Best Period Panties: Buying Guide for 2017
If you haven’t yet heard about menstrual underwear, girl… it’s time you knew! We’ve made a list of the best period panties and will tell you why you’ll fall in love with period proof underwear. In this period panties review and buying guide, we will help you pick the best period underwear for your cycle. Once you’ve read this post and tried a pair or two out for yourself, you will be a period panty convert. Trust us!
Don’t have time to read all my period panty reviews? The best menstrual panties overall are the Hesta Organic Cotton Period Panties. You can’t go wrong with a set of these if you want to get started using period proof panties to help manage your monthly flow. They are the best panties for periods because they affordable, comfortable and provide good leak protection. Click here to read more reviews and purchase.
What is Menstrual Underwear? What Does It Do?
What are period panties? Period panties are lined, leakproof panties that you wear on your period. You can use them in two ways – as back up leak proof underwear to your tampon or menstrual cup or as completely free bleeding underwear. It’s kind of like underwear with built in pad.
How do you use period panties? How to use period panties completely depends on your personal preference, your flow and your cycle length. For me personally, I like to wear them with a menstrual cup for days one and two of my period. One day three I wear my period undies with my cup during the day and by night I switch to just the sanitary panties overnight. On days four and five my period if light enough to do a free flow period and simply wear my reusable period panties overnight.
What makes period underwear leak proof? Menstrual panties are leak proof panties with pads that are strategically placed to absorb your menstrual fluid.
Can you wear period absorbing underwear alone? Yes, you can! On days where your flow isn’t super heavy, you can wear the period panties on their own. If you’re on days one or two of your period and you still want to do a free bleeding period then you can still wear leak proof period panties but you will need to change them a couple of times throughout the day.
Do period panties work? They do but it is a matter of knowing your flow and your product. Some leak proof underwear for periods is designed as a back up, think of them kind of as pad panties. Others can hold more fluid and can be worn alone most of the time.
Note: This is not a review of funny period panties with crazy images like the Harebrained ones. You can read our post on them later.
Best Period Panties 2017 at a Glance
Our period panties comparison chart will help you choose the best underwear for periods. For all these period panties Amazon is the best place to buy them, except for Thinx period panties which can only be purchased on their website. We’ve added a link to you can click through and check prices on all these panties for periods.
| Best Period Panties | Material | Pros | Cons | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thinx Period Panties | Cotton + elastane | Six styles - thong, cheeky, sport, boyshort, high waist & hiphugger Antimicrobial Very absorbent with full coverage and moisture wicking | Expensive!! | Check Prices |
 Hesta Organic Cotton Period Panties | Organic cotton + spandex | Affordable 3 pack Two colors - black & beige Full coverage liner from front to back Soft organic cotton | Beige pair not lined with black Slightly wide crotch | Check Prices |
 Dear Kate Underwear | Nylon, lycra, polyester + spandex | Three styles - thong, mini & full Super soft Comfortable, breathable fabric Moisture wicking and odor control | Expensive!! | Check Prices |
 Anigan EvaWear Period Panties | Nylon, cotton + spandex | Two styles - bikini & hipster Affordable Comes single or in a 2 pack Full coverage liner from front to back Soft, hypoallergenic material | Narrow crotch Sizing only up to XL | Check Prices |
 Period Panteez | Nylon, cotton + spandex | Boyshort style Shapewear effect 30 day money back guarantee Two colors - pink & white | Part coverage Best paired with a pad | Check Prices |
 Knixwear Knix Everyday Seamless Panties | Nylon, spandex + cotton | Four styles - Thong, bikini, boyshort & high rise Antimicrobial Moisture wicking Comfortable, breathable fabric Seamless cut | Light leak protection only | Check Prices |
 Simple Necessit-Ease Bff Period Undies | Cotton + spandex | Comfortable, breathable fabric Very affordable | Light leak protection only Front coverage could be higher | Check Prices |
 Yoyi Fashion Bamboo Leakproof Panties | Bamboo + spandex | Soft bamboo fabric Comfortable and breathable Very affordable | Part coverage at the front only Light leak protection | Check Prices |
Top 8 Period Panties – Review of Best Brands
Our period underwear reviews will help you choose the best underwear for your period. We’ve picked out the top 8 brands of women’s period panties. Read through theses period proof underwear reviews and work out the ideal pair for your cycle, flow and if you’d like to use them as back up menstrual cup or tampon underwear or if you would like to free flow menstruation. Either way, protective underwear for period blood is a game changer for us girls!
