Feminine hygiene gets a makeover
For decades, feminine protection has been dominated by pads and tampons from CPG giants. While products have seen many improvements over the years, there has been a dearth of new items to grab women’s attention–until now.
Driven by social media, health concerns and more open conversations about anything vaginal, feminine protection (and hygiene) is experiencing significant growth in “alternative” items. Alternatives include menstrual underwear, cups and discs as well as natural/organic and sustainable products.
According to Mintel, total U.S. period care sales totaled $4.2 billion in 2022. While still a small part of the market, alternatives are outpacing category growth, with sales increasing 32% in 2022, Nielsen said; total category growth was 8.8%. Much of the latter stemmed from inflation. Historically, the segment has been rather static.
In addition to health aspects, alternatives can be more effective, convenient and economical. Many are from small, innovative companies that have emerged over the past five to 10 years. Others are from traditional big brands that want a piece of the action. Target, Walmart and CVS were first to market with alternatives
“Feminine care is night and day compared to 10 years ago,” said Beatrice Dixon, CEO, co-founder and chief innovation officer at The Honey Pot Co. “There hasn’t been innovation for 50, 60 years.”
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Alternatives give shoppers a cavalcade of brands and solutions. “Choices are amazing,” said Clare Morgan, CEO of New Zealand-based Organic Initiative Corp. “Before, there weren’t many choices. Women would buy the same products. Now, they’re even mixing and matching, using tampons or pads during the day and period underwear at night. There’s also increased awareness of what people put in their bodies.”
Teaching consumers about alternatives’ use and benefits via social media has been crucial to success. In addition to explaining products’ use, women can communicate somewhat anonymously about a traditionally uncomfortable subject “The topic of vaginas is normal conversation now,” said Dixon. “A few years ago, it wasn’t. We were part of making this easy conversation, helping to de-mystify things. Social media plays a huge part.”
Social media also lets brands and multiple consumers interact. “It’s today’s word of mouth,” said Concepcion Itchon, head of marketing, U.S. feminine care, Edgewell Personal Care. “Consumers have direct access to provide opinions visible to everyone.”
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Some women discovered alternatives when shopping online during the pandemic. “People didn’t go out and start experimenting more,” said Morgan. “Many other products weren’t available.” Alternatives also benefited from shortages of traditional items in 2022.
Newer players
Black-owned Honey Pot is among the most successful “alternatives” companies. Launched in 2014 with vaginal washes and wipes incorporating cruelty-free, plant-derived ingredients, it now offers about 80 washes, wipes, panty liners, menstrual cups, tampons, supplements, anti-itch cream and other products, said Dixon. Its new vaginal care probiotic supplement with urinary tract support contains four lacto strains, cranberry and pomegranate to manage unwanted bacteria. Last year, it introduced an anti-itch formulation containing aloe, Calendula and Pramoxine.
Another pioneer, Flex Fits Co., started in 2016. Its disposable Soft Disc disposable discs create 50% less waste than traditional protection, said Lauren Schulte Wong, founder/CEO. On average, women use eight per period versus 18 to 21 tampons. On the convenience end, discs can be worn for up to 12 hours, even during intercourse. Flex also makes reusable discs as well as cups. “You don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to change tampons,” she added.
Wong also believes education drives success. “When we launched, most people had ever heard of a menstrual disc,” said Schulte Wong. “Awareness is our biggest issue. We do lots of online advertising, which increases traffic among younger consumers.” Flex also uses social media influencers.
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Last year, Flex added a disposable, plant-based disc that is “more environmentally sustainable,” said Schulte Wong. Suggested retail price is $15.99 for a 12-pack versus $11.99 for Flex’s regular discs.
Saalt launched five years ago. Its reusable cups and discs (SRP $29) last 10 years, diverting 3,000 disposable tampons from landfills. Its period underwear (SRP about $32) employ post-consumer recycled water bottles and cotton. Benefits do not end there. “They’re more comfortable and there’s less cramping,” said Brendan Leach, sales director and a former P&G executive. “Nine out of 10 people who switch don’t go back to tampons. Alternatives have enacted the biggest change in the overall category.”
