What exactly counts as proper feminine hygiene?

Maybe you could try using those 100% cotton pads? I think they make them at Target. They’re a bit pricier—around $5.75, I guess—but they seem fine. Even if they are a little impractical...
But hey, at least they're cotton!

So, what does "washing your lady" actually mean here?

Are we talking about just pointing the showerhead up from below, or is there some specific routine I'm missing?

And why is everyone saying intimate washes are bad? Like, wouldn't a soap specifically made for that be better than anything else? 😕

I don't know—sometimes even plain water feels like it isn't doing enough.

Linda Campbell said:Forget mouthwash—try using some Listerine instead. Use it as a gargle for your throat and mouth... honestly, it's incredible. You'll start thinking all that other stuff works wonders, too. I actually get a little little kick out of it myself when I rinse—I use those little disposable oral syringes. Seriously, give it a shot.

Is this actually a good idea? Who even told you to do that?

Before I started incorporating intimate washes into my routine, I was dealing with constant discomfort
but now, everything feels absolutely incredible

Honestly, I think you should only swap out your intimate washes regularly—using the same stuff forever can eventually start causing irritation, you know?

That Dove chamomile one isn't bad, though there are plenty of other good options out there.

My OB-GYN actually suggested I try using sage too... and honestly, things have been looking up since I started!

I usually just stick to chamomile whenever things feel a bit irritated, but after reading about sage here, I had to give it a shot. Within two days, it was 🙂
gone. Tupac Shakur, how did I not realize sooner that I already use sage for my throat and mouth all the time?

Also, water alone definitely doesn't cut it—it’s like you’re just smearing everything around down there. A guy I used to know told me back before all these specialized products were a thing that using toothpaste is actually better than soap.

cosmicowl50 said:I remember some old guy telling me back in the day—long before all these modern wellness trends—that using toothpaste is actually better for you than soap!

Oh my gosh😲
Are you kidding me? That is going to be soooooooo much easier😱

To brighten up your day,
my neighbor told me (she actually came over to complain about the sound of our water running because we use too much in the tub!)
"only loose women wash every single day; a decent woman only needs to do it once a week." 🙂
Maybe that's the secret to solving all our problems! 🤣

So, how does sage actually come in? 😕Like, do you just grab the loose tea bags and brew it, or what?🤷

isusek 😲
Are you kidding me? Because that is going to buuuuuuuuuuuuurn 😱

I'm serious, my doctor told me so,
it doesn't burn, it just feels really cooling 🤣, though I've only tried it once 😁

Melissa Long26, just make some tea and relax 😍

jadesailor14 said:"only hookers wash every day—decent women only need to once a week." 🙂 "

😕☕
lol
😂

jadesailor14 said:I thought I’d bring a little joy to your day
My neighbor just stopped by to complain—apparently, the sound of our running water is bothering her because we use the tub too much.
"Only loose women wash every single day. A decent woman only needs to do it once a week." 🙂 "

Good grief. 🤣🤣🤣

jadesailor14 said:isusek 😲
Are you kidding me? Because that is going to take a looooooooooooooooooooooooong time 😱

to bring a little joy to your lives
my neighbor told me (she came over to complain that the sound of our running water is bothering them, apparently we use too much in the tub)
"only loose women wash every day; decent women only need to do it once a week" 🙂
maybe there lies the answer to all our problems 🤣

And those most decent ones probably only do it once a year 🙄
I suppose that explains why the whole nation smells so bad
and now summer is coming... everyone crammed together on the subway 🙂

silverscout91 said:It’s because when you have your period and the uterine lining is shedding, if you use a tampon, it absorbs all that "messy blood" and just sits inside you for a few hours until you change it, allowing bacteria to multiply; whereas if you use pads, that "messy blood" actually leaves your body.

It can't be "messy" if it was part of my own body just a second ago and hasn't even left me yet, right?
How can your pads not smell to you? Mine always seem to have that very specific scent that feels like it's soaking into my skin—ugh, gross. 🙂

boldstag40 said:it can't be "dirty" if it was literally part of me a second ago and hasn't even left my body yet

actually, it can—it doesn't just flow through your system, it kind of builds up in the tampon

I pretty much only use tampons when I absolutely have to

they aren't really my thing otherwise

Natracare sanitary pads

there was biobio

😍😍

Ugh, you guys are actually starting to worry me.

Look, I’ve been wearing daily liners every single day for ten years straight. I can’t function without them. I constantly feel like everything is damp and messy (plus, during the summer, I low-key have a phobia of someone spotting a wet spot on my clothes), and even though I know deep down that’s probably not reality, I just can't stop.
Though, I have wondered if some of my issues—like the itching—are actually caused by not letting things breathe enough. My OB-GYN told me ages ago not to over-wash and to stick strictly to mild feminine washes...
So now what?
Is the issue that commercials brainwashed me into thinking I smell (when I don't)? Or is the problem me, because I'm convinced I stink?
Are we actually talking about an addiction to daily liners here?🙂

I tried the commercial brands, but there's no going back after switching to Natracare

Whatever commercial pads, tampons, etc., you use—they’re bleached with dioxins and made from cotton treated with pesticides. Not only can they cause health issues, but they also pollute even more after use because they don't biodegrade. Plus, they're packed with all those chemical compounds meant to mimic "strawberry scents" or whatever.
A friend of mine had HPV, and her OB-GYN strictly forbade anything except "natural" products (I know Natracare, though maybe there are other brands out there now)

Using the regular stuff feels like wearing plastic, but the natural ones actually let things breathe

It's the exact same thing as using "plastic" diapers

I mean, why wouldn't they be considered natural? I use tampons, both during the day and at night—though I always switch to a pad overnight.

I finally tracked down some daily liners made of pure cotton, completely free from any chemical additives. They're called Vir brand, and they specialize in organic cotton products. In fact, their line is often recommended specifically for postpartum recovery because doctors advise new moms to stick strictly to pure cotton—no synthetics allowed. I tend to call them "old-fashioned pads" since they don't have wings and are quite thick; you can actually see the raw cotton fibers and the mesh interior. It’s just honest, unadulterated cotton through and through. I’m only mentioning this so you all understand exactly which ones I’m talking about

The specific daily liners I'm using aren't bulky; they're slim, just like any standard liner you'd find at Target, but because Vir only manufactures cotton products, I grabbed these

I also discovered that Vir makes regular menstrual pads too—not those thick, wingless "old-fashioned" ones I mentioned earlier, but standard pads similar in size to an Always Super Plus, complete with wings. They aren't overly thick, yet they remain entirely cotton-based, so I've recently switched over to using those for my period

I haven't seen these daily liners or even their winged menstrual pads anywhere else besides a local Walmart; honestly, they seem impossible to find anywhere else

God bless Vir 😁

Before I stumbled upon them, I was actually wondering why a company that makes such high-quality cotton postpartum pads wouldn't think to manufacture standard, winged menstrual pads or thin daily liners. Then, lo and behold, I run right into them, and I was absolutely thrilled by the discovery 😍

We used stuff like that way before all these "always" brands and whatever became a thing.😁, just basic cotton and mesh—old school style, I guess.