Thinx Period Panties
Thinx really set the gold standard when it comes to women’s leak proof underwear for periods. Not only have they made menstrual period panties mainstream, they also make a fantastic product. I have tried these out personally and have used them free flow or as a back up to my menstrual cup. They are great underwear for menstrual cycle use.
Thinx period pants are anti-microbial, moisture-wicking, absorbent, and leak-resistant. They don’t feel damp or diaper-ish. They’re super comfy and come in six different styles from thong all the way up to full waist.
However, there is one huge problem. The main downside with Thinx underwear is that they’re just so darn expensive! They range in price from $24 for a thong up to $39 for a pair of their period panties boyshorts. To buy a whole cycle of set would cost hundreds of dollars.
What we recommend is buying one or two pair of the heavy duty Thinx menstrual panties and using these for free bleeding or for nights on your heavy days. Then for your lighter days, sleeping during days 3+ of your cycle you can use a cheaper menstrual panty from the rest of the list below.
If you plan on using absorbent period underwear simply as back up to menstrual cups or tampons or for sleeping then you don’t need to spend the money on Thinx underwear.
You can get a $10 off coupon on your first pair by clicking here.
Hesta Organic Cotton Period Panties
- Material: 95% Global Organic Textile Standard Certified Cotton and 5% spandex
- Sizing: XS to 4XL
- Cut: Only one basic panty style
- Coverage: Full coverage front to back
- Colors: Available in beige and black
- Pack: Comes in a three pack
These are a great reusable period underwear. They are much more affordable than Thinx as you get three pairs in a pack for almost the same cost as one pair of Thinx. They do a great job of coping with a decent amount of menstrual fluid and can be wore solo on lighter days thanks to the full coverage that runs from front to back.
Check prices and read more reviews of the Hesta Organic Cotton Period Panties here.
Dear Kate Underwear
- Material: 76% Nylon & 24% Lycra (body) with 90% Micropolyester & 10% Spandex (lining)
- Sizing: XS to 3XL
- Cut: Full, mini and thong
- Coverage: Full coverage front and back
- Colors: Black with colored trim in several colours
- Pack: Single pair only
Dear Kate menstrual underwear is pretty darn good. The fabric on these menstrual panties is super comfortable and soft. The cut is great in all three different styles and women love them. They are very expensive however and are priced similarly to the Thinx panties.
When comparing Dear Kate vs Thinx underwear you’ll notice that they are pretty similar in price. While Dear Kate claim to be only as a back up, they are actually pretty good at leak control and can hold up a similar amount to the Thinx Sport or Cheeky.
Get prices on the Dear Kate Underwear for periods here.
Anigan EvaWear Period Panties
- Material: Nylon, cotton and spandex
- Sizing: S to XL
- Cut: Bikini or hipster style available
- Coverage: Full coverage front to back
- Colors: Available in black only
- Pack: One or two pack
Moisture wicking, absorbent and breathable period underpants. These are slightly narrower through the crotch so we would recommend them for lighter flow days or as backup women’s period underwear when using a menstrual cup or tampon. They’re tagless and hypoallergenic so great for people who are irritated by certain fabrics or sensitive to tags. A good option if you’re budget conscious and looking for affordable underwear for menstruation.
Right now they only go up to an XL but the manufacturer tells us they will be doing larger sizes soon.
Read more reviews of the Anigan EvaWear Period Panties or check prices to purchase.
Period Panteez
- Material: Nylon, cotton and spandex
- Sizing: XXS – XL
- Cut: Boyshort
- Coverage: Part coverage front to back
- Colors: Available in pink or white
- Pack: Singles pairs only
Read any Period Panteez reviews and you’ll see these are a popular choice for reusable menstrual underwear. These soft and very comfortable panties for menstruation can be used with pads, tampons or a cup on heavier days and solo on lighter days.The Boyshort style has a light shapewear effect. This helps keep a pad in place if you’re wearing them with a pad if you are wearing one on a heavy day. They are said to help with cramps and bloating. Made in the USA and have a 30 day moneyback guarantee.
