The true cost of your period

Your period might be part of your monthly routine, but do you ever pause to consider the cost? What you’re spending month on month, year after year? Studies show that the average woman spends up to £5000 on period products in their lifetime*, which is around £10 a month. But our periods are as unique as our bodies. Want to find out your total? Our period calculator has it covered.

Calculate the cost of your period

Estimate the cost of your period with the calculator below.

Find your period cost now!

(*Calculations are based on the average woman having approximately 500 periods in her life, using 22 tampons or towels each cycle, and beginning or going through menopause at 51.)

The extra (often hidden!) costs

In addition to the price tag on your box of tampons, there are all the extra (and often not spoken about) costs involved every month. Things like, the cost of:

– Throwing away ruined underwear and clothes

– Doubling up on period products e.g., wearing tampons and pads

– Extra loads of washing (clothes, sheets etc.) due to leakage

– Missing work. Studies have shown that 1 in 10 women cannot pursue day-to-day activities (like work) due to period symptoms like cramps and fatigue.

– Period pain relief, like paracetamol.

The cost to the planet

If you want to make sustainable and more conscious shopping choices, then the stats around period products may shock you. Disposable period pads contain up to 90% plastic (1), which is as much as 4 plastic bags! Considering the average woman uses 10,000 disposable period products in her lifetime (2,3), it’s no surprise that they are the fifth most common (4) single-use plastic item found on Europe’s beaches. More common than plastic bags and straws!

While that makes for hard reading, new and innovative period products are trying to solve not only the environmental impact but also reduce the spending cost too.

Reusables & how to save

Reusable period products, from period pants to menstrual cups, are changing the game. Not only do they give women more choice, they contribute to a more sustainable supply of period products (waaaaay less plastic!) and are also more cost effective over time. With studies showing that around 60% of women have had to put an item back on the shelf to afford period products (5), we wanted to share more ways you can reduce the cost of your period.

Period pants

A more sustainable and comfy alternative to your usual suspects (we’re looking at you pads and tampons), period pants deserve a spot in your underwear drawer. Luna period pants include a three-layer, anti-odour, and waterproof gusset designed to draw moisture away from the body to keep you feeling dry and comfortable during your period. The pants hold up to three (regular) tampons-worth of liquid which helps to prevent awkward leaks and ruined bedsheets! These organic, stretch cotton pants are machine washable so can be used month after month making the cost-per-wear super budget-friendly!

Luna DNR Superdrug Luna Period Bikini Pants - Medium £1.20

Luna Superdrug Luna Period Bikini Pants - Small £1.20

Luna DNR Superdrug Luna Period Bikini Pants - Large £1.20

Luna DNR Superdrug Luna Period Bikini Pants - Extra Large £1.20

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Menstrual cups

Want an alternative to tampons and pads? Menstrual cups are reusable (they last for years!) and can be used day and night. Our Luna menstrual cup is made from 100% soft medical grade silicone for comfort and flexibility and holds three times as much as a tampon. With no string, it’s super discreet and can be worn whatever your plans, whether you’re swimming, at the gym, or on a plane. Unlike tampons, it collects, rather than absorbs your menstrual fluid, meaning it won’t wreak havoc on your vagina’s delicate pH.

Luna Superdrug Luna Menstrual Cup – Medium £9.99

Luna Superdrug Luna Menstrual Cup – Small £9.99

Own-brand products

If you want to use tampons and pads, have you checked out our own-brand period products? At Superdrug, we design and create health and beauty products that are reliable and affordable, meaning your usual go-tos come in at a fraction of the cost, when compared to other, well-known brands. Instead of opting for single-use applicator Luna tampons, you can also reduce your plastic waste by investing in a reusable applicator, like this one from TOTM:

Luna Superdrug Luna Super Non-Applicator Tampons x16 £3.99

TOTM Reusable Applicator Set £0.49

Tips for using reusable period products

Want to change your monthly routine? If you’re new to reusables here’s how you can get started:

– Try them out in the comfort of your own home to begin with. It can be tricky knowing if you have a ‘light’ or ‘heavy’ flow, so give them a try at home before using them out and about for a better understanding of how they work for you and your body.

– Start with one. Before investing in several menstrual cups and pairs of period pants, add one to your usual monthly routine to see how you go before stocking up.

– Not in love? Get your money back. We want to empower women to choose products that work for them and their lifestyle, which is why we offer a 100% money back guarantee on all our Own Brand products so you can test them out with ultimate peace of mind.

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(1) Reusable period pads and sustainability | ActionAid UK

(2) Single-use plastic in period products | Feature | RSC Education

(3) The people fighting pollution with plastic-free periods – BBC News

(4) The top 10 single-use plastic items found on seashores – City to Sea

(5) Cost of living: 12% of British women are affected by period poverty | ActionAid UK

About Elena Chow
Copywriter

Elena is a creative copywriter who’s been around the beauty block for more than a decade, writing for brands and glossy magazines. A self-proclaimed fragrance addict (her ‘open’ collection is at 14 bottles, but who’s counting?) with a try-anything-once approach to skincare, it’s no wonder she loves penning pieces on our newest releases and must-try hacks.