I tackle the topic of reusable sanitary products with my honest review of ModiBodi’s eco-friendly and leak-proof period underwear.
I’m sure we all aren’t huge fans of ‘that time of the month’. I give it a few names, “Aunt Flo” has come to visit, or if I am in a mood, it’s “Shark Week”. I am loving how we are all trying our best to become eco-friendly and reduce land waste – but have you considered taking it a step further by using less pads and tampons? How you ask? There is a new option! Read my very honest and very candid review on the new period underwear range.
I recently received some underwear samples from ModiBodi who wanted me to try out this special underwear designed specifically for that time of the month that all women have to deal with. As I’ve aged, when ‘Aunt Flo’ visits, my body has reacted to it differently to my younger days, and now they are more painful and heavier. That’s why I can honestly tell you that when I got these undies in the mail, I thought eew gross!!! But I tried them and I’m so glad I did as I was pleasantly surprised. If you’re giggling at me right now, I don’t blame you because this is not the usual kind of thing I write about, but I’m so impressed with them, that I bought some for my teen girls to use too.
Disclosure: Please note this post shows photos of ladies in their underwear, all images from Modibodi and no…. I have not shared a photo of me wearing them, so you won’t get a shock lol. Also, this is not a sponsored post, although I do receive a small commission if you do decide to purchase some using this link.
THAT SCARY WORD PERIOD
I was so reluctant about these pants and thought it was really gross to try them out for myself, but in the name of giving everything a go and wanting to give you my thoughts about them, I got over my inner thoughts, and… I actually really like them for the lighter days at the beginning and end of my cycle. I’m not game enough to use them when I’m at my heaviest cycle time, as I think it’s more of a mental thought thing, rather than them not working, but I am definitely happy with how they have worked for me so far. They come in four different kinds of linings too which include:
1. THE PERIOD AND PEE-FREE FRIENDLY ONE – for modern periods with heavy discharge and bladder leaks
Made super-slim – only 3mm thick – hard to believe their Modifier Air Technology holds up to 20ml or 2 tampons worth.
- Top Layer – quickly wicks away moisture, fights bacteria and stops smells, so you stay dry and fresh.
- Middle Layer – safely absorbs fluid and locks it away (2.5-20mls depending on the flow).
- Bottom Layer – is extra waterproof protection, so you’re super secure.
2. PERSPIRATION AND PONG PROOF ONE – for getting hot and gloriously sweaty and never smelly LOL
Made for hard workouts and hot days. The lining has Modifier Air Technology in combination with breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics, so you stay cool and dry.
- Moisture-Wicking Layer draws sweat and discharge away from the source and fights bacteria to keep you fresh.
3. THE PERIOD AND PEE-FRIENDLY FOR THE BEACH OR POOl – for dips in the pool & laying in the sand
Has Modifier Swim Technology and dries fast and can hold up to 10ml or 1 tampons worth.
- Top Layer – fights bacteria and stops smells.
- Bottom Layer – is extra waterproof protected, with water repellant fabric which dries 3 times faster than any other swimmers.
4. FOR LEAKY BOOBS, HUNGRY BUBBIS AND SOCIAL MUMMIS – for feeding hungry bubs & leaky boobs
Has Modifier Technology and can hold up to 10ml, which is 2 teaspoons per breast cup.
- Top Layer – quickly wicks away moisture, fights bacteria and stops smells.
- Middle Layer – safely absorbs fluid and locks it away.
- Bottom Layer – extra waterproof protection.
As you can see, they’re actually quite pretty undies. They definitely look different to what I was expecting when I opened them, even the ones for the breastfeeding mums look quite complimenting. Nice work ModiBodi.
They come in a range of different styles to suit any size.
My preference is the Classic Bikini. I find it super comfortable, and it doesn’t ride up.
HOW TO CLEAN THE PERIOD UNDERWEAR?
I clean mine in the shower, as I take them off and let them run over the drain with the cool shower water rinsing it. I then wring it out and put into my regular wash. They are bleach free too because every smell and leak is fully absorbed into them and then washed out. Use a cold wash on them and they come out good as new.
Quick Tips from Modibodi:
- Hang your maternity singlet from the bra straps to avoid stretching the fabric
- Use a laundry bag to wash your Modibodi garments. Natural fibres wash well, but don’t like zippers!
- No fabric softeners and strong detergents eg. stain removers! It breaks down the hi-tech function of the garments and also reduces the durability of the fabrics and trims, so they won’t last as long.
