Period Care
Fewer chemicalsMany pads put a plastic layer against your skin for hours. Cotton-topped pads put plant fibre there instead, and unscented ones skip the added fragrance.
Our pick
Organyc organic cotton pads, Moderate Flow, 10 ct
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Going unscented drops the added fragrance chemicals. An organic cotton top layer puts plant fibre, not plastic, against your skin.
One leading pad maker lists polyethylene as the fibre layer that lets fluid in, so many pads put plastic against your skin. Pads sit against highly permeable skin for hours, and lab tests find phthalates and VOCs in them. Fragrance may add more: in a small 2020 study, three scented pads had about 10 times the aromatic VOCs of unscented pads, though the sample was too small to be sure.
General information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor about fit, wear time or any symptoms.
Our pick has cotton in the core too and no gel, and it costs more than most; the cotton-topped pads below cost less. The backing is a plant-based plastic and the adhesive is synthetic; there’s no plastic-free disposable pad yet. ‘Unscented’ is the label that matters most; testing found ‘organic’ alone didn’t guarantee lower VOCs. Wear liners too? See cotton liners.
Health and safety facts on this page come from these sources. What a pick is made of comes from its maker's listing or website, as stated on the date we checked.
Period Care
The US Office on Women’s Health advises skipping scented pads, powders and sprays, which may raise your chances of an intimate infection. An unscented organic cotton liner skips the scent.
Our pick
NATRACARE organic cotton mini panty liners, unscented
Period Care
One reusable cup can stand in for years of tampons: our pick’s maker says its cups last up to 10 years with care.
Our pick
SHORDY cups 2-pk S+L
Period Care
Your intimate area cleans itself. Ob-gyns say to wash the outside with a plain, fragrance-free soap and rinse with cool or lukewarm water.
Our pick
Dove Sensitive fragrance-free beauty bar, 8 × 3.75 oz
