The iCare menstrual cup
If you’re looking for all the details you need to know about the iCare menstrual cup, then you’re certainly in the right place? Keep on reading for all the pros and cons, along with other information about this cheaper period cup to find out if it’s the right one for your needs.
Table of Contents
iCare Menstrual Cup Summary
- One of the cheapest menstrual cup
- Made in China
- 2 sizes of iCare Cup
- Long overall length
- 28 ml capacity
- Easily available on Amazon
iCare Menstrual Cup Review
In the world of menstrual cups, there are two two main categories: the cheap cups from China, and the reputable ones manufactured mostly in the Western world, including the Diva Cup, MoonCup, Lunette Cup, and the Ruby Cup.
The iCare menstrual cup definitely falls into the cheap category. If you’re looking to save a few bucks, then you may want to consider one of these cheap menstrual cups. But, are they safe? Keep on reading to find out all the details!
For this review, we couldn’t find any information about where and how the iCare Menstrual Cup is manufactured, which is reason enough to give this one a pass.
For a quick reference: the cheap cups are usually around $10 USD, though some are as low as $5. The better quality menstrual cups that you should actually consider putting inside your body run from $20 to $40.
We’ll give you some information about cheap menstrual cups in general, and then dive into our iCare Menstrual Cup review.
Check out the iCare Menstrual Cup
You can take a look at the iCare menstrual cup over on Amazon:
However, the iCare menstrual cup certainly isn’t one of our top picks for menstrual cups. There are far better, higher quality options to consider. Check them out in this handy comparison chart:
Best Overall | Best New Cup | Best for Low Cervix | Best Soft Cup | Best for Period Sex |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lena Cup | Saalt Cup | FemmyCycle | Sckooncup | Ziggy Cup |
Check price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Uncertainty about Materials for the iCare Menstrual Cup
The top-quality menstrual cups are made from medical grade silicone that is FDA approved. The cheap cups are usually made from silicone, but whether or not it’s medical grade is usually not known.
My guess is that it’s not! No company could sell their menstrual cup for $5 or $10 and put the best materials in it.
Think about it this way—you put a menstrual cup inside your body for up to a week each month. It only makes sense to get a cup with better quality materials.
Uncertainty about Manufacturing Standards for Cheap Cups
Along with uncertainty about materials, there is a big question about how cheap menstrual cups are manufactured. My guess is that it’s not with careful checks on quality.
The reputable menstrual cups have these sorts of things in place, and are very open about the whole process. We certainly prefer companies that are open about how they make things!
Cheap Menstrual Cups Often Don’t Work
Cheap cups are usually very flimsy and are very difficult to insert. This is because a menstrual cup should “pop” open once inside of you and suction to your vaginal canal walls—the stiffer cups do this easily.
However, these flimsy cups never really fully open, despite wiggling them around and doing all the things the company recommends doing. It can be extremely frustrating! And the result is serious leaking, such that you’ll probably end up buying another cup!
They Don’t Care about Women’s Health
The top menstrual cup companies are passionate about providing an affordable, reusable feminine hygiene product to as many people as possible. They care about the environment and women’s health.
For example, the Lena Cup wants to “spread awareness on the benefits and impact of using reusable menstrual products, inspiring people to improve their periods while loving and respecting our planet.”
Another example, the Ruby cup has a “buy one, give one” program that puts menstrual cups in the hands of women who need one in the developing world.
Lack of Real Reviews for Cheaper Menstrual Cups
The more reputable menstrual cups have 500+ user reviews on Amazon. This gives you a fair indication of the pros and cons of the cup. The cheap cups often have no, or only a few user reviews.
The few positive reviews that they do have are often way over the top and appear to have been bought. That is, the company paid someone to write a positive review and give it a 5-star rating. If you dig a little deeper, you’ll see that there are often a few reviews from people who actually bought the product and they are often terrible.
About the iCare Menstrual Cup
When reviewing menstrual cups, the first thing we look at are reviews on Amazon. This gives us an overall picture of the strengths and weaknesses of each one. For the iCare menstrual cup, we couldn’t any reviews from an actual user, anywhere apart from the company website. This doesn’t inspire confidence!
Another thing we noticed is that on Amazon, the iCare Menstrual Cup is sold by “Retop Jewelry.” We’re not sure why a jewelry company would also be selling feminine hygiene products, but again, this doesn’t inspire confidence in this product!
