When I mention period pants … you probably like me think of your selection of ‘past their best knickers‘ that you save souly for wearing during your period. If you have an ‘accident’ it’ll not matter too much … they are pretty manky already.

Today I’m going to introduce you to WUKA period wear, which stands for Wake Up Kick Ass . Founded by environmental scientist Ruby Raut this underwear replaces the need for sanitary towels and tampons. It is eco-friendly which in this day and age can never be a bad thing.

BUT firstly I guess you’ll need to know about my current period status. Let’s just say they are sent from hell. I’m so heavy it is ridiculous … I go through 2 boxes of Super Plus Tampons every period and at the moment they are only about 14 days apart. Bloody Peri-Menopause ! I generally have to get up once or twice in the night to change . It’s no wonder I look so pale all the time; I’m knackered and have no blood in my body.

When WUKA got in touch to see whether I’d like to trail their period pants I thought why the hell not, I love their ethics and it couldn’t hurt, could it? I must admit the thought of venturing out in just pants , without a sanitary towel or tampon was quite daunting … what if they didn’t do what they were supposed to do and I leaked everywhere ?! The Boy Friend was even more horrified!

First impressions.

The WUKA pants aren’t pretty but they are not ugly either. Think Bridgett Jones practical pants meet Calvin Kleins . They are a standard black brief with mesh panelling to either side and they are surprisingly very comfortable.

How they work:

WUKA is made up of 4 layers of fabric:
Inner / Outer fabrics are made of soft, breathable, moisture wicking and luxurious Lenzing ® MicroModal fabric. 

Central layers include an absorbent layer that is uniquely used in WUKA underwear that absorbs blood and interlocks its.

WUKA Heavy [which I was sent ] has anti-bacterial properties and can hold 4 tampons worth of blood [at least] Which is more than any other product available today. This is around 20ml.

They are machine washable at 40 degrees but you will need to let them air dry . You can’t tumble dry them as it can ruin the lining. You will therefore need quite a few pairs to cover your period.

My thoughts :

When worn with jeans / tight trousers I felt like I had a VPL , so I mainly to stuck to wearing floaty dresses while I trailed them.

As mentioned before I experience extremely heavy periods especially throughout the first couple of days.

On day 1 I managed to wear the pants for around 6 hours before I felt uncomfortable and had to change them. If I had left it any longer I fear I would have leaked. I can happily report there was no odour at all but without going into too much detail , I am also quite clotty. A few times when I went to the toilet there were clots that had not absorbed. I had to wipe them off with toilet paper and flush away. It wasn’t a problem for me but it is worth noting if that sort of thing makes you feel ‘cringey‘

What I found myself doing , and it kind of defeats the purpose of period wear was to wear the WUKA pants but to also wear a tampon. If I did leak I had the added bonus of the pants as back-up.

At night however wearing the WUKA’s have been a bloody revolution . I have been brave enough to wear the pants by themselves and omit the need for my tampons [and my worries of getting toxic shock syndrome while I sleep]. It’s been amazing because I’ve not felt the need to get up during the night and I’ve experienced a better nights sleep. Definitely a big plus in my books. A good nights sleep makes for a much nicer Tracey

So to summarise …

It’s a great concept; the amount of waste it will save in the long-term from woman not buying as many sanitary products is another massive plus. During my period I will continue to wear my WUKA pants on an evening by themselves . I appreciate the unbroken sleep and if I do leak a-little it’s not such a biggy in the safety of my own bed. I can however confirm it’s night 4 and I haven’t had any accidents as yet.

I fear I’m not brave enough to wear the pants by themselves throughout the day as yet. I will wear them alongside my sanitary products during my heavy days as a fail-safe.

Towards the end of my period / during my lighter days I would feel confident to switch to wearing just the WUKA pants.

The only negative I can see people having is with the cost. At £24.99 a pair they aren’t the cheapest. However WUKA claim each pair should last 2 years … so when you put it like that and after your initial out-lay it doesn’t sound all that bad at all.

You can read more and purchase // HERE

Are period pants something you would consider or does the thought horrify you ? As always I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below

Until next time, Tracey

 

 

I was gifted with a couple of pairs of WUKA period wear for review purposes however and as always all thoughts and opinions are strictly my own