This New Underwear from Hanes Changed My Mind About Period Panties

Good riddance to the days when sneaking a tampon to the bathroom was a covert mission. Today, periods are cool. In fact, there’s a whole wellness trend about it, including a potpourri of products, practices and learnings.

And I’ve been all for it. That is, except for the period panties part.

See, like that character in Mean Girls, I too have a heavy flow. I always have, even more so since experiencing postpartum. So, when it comes to my period I’ve always thought—there’s no way I’m trusting a little pair of undies to get me through the day, no matter how many women rave about it. Don’t get me wrong, the product sounds great. It just never seemed like the right fit for me. That is, until I actually gave them a shot. I tested the new Hanes Women’s Comfort, Period.™ panties for a week and here’s why I’m officially on board.

Full transparency, I wasn’t brave enough to use them on my heaviest days (I was traveling while testing and frankly it wasn’t worth the risk). However, on the subsequent days I did sport them—on my moderate to light days—I was pleasantly surprised by how fresh I felt.

Here’s how they work: Just like tampons and pads, period underwear works by absorbing menstrual blood. A breathable top layer wicks away moisture and keeps you dry. A leak-resistant bottom layer forms a force field and keeps your clothes dry. And a layer somewhere in the middle absorbs liquid and banishes odor.

They look just like your fave briefs, but they’re made from super-absorbent fabric to keep you feeling dry and leak-free. They’re intended to be used on their own, but if your flow is super heavy like mine, they work as additional protection to whatever methods you were using before. During moderate days, I wore them with a tampon, but then I dared to try them on their own during my lighter phase. It felt like a big risk for me, but—surprise, surprise—they totally worked. And shoutout to all postpartum women: These are perfect for those first few weeks home from the hospital. In fact, I wish I had them then.

I opted for the boyshort at night and the bikini during the day (in black, always black). The boyshorts do add more bulk, but that didn’t bother me for sleeping. While the bikinis have some slight padding, it felt like more reassurance rather than a hinderance. They’re also discreet when worn under jeans, shorts or dresses. (Trust me, I had a close friend check.)

All of Hanes’ Comfort, Period. underwear is machine washable and reusable. For what it’s worth, mine have managed to survive a few wash and dry cycles just fine. They also come with the integrity of Hanes cotton, so you know they’ll last.

Not all period underwear is created equal and the last thing we want is a pair that underperforms. But we also don’t want one that cost six times our coffee order for one measly pair. Thankfully, Hanes offers style packs in sets of three all under $20—making it kind of a no-brainer, even if you just want to test for your own “mindful menstruation” toolkit. The brand also informed me that they’ll be coming out with a Heavy version soon. And to that I say, the more period power to ya.