- Once dry, store your Modibodi garments in a dry laundry bag for extra protection (just like your winter jumpers) – as they are made from natural fibres such as wool, little nasty bugs such as silverfish do like to take a bite!
For more information on how to care for the garments, head over to the Modibodi Blog.
CHECK OUT: the ModiBodi Range here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE PERIOD UNDIES
When I shared with my friends that I have tried these undies, they asked me a few questions as they were really curious and I’ve researched the Modibodi site for some of the answers too:
Does it feel like your wearing a nappy? No. Although the crotch does have extra padding, I’ve never felt uncomfortable.
Do I need to wear a pad or tampon when I wear them? Depending on your flow, Modibodi underwear can be a total replacement for disposable feminine hygiene products (panty liners, pads, tampons) OR can work in conjunction with them. It’s all about knowing your flow, and which absorbency level suits you best. On my lighter days I don’t wear anything extra.
Would these be good for teens? Yes. Unfortunately, I have heard stories of poor girls sitting at school and must have experienced some overflow with regular undies and it’s leaked through to their uniform. The ModiBodi underwear’s moisture wicking, absorbent, stain and odour resistant technology is an amazing back up to ensure they’ll never have to fear a period leak. And… it’s hard for girls even us as adults to predict exactly when our periods will arrive, you could wear the underwear as a failsafe way to avoid the most humiliating of circumstances.
Are they good for light bladder leaks? Yes! They are breathable, odour resistant, super absorbent, leak proof , stain resistant, and wick moisture away from your skin so you feel dry and fresh all day.
I sweat a lot, could these help? Yes! All of ModiBodi’s products are great for sweat but in particular, the Modifier Air range were made for perspiration relief only. They are antibacterial, odour resistant and the top layer is moisture wicking moving sweat away from your skin, so you can feel dry and fresh no matter how hot it gets.
44 comments
I have been using Modibodi for two or so years. Relatively happy. Most of my purchases have lasted. I think one order was a bad batch. I use them for the gym incase of accidents. (They really need a gym range.) And for that they are great. However I need to wash or soak them asap, after use. Otherwise I find the odour does not completely wash out. I know the instructions about not using strong detergents etc… however I find the new Radiant Sports wash or Canisten like products work a treat if I soak 15-30 min before a wash.
Try keeping a bucket of just water and popping them in there to “soak” while waiting for a load of washing (with a decent lid if you have littlies!). I change the water daily. I also leave mine drying in the sun for a little longer. It helps with odour. I used to do this with cloth nappies too when my babies were babies.
I wish these were around when I was a teen! I remember giving my friend my sweater to tie around her waist and cleaning up the mess on her seat at school for her so she could go home. Luckily it was science class, so I don’t think anyone noticed the blood on the seat for what it was… at least there weren’t any comments about it.
I’ve been using ModiBodi for months and love them. I use their moisture wicking ones almost everyday as I tend to run hot and sweat a lot, and I’ve found their period underwear get me through my whole period these days without the need for anything else.
How often do you need to change them? For example if can you pull them straight back up after using the toilet, or do you need to put on a new pair?
I wear mine for about 8 hours and treat them like normal knickers, no need to change after toilet. It depends on the flow as to how often you’ll change them
I’ve been trying them for a few months now and they haven’t worked for me during the heavy time of the month. I was game enough enough to try it and even with using the heaviest absorbency ones, it only lasted a few hours before it stated to soak through to my jeans (yes, gross!) . I will only wear them now during the lighter days. I’ve also started to try using a mensural cup for the heaviest days – still trying to get the hang of that so period pants do come in handy as a back up for those days.
I loved the period cups! (Iv had a hysterectomy so dont use them anymore) I had a really heavy flow like you and I used to have to wear pads and tampons as I used to leak a lot. But the cups were my saving grace. At night I felt safe instead of having to get up every 2 hrs to change. Hope they get better for you too
I have been using these for about 6 months and I love them! They come in a variety of colours and styles which is great but also different absorbencies. The light ones are great to wear with a tampon or on lighter days. I took the leap and tried the heavy on my heaviest day and was super impressed. No leakage, no smell, no wetness feeling and they last all day.
I rinse them in cold water usually in the bath then throw them in the wash. Easy peasy. I have even forgotten to rinse and done it later and that was fine too.
I’d recommend them to anyone and I think they are an awesome product for young teens too. A big thumbs up from me!
