Fortunately where I live applicators isn’t a thing.

Honestly, this. I dont think any woman in existence who has ever had to use a scented tampon was actually happy about the fact that it was scented. Wouldn't it make more sense for them to create scented toilet paper since that's used to literally wipe shit off of your ass? Oh wait nope, because men use toilet paper too so of course they cant have it smelling girly or feminine ya know. Barf.

I usually buy these products from my nearby general merchandise store (the one with the red bullseye). It is located w/in half a mile of a university campus. Up until about a year ago the store seemed to cater to the neighborhoods surrounding the area - a mix of working class areas being gentrified and professional middle class.

The selection in the "Feminine Hygiene" aisle wasn't great, but normal and I could easily get the basic, plain, non-applicator items I wanted.

https://ustadium.com/p/692504
https://ustadium.com/p/692506
https://ustadium.com/p/692507
https://ustadium.com/p/692508
https://kucazesa.tumblr.com/post/635966469945081856/dtyfuyi
https://kucazesa.tumblr.com/post/635966539632377856/fthtuyit7ryut
https://kucazesa.tumblr.com/post/635966577840439296/yghjghfty
https://www.peeranswer.com/question/5fc14fc984917aa9656102ab
https://www.mydigoo.com/forums-topicdetail-201877.html
https://www.mydigoo.com/forums-topicdetail-201878.html
https://www.peeranswer.com/question/5fc15020f01be20312b776a1
https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/12043729.html
https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/12043731.html
https://blog.goo.ne.jp/qazwsxe/e/201930110cb535061e8ea4f8d6573525
https://blog.goo.ne.jp/qazwsxe/e/f86c5cefdb200db57b24af61c6d941a7
https://blog.goo.ne.jp/qazwsxe/e/71e9ad23d47f7ac219ded3d7c034e698
https://blog.goo.ne.jp/qazwsxe/e/e7e2426a1311e880897d64d2b2602510
https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/12043733.html
https://steemit.com/btc/@metivim/i-usually-buy-these-products-from-my-nearby-general-merchandise-store

https://www.peeranswer.com/question/5fc14e65f01be20312b77670
https://paiza.io/projects/lN-4hB5Q7o2mkyDdU4N-zQ?language=php
https://pastelink.net/2asyg
https://paste.in/Cx5r31
http://paste4btc.com/hhJg9Wf8
https://paste.tbee-clan.de/5YSnt#
https://freetexthost.net/qBADOJzR
https://pasteio.com/xHNxM2vMEleS
https://ideone.com/jPlrdD
https://paste2.org/WJLjwbF5
https://paste.ee/p/skB5L
https://www.pastery.net/uvgtye/

Then suddenly they shifted the focus across the whole store to the university crowd. In some areas this was great (for me) - I'll never look down on a good selection of plant-based hippy-dippy foods. But, in other areas - most notable the aforementioned 'Feminine Hygiene' aisle - a travesty! Suddenly there was way more product and options, but in actual fact no real variety. A million different packages of cutesy, fancy, organic, fair-trade, first-press, unicorn blessed, glitter gilded, applicator tampons. And apparently university girls don't want larger size heavy flow products either? But four different kinds of pads that fit thongs, apparently. And every single one, an entire aisle of tampons, with plastic applicators. Organic unbleached cotton tampons from woman owned cruelty-free vegan company in plastic applicators! WTF!

It’s so interesting to hear that you would like to use cardboard applicators. My friends and I have always complained about how scratchy and uncomfortable the cardboard is and how we prefer plastic applicators. I actually wondered why cardboard applicators continue to be made because I thought they make all vaginas unhappy. I am learning not to generalize period management preferences

On the rare occasion I have a real period, I do need the applicator, because I can't seem to get the non-applicator ones positioned right without it, I'm just not that talented.

But mostly I can get away with panty liners, due to my birth control type. So I'm super lucky that way! But your post made me laugh, because I have felt that frustration: I just want the same boring stuff I've been using for the last 20 years of this shit, not this insane sparkly, shiny, "new and improved" junk. Edit: expanded my comment

I asked my husband to order me tampons a few days ago, and he wanted me to double check so it’s the right sizes. He had went for the fanciest of the fancy, 50 % more expensive than just.. the usual. When asking about it he was all “but this one is super sliding silk embedded ultra soft! Don’t you want that?” No. I don’t need it. Just buy the cheap big pack.

Fortunately where I live applicators isn’t a thing. I get mad at the little booklet with instructions in every pack, I’d break down having to throw away heaps of plastic just to not get blood all over me.

What i ended up doing was buying a pair of Thinx period panties as emergency use in times like this. I was nutoriously bad at restocking in time. They arent great but they arent awful. They look cute but feel like a swim suite a little but helps in times like this or when my vagina is just utterly tired of having a stick of dry cotton in it. Pads never worked well for me for shit.

They have a quiz that tells you which brand of cups would work best for you based on your answers to questions, and your preferences. There’s also a really cool cup comparison chart on the same site.

I’m not super pro cup or anything myself- Honestly, I haven’t had the opportunity to even try one yet, but I would really like to. I just thought the quiz thing was so cool so I always pass it along when someone might find it useful!

But don’t feel bad if cups just aren’t your thing. Certain things just don’t work for certain people, and that’s okay! Plus there are plenty more options if you are trying to cut back on your environmental impact. It may take a bit of trial and error, but it’s worth it in the end. Wishing you well!

My uterus had a spectacular fire sale last Fall, I was heavy bleeding for 32 days straight and ended up in the ER. I needed three units of blood. But the good news is that nothing serious was found as the cause and I haven't had a period since. I'm hoping I'm done. But yeah, even when I was having normal periods the Diva cup instruction sheet said something about how it holds more than most women pass in a cycle and I thought, really? Because my body is all like "Shots! Shots! Shots!" the whole time.

not the tampon, the box and wrappers! They must be shiny and have flowers and BOLD COLORS like STAINED GLASS and JEWELS and fucking CRYSTALS or whatever. The actual tampon itself is just basically the same old shit. Sure, they might try to innovate it and slap a buzzy trademark name on it. Like braiding the top of the string. Wow. Holy shit. What fucking genius got paid millions of dollars for that absolute breakthrough, truly a revolutionary of our time!

But that shitty price hike is all about the vanity packaging and brand recognition.

Agreed! But what really irks me is that it's getting harder and harder to find light absorbency tampons! I'm just barely a regular on my first 2 days, and a light is plenty sufficient after that. The only major brand that has them in light-only packs is the Tampax Pearl ones.

I tried switching to Lola tampons, but they just didn't work as well imo. I felt like they leaked wayy before the tampon was anywhere near full.

If anyone sees this, any recommendations for light flow but also fairly leak-proof natural tampons out there?