How We Created the Best Menstrual Cup for Beginners
We created a menstrual cup that over 25,000 people use every month. Most of those people had never used a cup before trying the Viv Cup. So how'd we do it? How did we create a menstrual cup that's actually beginner friendly?
Before starting Viv, none of our founding team were menstrual cup users. Like many of you, they seemed intimidating, despite being the most sustainable and cost effective period care option. So when our community called for us to create a menstrual cup, we had a lot to learn.
Being cup beginners ourselves worked to our advantage. As people who talked about periods all day long, we asked ourselves what was holding us back from using cups, and what could we do to eliminate some of those worries with our own design?
The Ring Stem
Our first improvement focused on the removal process. One of the most common pieces of feedback we heard was the fear of the cup getting stuck, or not being able to remove it. Most cups have a small stick stem or a nub which is not fun to search & reach for - nevermind using it to comfortably glide the cup out of your body! Stick stems call for mess & discomfort. No thanks!
We designed the Viv Cup with a ring stem that makes the removal process way easier. Loop a finger through the ring to stabilize the cup and guide it out of your body (keep in mind: you still have to break the suction seal to remove the cup, don't just tug on the ring!!) Mess-free and comfortable!
Soft & Comfortable
Many cups are really firm and can feel uncomfortable even when you insert them correctly. We made the Viv Cup out of ultra-soft and flexible 100% medical-grade silicone. It's softer than other cups, making it easy to fold for insertion, and comfortable when sitting inside. You won't be able to feel the Viv Cup at all when it's in the right place!
No Staining Over Time
The dark color of the Viv Cup is intentional. You might see other cups that are clear, or even in bright colors, but the Viv Cup was created to actually work, and that means thinking about your cup a year from now, or even 5 years from now. Menstrual cups can stain over time, even if they're completely clean (think: tupperware that you just can't seem to get the stains out of). Even though they're technically clean, visible staining definitely causes some mental blocks that would deter me from using the cup. The dark color reduces staining, which means it will last years and years and you'll be just as excited to use it as you were on day 1!
The Viv Cup Starter Kit
No matter how much we improved the actual design of the menstrual cup, the hardest part about using a cup for the first time is getting over the nerves and learning how to actually use it. Not all of use have a friend or family member who is a menstrual cup expert who can guide us through the process! That's why we created that friend for you. The Viv Cup Starter Kit comes with everything you need if you've never used a cup before, including a beginner's guide that you can read through or watch videos of! Our goal is to be the welcoming, calm, and educational source that we all needed before using a cup for the first time. Using any new period product can be a little intimidating, but we're here to make it no big deal!
Have more questions about using a menstrual cup for the first time? Check out our Learning Center and hear from us - the new menstrual cup experts!
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