I bought a pair about 7 months ago to try. I bought one for heavy flow and gave really liked it. I have reached perimenopause and my flow is often very heavy. I’ve found it great on those days. They are really great for night time too. I will often wear them on hot days when I need to travel into the city to keep me fresh even when I don’t have my period.
I love that they are better for the environment too. Each disposable pad that you use has the same environmental effect as three grocery bags!
I can’t wait to buy more.
Hi. I have tried the just water soak. Whether it be 1/2hr or over night time wise. Not enough for odour to go away, which is why I try the Sports wash. I just must be special in my flora 😉
I had some odour on mine. I gave them a quick soak in white vinegar, then washed as normal. Good as new now.
Good tip! Thanks Samantha
I have to be honest, at first I thought the idea of these were gross. I thought it was lazy and disgusting for grown women to use …….BUT, having read this review, I am actually going to purchase some and try them out. I didn’t consider them as being an environmental option and now I realise this is perfect really and if used in combination with a menstrual cup-even better!
I absolutely hate spending money on pads and tampons and knowing these aren’t a healthy option for the earth and then leaking is always in the back of your mind as well.
Thank you for the review, you may just have converted me!
Lol, I used to use “Period pants” in the 70s they just had a plastic gusset and two elastic loops to put your pads on! I still have my pads belt from the 60’s my kids thought it was hilarious I am now 60 years old so no use for anything.
I used those belts and panties, too. I have no use for these either but I was very excited to see what is available now. Thanks for the review.
I’ve been using modibody undies for a few years now! I love them, best thing ever, my have lasted, and they work really well for me! And fabulous for the environment! Winning all round! Comfortable too!
My 15 year old daughter loves them. She uses tampons when swimming though. She has what I would describe as a moderately heavy flow and since buying these about a year and a half ago we have had no blood on sheets overnight. She happily wears them to school too. I have not noticed any odour.
This is the first I’ve heard of anything like this! Sounds very impressive! Thank you for making a review! I am definitely going to try these out!
Think I may give these a go. Thank you for the reviews, i love the honesty!
I have used Modibody overnight knickers for about a year and can only use them at the beginning and the end. I tried on my heavy days and unfortunately had a very embarrassing leak. It’s too hard to try and change them when you are out. Highly recommend trying them on a weekend and not a work!
I have been wearing them for a couple of years and have converted to wearing them as regular undies all month round. By doing this, they have totally cured my cyclical yeast infections (for which I had tried *everything*).
Some people say they are suitable for “heavy” flow, but perhaps they don’t know what “heavy” is yet… Perimenopause really opens the eyes! 😮 For my heavy days they last about half the day before getting quite soggy, gross and leaky. I really don’t like them as a standalone for this time, but they make the perfect backup to a tampon, pad or cup. They are also great for lighter days, for wearing to the gym either for bladder leakage or during your period (they don’t show through leggings) and for night time (you never have to worry about leaking on to your sheets again).
All great advice B! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback on this product.
I know this is an old post, but I couldn’t help noticing women saying their periods are getting heavier with age (assuming that’s over about 40) or with perimenopause – they’re supposed to get lighter – get thee to a doctor for a checkup! It’s often a sign of something wrong – particularly pre-cancer cells. Particularly, if your perimenopause leads to menopause, then you seemingly start periods again – don’t ignore it, and don’t let your doctor do so – demand a referral to a gynecologist. I speak from experience. I’m only alive because my doc finally paid attention to my complaints about periods restarting and getting worse and worse after the 3rd time i’d mentioned it!
Thank you for sharing this story with us Lee. It’s certainly a very important message, and I agree that all women should listen to their bodies and take changes like this seriously. Thank you again, Kat x
Hi Kat, I so very much wish these were around earlier. I too remember the plastic pants with elastic to hold the pad in place. Due to chemo my body went early into menopause but I still have ‘leaks’ at times. I purchased modibody underwear and I really love them as I don’t need to wear panty liners now.
I also purchased the swim bikini pants for my 14 year old as she does squad swimming and we felt she was too young to start wearing tampons. She wears the bikini swim pants under her knee length swimmers when she has her period so now there are no interrupted squad sessions.
They do now have a running short available to purchase for active sporty women/girls.
Thanks for sharing this post Kat. Appreciate all your wisdom. Cathy 🙂
Cathy I am so happy to hear that you’ve discovered Modibodi too! I love that your daughter is able to use them for her swim squad too. They are a fabulous product.
