer fights bacteria and absorbs any liquid into the über thin layer right beneath it, so you always stay dry (and fly, obi). And no, they don't feel like diapers, and it's not like sitting in your own blood. Boom. To take care of your THINX , you rinse immediately after use, cold wash (waiting 'till laundry day is a-ok) and hang dry. Don’t use bleach or fabric softener! And yes, the rest of your clothes will be fiine." -https://www.shethinx.com/pages/it-works/
The people at Thinx are super quirky. You should read the crazy emails they send after you make a purchase.
Girls, I'm not sure I'm having the best period ever. Thinx can't get rid of my hormonal acne and cramps and PMS crankiness!
Price:
The thongs are priced at $24 each and the ones that can handle the heaviest flows, such as the boy shorts or hi waists are almost $40 each (all in USD). You get discounts when you build a cycle set of 3, 5, or 7 pairs of underwear.
Sizing:
I bought mediums and feel that they are a bit tight on me. I'm worried that if I went a size larger, the underwear may slip off or not absorb the period as well. I'm a size 8 to 10 in the lower body, and the mediums feel okay. The boy shorts do look quite flattering on me!
Effectiveness:
Yesterday, I started the first day of my menstrual cycle with a hiphugger. I liked how the underwear itself isn't thick and annoying; it just feels like any other pair of underwear. I prefer cotton underwear, and this does not feel like cotton. It feels more like satin or silk. All morning and afternoon, I felt conscious of my period and my underwear. It felt wet, but not sopping wet. I also tend to get these thick menstrual chunks that end up in the toilet, and none have ended up in the underwear yet, so I'm not sure how Thinx absorbs the thicker chunks.
I've read that Thinx can't mask period odor, but I hadn't noticed any smell all day, and I've been actively cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry. It was nice and cool in the house though and I had not been sweating.
In the late afternoon, I switched to a pair of hi waist. My flow was getting heavier. I washed the pair of hiphuggers in the sink and all I could smell was copper-blood, and another synthetic smell. Maybe that's the antimicrobial material in the underwear. I wonder if they put silver into the lining... It's not fun, almost archaic to wash all the blood off the underwear. I started to miss my disposable pads, but hey, if I never have to buy pads again, all this work and yuckiness are worth it! It took at least a minute or two before the water in the sink stopped turning red and brown... After that, I tossed the underwear into the washer. I must remember not to dry it in the dryer!
Nighttime came around and I switched to the pair of boy shorts. I am happy to report that I woke up this morning with zero stains on the bed! The boy shorts are pretty absorbent and nothing is smelly, yet!
Product Quality and Care:
After I washed the underwear in the washer for the first time, I air dried them. They looked just fine, like the moment I had pulled them out of the packaging. I think if you follow the instructions and treat them well, they can last a while for you. I feel that although you are using water to wash the underwear, you aren't creating waste like you would if you had to use pads. Every time I get my period, it lasts for around five days, and I'm using at least three to four pads a day. That's quite a bit of waste in our landfills if you think about it.
By the second wash, however, I noticed some fraying at the seams of my hi waist pair. That was only two pre-washes and two laundry cold washes. (I followed their instructions meticulously!) Hmm... The quality isn't the highest here and I worry that more seams will fray by the next washes...
Colors and textile:
Think have panties in cotton, and they’ve had multiple colors, from beige to red to dark green, and now dust.
Final thoughts:
I love how Thinx employs body-positive models. I think I'm becoming a reusable period-proof underwear fan! I do have to continue to try using these underwear versus going back to my comfort zone with pads. It's like getting period-training (ha like potty training). It feels weird not having a pad on. I'm more inclined to throw out a pad that's wet, but will keep using the underwear when it's not that wet yet. Each time I use the bathroom, wipe clean and put on the Thinx again, I feel this yucky wetness. That feeling goes away pretty quickly though.
What I'm the happiest about is that I won't have to worry about staining the bed or leaking through lighter clothing. I think I will continue to use Think, and perhaps even try other brands of period-proof panties and underwear. I hope this review is helpful! I'd love to hear your period-proof underwear experiences and stories!
For its high price, too quirky for my taste customer service, lack of follow through from their PR person (goddess), the quick fraying of the seams with just two washes, and the meh packaging, I award Thinx with 3.5 out of 5 pandas.
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