- Functionality: 17/20
- Value: 20/20
- Quality: 20/20
- Aesthetics: 20/20
- Ease of Use: 17/20
TOTAL: 94/100
I’ll never forget the time I asked my co-worker for a tampon. “No problem!” She yelped sweetly. She then proceeded to reach into her bag and pull out an OB tampon the size of a thimble—no exaggeration. Without an applicator in sight, she handed me the tiny cotton cylinder. “Thanks!” I chirped back, knowing full well there was no way this thing was going to handle the situation I had happening in my Hanes Her Way (iconic period underwear, but that’s a story for a different day.)
I did a little research on having a heavy flow. During my sleuthing I realized that we’re all kind of curious about what’s normal. I mean, you never know for sure what your friends’ flows are like. One woman’s heavy flow might be another woman’s light day. I turned to science (Google) for the data. Turns out, losing more than 80 mL of menstrual fluid per period is considered heavy menstrual bleeding. While I am not exactly interested in finding a beaker tube to catch and measure my monthly flow, I honestly just *know* my period isn’t a light one. When you know, you kind of just do. So when I heard that Thinx had put out Sleep Shorts, I thought, let’s get ready to rumble as I blasted Jock Jams from my phone to place an order.
When the sleep shorts arrived, I was excited. I specifically chose the heather grey options to really put these bad boys to the test. Right away, I put them on. Why? I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t even have my period! But I was so curious about how they would feel. They were surprisingly cozy and so cute on me. High waisted, not too short, not too long and soft as heck with a built-in underwear made of absorbent fabric. They’re like the perfect cozy PJ shorts with a pair of Thinx sewn inside. The tag said they were high absorbency and could replace five tampons. I awaited my period with glee (first time for everything.)
When my period finally showed up, I used a pad (my preferred feminine product) all day until evening fell and it was time to put them to the test. I dozed off to sleep and awoke to a fully absorbed pair of underwear with no leaks whatsoever. I was shocked, amazed and also kind of annoyed that I didn’t have another pair handy. The not so great thing is that once these shorts are full, you gotta wash them and hang them dry, and the super absorbent material takes a really long time to dry.
As a New Yorker, I don’t have a washing machine, so I was stuck hand washing them (what am I, Amish!?) It was first thing in the morning, and I couldn’t just leave them in my hamper filled with menstrual blood, waiting for the next time to get to the laundromat. Every single aspect about this annoyed me. I used the bathtub to hand wash them until the water ran clear. It wasn’t the end of the world, just not my favorite morning activity. Although I will say it kind of brought me closer in touch with my actual cycle. It was kind of like being forced to chill with it rather than simply flush it down the toilet as per usual. Nature IS healing, turns out.
My first instinct is to say that yes—they really work. However, it becomes evident quickly that you will need to buy more than one pair. Maybe even four or five. They absorbed so well that it did make me want to buy a bunch of the classic Thinx underwear for daytime use. However, if the feeling of free bleeding isn’t for you, you might not dig these. Some people like to swap out their tampon or pad often, and these are simply not for those people.
I was amazed by how well they worked while simultaneously confused about how well they worked. It’s kind of like magic. If you’re someone who has an unpredictable cycle, these would be absolutely perfect to wear to bed during the week of your cycle. They come in sizes XS to 4XL. I got the medium, as a size 6, and they fit pretty well. Overall, I would recommend these to people who would be cool with purchasing a few pairs and maybe even a washing machine if you don’t have one already.