You’d be amazed at how many mums have asked me for advice about periods. (Or maybe you wouldn’t. Getting the ‘period talk‘ right is a preoccupation of many of us.) And the number one question I get asked the most is, “Which period undies are the best?”
I think my reputation for trying all the period undies goes before me. Ha!
But the fact is, my daughters wear them and I have also personally tried all of the undies and I do have a favourite. I know exactly which period undies are the best.
And those period undies are Modibodi – by a country mile.
So that was a massive spoiler alert!
Brands I’ve used
For the record, the other brands I have used (and still do use Bonds, Libra and Thinx) are: Bonds Bloody Comfy Undies, Thinx, Rudie, Orgaknix, Scarlet, Love Luna and the new Libra period undies (which I only purchased to try out for this article).
Now, I’ll mention that I am an affiliate of Modibodi (you can read about how that works here). But don’t think for a minute that I’m recommending them to you because I get a little earner (at no extra cost to you) if you buy a pair.
No way, that’s not my style at all. I’m an affiliate of Modibodi because I believe in the brand so much that I stopped being an affiliate for any other company. Because Modibodi are the only period pants I want to recommend.
What’s in our first period kit and some thoughts about starting
Putting period undies to the test: four criteria
1. Leak-proof
I’ve been using period undies off and on for years and only Modibodi feel completely leak-secure. Bonds Bloody Comfy Undies are a close second in the ‘no leaks’ test. Thinx aren’t bad either.
Most of the brands aren’t too bad, except I really can’t recommend the undies sold by Rudie. Wearing them felt like I may as well have been in my regular knickers. Which is weird because their eco pads are very good!
But Modibodi have never once let me down and they are the period undies my girls and I have been wearing for the longest.
2. Comfort
Bonds may have come up with the worst slogan ever for period undies, but worse still is they don’t even deliver. Bonds Bloody Comfy Undies are not bloody comfy at all. In fact, they feel a lot like you’re wearing a nappy. They even have that ‘hang’ look about them when ‘full’ – like a toddler nappy an hour after their post-lunch bottle. You know the hang.
On the other hand, Modibodi undies feel sleek and huggy and nice. Period undies by default are quite a ‘firm’ fit, but Modibodi have plenty of stretch in them to stop them feeling too snug. They also don’t ‘bulk up’ the pad area, rather their no-leaks capabilities seem to stem from their layers, not absorbent bulk.
Orgaknix are another brand I would recommend for comfort, though they haven’t performed as well for me as Modis on the very-important no-leakage test. Thinkx and Scarlet are also pretty comfy and discreet.
3. Clean and dry
I haven’t found any difference in cleaning any of the brands I’ve tried. All are easy to rinse out until water is clear and then wash with your normal wash and dry on the line in the sun.
Technically, no period undies dry ‘quickly’ but Modibodi do seem to dry a lot faster than most. Both Bonds Bloody Comfy Undies and Thinx seem to take a millennium to feel completely dry. Other brands are reasonable, but just remember that any pair of period undies will need a good amount of time on the line to dry completely.
4. Smell
Many people avoid period undies because they’re worried they will smell. So when you’re trying to work out which period undies are the best, smell is a very important factor.
Modibodi don’t smell. Well, not that I noticed anyway. God, I hope they don’t smell! For the record, no one has ever said anything. Important to note that.
I don’t think any of the period undies I’ve tried smell in the way that people worry they well. So that should be very comforting to hear.
I will say, though, that a few of the brands develop a strange odour that lingers even after washing. I’ll stress that it’s not a particularly unpleasant odour, but it is a bit metallic or something. Maybe something to do with the iron in period blood lingering or some such?
You can’t smell this smell unless you stick your nose right in there, so I don’t worry too much about it. But just to note that the period undies I have found to be the worst for this phenomenon are Love Luna , Scarlet and Libra. I’ve only had the Libra pair for one period and they already have ‘the smell’.
Get yourself a pair of Modibodi
So, there you go, my answer to “which period undies are the best?’ is a resounding: Modibodi. If you want further information about why they’re so good, click here.
If you head over to get yourself a few pairs, keep in mind that you can get 10% off your first order if you sign up for their newsletter. So sign up for that before you shop! Their sign up box should pop up when you click on the site.
Final words from me are to check out a few different brands of period undies and see if they’re right for you and your girls. Even if you don’t use them full time, they are fabulous for wearing in he lead up to expecting a period (which I often do), and for night time wear for cup or tampon users (which is how I mostly use them), or as ‘peace of mind’ for pad users. The more peace of mind we can give our girls when they start their period, the better, right!?
Feature image courtesy of Modibodi; swirly skirt by Nina Mercado