Going eco-friendly with Eco Fluff

Every night I wipe my face clean with some micellar water and cotton pads. And every night I throw those cotton pads in the bin, I feel a pang of guilt. Same thing happens whenever I have a period and I throw away pad after pad. The guilt is intense because I’m harming the planet one bloody pad at a time not to mention my bank account. It’s really that simple. So when I got an email from Eco Fluff, a female-led local and small company with the sole purpose of introducing and encouraging women towards sustainable personal and baby products, I jumped at the chance to work with them. I’ve been testing and trying out some of their bestsellers and here’s my honest opinion.

Let’s begin with the menstrual cup. The one and only product I have ever received for free and not wanted to try. Actually, I did want to, I just wasn’t looking forward to it. I had posted about it on my social media and the response I received from women was remarkable. So many WANTED to try it but hadn’t or were terrified of the idea. They had some questions about the use of the menstrual cup that I then sent to the founder of Eco Fluff, boss mama of two, Nicole. She did a wonderful job supporting me during my first try, which by the way, went so much better than I expected. After a day of trying it out around the house and then taking it for a yoga practice spin, on the second day of my period I was ready to take it out on the school run too. I added a reusable pad Nicole had sent me, in case of leakage. Those babies washed out really well and I used them during the night because I wasn’t feeling confident enough to insert the cup and go to bed. I will though this month.

So answers to some burning menstrual cup questions:

• What if I have a heavy flow?
  A size 2 cup holds 15ml of menstrual fluid. This is more than 2 tampons, 3 daytime pads, more than a super tampon, and about equal to an overnight pad.
  Cups are a great solution for anyone with heavy flow, even if they will need to be emptied more frequently. If the cup leaks before getting to 15 ml it is most likely inserted incorrectly, wrong size, or wrong firmness level
  Sometimes a very low cervix can also decrease the cup’s capacity by taking up space inside the cup.
  Cups need to be thoroughly washed every 12 hours, if it needs to be emptied more often, you can just give it a rinse and re-insert
  I have very heavy periods myself, and sometimes like to use a cloth pad with my cup on my heaviest day
  From day 3-4 and until my period is finished I change every 12 hours. It’s perfect. I forget I even have my period. I usually hated using tampons during these lower flow days as they would dry me out, and felt irritating.

• Doesn’t it get messy? What if I’m out and about?

  It gets a LOT less messy with practice. I can take my cup out without spilling anything, and check how many ml is there. You get there fairly quickly, it really gets easier with each cycle, as you figure out both the cup and your body. I change mine while sitting on the toilet. If it spills, no harm no foul. It goes straight to the toilet bowl, where it’s meant to go anyway. I always spill mine into the toilet, meaning there is very little blood to actually deal with when rinsing in the sink.

  If you are out – I tend to use the family restrooms (the ones with the toilet and sink all in one room). Very easy to deal with the whole thing if you have a sink nearby.

  If these rooms are not available, you can also just wipe it off with water wipes. So far I’ve never actually had to do that (with 3 years using a cup and a heavy flow). I do sometimes use a back up cloth pad to just not worry about it. If this is a consistent problem, you could always use the cup when at home, or after the flow lightens. It really doesn’t have to be an all or nothing. The cup will last 5 years, meaning it’s financially worth it, even if used part time.
• How do I wash it and keep it clean?
  Washing the cup is very easy. Just give it a wash with warm water and a mild fragrance free soap. You can fill the cup with water, completely cover it with your palm, turn it upside down and squeeze. This forces water through the suction holes.
   You can use a soft bristle toothbrush if you like (do this every 12 hours, not every time you need to empty it)
  Washing it really takes only 30-60 seconds. It’s not a difficult process.
  When you empty it just rinse it out, use mild soap if you wish
  The cup needs to be sterilized only at the begging and end of your period. To sterilize simply submerge in boiling water for 5 min
  Always wash your hands prior to removing the cup.

The messy part was something I struggled with. The first time I pulled it out, it exploded on the bathroom floor. Danny, my two year old was there when it happened. He got his education on menstruation a lot earlier than the other two. Ha! Almost everything about using a menstrual cup takes practice and patience and I would definitely advise you watch a few YouTube videos too before starting. Nicole is also available for any questions should you chose to purchase your menstrual cup from Eco Fluff.

On with the makeup remover pads, which I absolutely love. I thought it would take some time to get used to them having used cotton pads for years but that wasn’t the case. The first couple of times I tried them, I would immediately wipe my face with a cotton pad to check and see if it was in fact clean. It was. Normally I don’t wear much makeup but on the occasions that I do due to work and photo shoots etc, the bamboo pads did their job beautifully. Any cons? Yes! There were times when I forgot to put them in the wash and had to use cotton pads.

We also got to try a cloth nappy, a training one for Danny who, as I mentioned before, is two and a half years old and already showing a keen interest in going to the toilet. I think it’s due to being so close in age to my second baby boy, James, who is four and a half. As I write this, he is almost completely nappy-free during the day, so I tried this Eco Fluff one at bedtime. We’re on night 5 right now and no leakage or complaints. There are tons of options and designs to chose from such as All-in-Ones, with layers of hemp and microfibre and stay-dry suede cloths and the newborn range that comes without the snap buttons.

Other products from Eco Fluff’s impressive planet-friendly range that I tried and loved were these bamboo wipes or napkins or wash cloths. Seriously, you can use them for anything and they are so ridiculously soft. I haven’t been able to completely replace the wet wipes I currently survive on with three kids but I have used them on the little ones’ bums and they do an impressive job of cleaning up a big mess. I also use some on my face -not the ones I use on their bums, obviously – and have not had any issues with my skin, despite it being super sensitive.

Last but not least, this wet bag! To be honest, I’m on baby number three and have never used a wet bag before but then again I have never used one-use nappy sacks either. Just a plastic bag. But you can see where they would be handy and how a wet bag could make a precious gift for a first time mama. And let’s not forget those beach trips or the extra clothes bag they need at kindergarten or preschool. Like with most of the products on this website, there are so many colour options available which means that if you don’t want to ever use it as a wet bag, it makes an extremely stylish pouch.

——————-

Eco Fluff is offering Georgie’s Mummy readers a special 10% discount on all products when you use the code MUMSGOGREEN / Terms and conditions: One use per customer and valid from November 27 until December 27 2020.

Find Eco Fluff on Facebook 

www.ecofluff.eu

—————-

This post is sponsored by Eco Fluff, a small local female-led company I fully support.