Click here to read more reviews or check prices on the Period Panteez.
Knixwear Knix Everyday Seamless Panties
- Material: 65% Nylon and 35% Spandex with a cotton gusset
- Sizing: S to XXL
- Cut: Thong, bikini, boyshort and high rise
- Coverage: Part coverage front to back
- Colors: Available in black or beige
- Pack: Singles pairs only
The protection offered by Knixwear panties isn’t that high. They are only designed to catch leaks or spotting so are ideally used for those light days at the end of your period or in conjunction with a menstrual cup or tampon. You could also use them when you think your period might be due to catch those first few spots. Think of them similar to a panty liner.
On the plus side they are moisture wicking so you won’t feel damp and they have odor resistant fabric. These are super nice looking panties that come in four different styles – thong, bikini, boyshort and high rise . There’s no seams so you’ll avoid a visible panty line and the fabric is super light and breathable so they’re very comfy.
Click here to check prices on the Knixwear Knix Everyday Seamless Panties.
Simple Necessit-Ease Bff Period Undies
- Material: 95% cotton and 5% spandex
- Sizing: XS to XL
- Cut: Bikini only
- Coverage: Part coverage front to back
- Colors: Available in black or beige
- Pack: Singles pairs only
These are a great little pair of comfy, breathable panties that are useful as back up menstrual protection or for sleeping. The leak protection at the front could go a bit higher so they’re not ideal for wearing at night if you like to sleep on your front. Order at least one to two sizes up as the leg holes can feel a bit tight. You’ll find these very comfy panties for your period.
These panties are very affordable and are great choice if you’re looking for cheap period panties.
Click here to check prices and read reviews of Simple Necessit-Ease Bff Period Undies.
- Material: 95% Bamboo Viscose Fiber and 5% Spandex
- Sizing: XS to XXL
- Cut: Bikini only
- Coverage: Part coverage front to full coverage back
- Colors: Available in red, purple, coral, denim and grey
- Pack: Two to five packs
These sanitary underwear are fantastic if you want to buy multipacks at a bargain price. They come in lots of fun colors and the bamboo fabric is lovely and soft. They don’t have full coverage at the front but they do at the back. With these underwear period leaks won’t be a problem. You can wear them as back up protection on heavy days or solo on lighter days.
Check prices and read reviews on the Yoyi Fashion Bamboo Leakproof Panties here.
Best Plus Size Period Panties
When it comes to period panties plus size women can have a hard time finding a pair that fit. My top picks for plus size period panties
- Hesta – Hesta’s Organic Period Panties go up to a size 4XL which is a real winner for plus size women looking for cute period panties
- Thinx – Thinx period panties go up to a size 3XL. Just be aware that their sizing is snug around the leg holes so go up a size.
Where to Buy Period Panties
Wondering where to buy period panties? We recommend buying them online to get the best possible pair for you. Using my reviews and chart above you should be able to make a quick pick.
When it comes to period underwear Amazon has a few really good options that are affordable compared to Thinx. Before you buy Amazon period panties other than the ones I’ve mentioned here, pay close attention to the sizing details and reviews.
How to Wash Period Panties
What makes period panties great is that it is reusable underwear for period blood. No waste to landfill, packing or purchases each month. Washable period panties are an affordable choice and can be used again, month after month. If you’re wondering how to clean period panties, it’s actually pretty simple.
- You need to give them a good rinse first. Rinse until the water runs clean. (I find the easiest way to do this is just to put them over the drain of the shower and let the water run through!)
- You do not need to soak your washable period underwear or use any stain remover.
- Once your washable absorbent underwear is completely rinsed just through it in on a cold wash cycle with the rest of your clothes.
- Line drying is advised for all menstrual panties (but I do sometimes throw my Thinx in the tumble dryer with no issue at all.)
And that’s how to wash period panties. Simple!
Got questions on reusable menstrual panties?
If you have questions or comments on how to use your menstrual cycle underwear, then we’d love to hear from you. Which do you think is the best reusable best panty for periods? Are you a fan of Thinx or do you prefer on of the other brands of period leak proof panties? Do you have any tips on using absorbent period panties? Feel free to drop us a comment below. We would love for your feedback.