Discs were introduced in 2022. Cups and discs are made from medical grade silicone, leaving no residue. Tampons are made from rayon and cotton and can leave “little bits inside the body,” said Cherie Hoeger, co-founder and CEO. “The macro trend of clean beauty is hitting more `taboo’ areas like menstruation and incontinence. But it’s a bit of a learning curve.”
Saalt’s 30,000 Facebook members “speak to each other about how to use the cup,” she added. Saalt also stages YouTube promotions.
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Organic Initiative offers reusable cups as well as organic tampons and pads. Retailing for $30 to $40, Morgan said cups “pay for themselves” in five or six months. The company plans to add reusable, organic cotton menstrual underwear at an SRP of $30 to $40.
Heavy hitters go natural
Looking to reap the benefits of a growing subcategory with higher price points, most traditional feminine hygiene companies have either acquired alternative brands or launched proprietary products.
- Edgewell Personal Care, supplier of Playtex, o.b. and Stayfree, introduced Playtex Clean Comfort in 2022. Tampons are made from organic cotton and free from chlorine, dyes and fragrances. Applicator tips are plastic for comfort; the rest is cardboard. Boxes are made from recycled paper. “Macro trends of holistic well-being and sustainability underpin the category’s evolution,” said Itchon.
- In 2018, Procter & Gamble unveiled the reusable Tampax cup. In 2019, it acquired L, maker of organic cotton tampons, pads, liners and wipes. That year, it also introduced Tampax PURE and Always PURE. Also incorporating organic cotton, products contain no dyes, fragrances or chlorine bleach.
- In 2016, Unilever acquired Seventh Generation. The Vermont-based, all-natural brand offers cleaning products plus organic cotton tampons and chlorine-free, unscented pads and pantiliners.
- In March 2022, Kimberly-Clark Corp. purchased Thinx, supplier of reusable period and incontinence underwear. K-C also markets disposable Dreamwear Period Underwear under its U by Kotex brand.
Unscented itch relief
Established companies’ interest in natural ingredients goes beyond menstrual protection. Combe’s 50-year-old Vagisil brand recently unveiled Vagisil Itch Protect+ Wash. It contains Hyaluronic acid, a clear, gooey substance naturally produced by the body that promotes skin health and wound healing. The Ph-balanced wash also utilizes Lactoprebiotic, which helps beneficial vulval bacteria thrive, said Stacey Feldman, SVP of marketing. Other ingredients include soothing botanicals, shea butter and jojoba.
Vagisal is also meeting shoppers’ demands for unscented, hypoallergenic products with Unscented Daily Intimate Wash. It contains no dyes, parabens or phthalates. Feldman referenced IRI data, which cited 7% growth of unscented, fragrance-free products in 2022.
While young women reject many brands their mothers used, Feldman said 50-year-old Vagisal enjoys cross-generational popularity. “Vagisil’s double-digit growth across Gen Y, Millennials and Gen X is a testament to its continuing ability to deliver relevant, effective products. With intimate selfcare, women seek guidance from their mothers, aunties and confidantes.”
Experts expect alternatives to continue growing. But there are challenges: not all consumers understand the subcategory and some are deterred by its higher price tags—even though reusable products save money long term. “More people have heard of menstrual cups,” said Schulte Wong. “It’s still a fraction of the market. And price sensitivity remains a concern. We’re in the very early days.”
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Thriftier, more sustainable periods
- In the U.S., 20 billion menstrual products are disposed of annually.
- One woman uses over 11,000 single-use, disposable menstrual protection products during her reproductive years.
- It takes a tampon longer to disintegrate than the lifespan of the woman who wears it.
- Using a reusable menstrual cup or disc for 10 years can divert 3,000 disposable tampons from landfills.
- Women use an average of eight discs per period vs. 18 to 21 tampons.
- Menstrual cups can pay for themselves within five to six months.
Sources: Flex Fit Co., Saalt