So are there pads in them that you need to replace, or does everything get washed (pads etc) along with the knickers? Sorry, dont quite grasp the concept…
Lee they are an all-in-one design, so you simply rinse and wash your undies after each use. I often give mine a wash in the shower and then pop them in a small bucket to soak until I’m ready to put them in the washing machine. You could also hand wash them. Hope this helps, Kat x
Hello all,
Great to read this super useful review and comments! I’ve just bought my first two Modibodis and am quite happy so far. They really do feel comfortable and soft.
One doubt, though: has anyone had trouble with drying their Modibodis? After I wash mine, I hang them out to dry. But they seem to take ages! I have two, so I thought of wearing one during the day and one at night. But I might need a third or fourth while the other two are still drying! Any advice?
I did notice most recently they seemed to take over a day to feel properly dry! I have 2 heavy and 1 moderate but will be buying more.
I originally bought them due to a weak pelvic floor and exercising would require me to need to the use the bathroom up to 3 times!! But now also using them for periods and what a game changer!
I bought 2 pairs to start with and then bought more once I was happy with them, so i now have 6 pairs. I wash each morning during my cycle and hang them in the sun to dry during the day. I usually use 2 or 3 on a heavy day so they are usually completely dry by the afternoon, but if it’s raining and I leave them inside to dry they are ready by the following morning.
I have also recently started taking tablets prescribed by my doctor to reduce my flow (due to ongoing low iron issues), so like a previous comment I encourage everyone to talk to their doctor if flow is an issue as there may be underlying issues that can be addressed. Before the tablets I was needing to change my modibodis every few hours on my heavy days.
Alexandra I would recommend a third pair if you’re wearing them at night too. They do often take a day to try (depending on the weather). Glad you like them though – they are super soft aren’t they?
Kat, thank you for your honest review. I had seen these advertised but had assumed they were only for those with very light periods. Although I liked the concept, I had also doubted whether they really worked. Based on your review, I will definitely give them a go!
I highly recommend them Julie!
Hi Kat, just thought you might like a giggle! I read period underwear and I thought “I’ll have a look at underwear from by gone era. I thought “vintage underwear”, not period underwear.! Cheers, have a good one.
Haha! This did give me a good giggle – thank you!
It’s so sad that our cultural societal response to menstruation is ‘eww, gross’ as shown in your review and some of the responses. We really need to challenge this opinion that most of us hold within ourselves – how can we help our daughters not to be ashamed and embarrassed about a normal, healthy part of being a woman if we hold that view?
I’ve been using Mooncups for years, to help deal with my extremely heavy flow, and love the idea of these new pants – I have a different brand that I picked up to try and have been really impressed, I just wish more brands came in a larger range of sizes 🙂
Obviously, the environmental angle is a huge bonus as well, so a win all round. Now we just need to embrace our natural bodily functions! 🙂
I agree with you Adele. I love reading all these comments from women who are offering up their experiences to help out other women – it’s the way it should be. Kat x
Adele, I’m so glad that reading all the comments I stumbled upon yours. ? I was saddened to see that the article and lots of comments were showing this attitude of hating/being ashamed of our monthly bleed. It’s woman’s body’s amazing intelligent ability to clean, regenerate and restart itself. We really should try and shift this global negative outlook towards menstruation. Also, when using more healthy options to manage the bleed, usually also pain and discomfort gets minimised.
I’ve been using period cup for few years now and find it really changed the way my bleed days were. I lovethem and never want to go back to toxic tampons. It’s better for the body and the planet.
Now this is the first period that I’m trying out reusable period underwear and wanted to research how other women find it ( that’s how I ended up here ? ) Now I use Pelvi ones, but I also find that hangdrying it indoors takes nearly 2days. So will definitely need more than 2 panties. Other than that they feel comfy and absorb well. On 2nd/3rd day I will probably use them in conjunction with the cup, because it seems that they won’t handle heavier bleed without leaking through seams.
Thank you for bringing this up and doing the review. All the best! ??
I have just bought 4 pairs to try, after my 4 girls have bought them and said they would be good for me I am a bit past the period side of life, but the pee side of life has arrived, busting for a pee whilst juggling the keys in the front door,is now not a problem these have saved me a few times already, so I have bought 2 full brief, 1 boyleg, and 1 bikini, yet to try the bikini but so far so good, very happy with them, very comfortable, and yes it does wick away moisture and odour I wish I had discovered them a few years ago.
So happy to hear that you love them too Sarah. I LOVE my Modibodis! Kat x
Are the cups easy to use. I’m scared to try it
Rach I haven’t used them personally (I like the undies!) but a few friends of mine use the cups and swear by them. Good luck!