Another red flag is the spelling mistakes on the promotional materials. For example, “Colorful opitoinal cups to choose according to perferences.” If a company can’t be bothered to proofread their promotional materials, how careful would they be about their materials and the manufacturing process?
2 Sizes of iCare Menstrual Cup
There are two sizes of iCare Menstrual cup, a small and a large.
Small: 40 mm diameter, 78 mm length, 28 ml capacity.
Large: 45 mm diameter, 85 mm length, 28 ml capacity.
Longer than Average Menstrual Cup
The iCare menstrual cup is larger, and longer than average. Even the small size has quite a large diamter, and a very long length of 78 mm.
This cup is not suitable for anyone with even a medium length cervix, and certainly not someone with a low cervix. It’s also odd that for such a long and wide cup, the capacity is slightly lower than average at 28 ml.
Capacity = Slightly Lower than Average
At 28 ml, the capacity of the iCare cup is slightly lower than the average of 30 ml (the Diva Cup for example). If you have a heavy period, it may not be the best choice because you’ll have to change it out quite often.
Instead, consider a higher-capacity period cup. You can check out our top picks in the chart below:
The Best High-Capacity Menstrual Cups
Best Overall | Most Affordable | Newest High Capacity Cup |
---|---|---|
Super Jennie | Anigan Eva Cup | XO Flo |
42 ml capacity | 37 ml capacity | 38 ml capacity |
Check Prices | Check Prices | Check Prices |
iCare Menstrual Cup: The Cheapest Cup
For the cheap menstrual cups, we always take a look over on Alibaba. They are a wholesaler that companies order products from and then sell them online, on places like Amazon. Most of the products are made in China or India.
We were able to find the iCare menstrual cup for $0.08-0.25, depending on the size of the order. If the manufacturer is able to sell the product that cheaply, and still make a profit, clearly it is not made from the best materials.
Top-quality medical grades silicone isn’t cheap! Nor are strict manufacturing standards, with quality control checks.
iCare Menstrual Cup Pros
- The price
iCare Menstrual Cup Cons
- A cheaply made cup with little information about it
- Lack of reviews on Amazon
- Sold on Alibaba (a wholesaler) for $0.08 a piece
- Likely not medical grade silicone
- No official company website
- Sold by a company not invested in women’s health
- Spelling and grammatical mistakes on the product description
Is the iCare Menstrual Cup a Buy?
In our opinion, you shouldn’t waste your money on this cheap menstrual cup. The iCare cup is obviously made by a company looking to make a quick profit from the popularity of menstrual cups, and doesn’t actually care about women’s health.
There are plenty of companies who put out top-quality products at very reasonable prices and we recommend sticking with them! You’ll get a cup that is safe to use, and just works.
With proper care, a top-quality cup will last for up to 10 years so spending a few more dollars up-front isn’t actually a big deal because you’ll save a ton of money when compared to disposable pads or tampons.
See: Are Menstrual Cups Expensive?
How to Use the iCare Menstrual Cup?
If you’re new to menstrual cup, you’ll probably want to know how to use your iCare menstrual cup. The first thing to keep in mind is that it can feel a bit overwhelming. After all, the iCare cup is a lot bigger than a tampon.
So try to relax, and don’t worry too much about it.
The second thing to keep in mind is that there’s a learning curve to using a menstrual cup, far more than with tampons. It takes most people at least a few cycles to feel confident with using one. Put on a pad to catch the leaks and keep on trying.
Beyond that, here are a few steps you can follow to get started.
- Wash your hands and the iCare Cup well with soap and water (or menstrual cup cleanser)
- Fold the cup, and insert it into your vagina. Point it back and down towards your cervix, not up towards the sky.
- The cup should pop open pretty easily. If it doesn’t jiggle and twist it until it does. Or, take it out and try a different fold.
- At 12 hours, or when it’s full and starts to leak, take the cup out.
- You can remove the iCare cup by pinching in at the base with two fingers to break the suction seal. If you can’t reach the base, pull down gently on the stem until you can.
- Wash the cup and reinsert it.
What about a Menstrual Cup Wash?
Some people swear by a menstrual cup wash like the Divawash, while others just use mild soap and water. Menstrual cup companies recommend both options.
In reality, the choice is yours. Check out our top picks below:
Best Menstrual Cup Wash
Best Overall | Most Economical | Best Menstrual Cup Wipes |
---|---|---|
Divawash | Dutchess Cup Wash | Lunette Wipes |
Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
What about Toxic Shock Syndrome and the iCare Cup?
A common question that people have is whether or not it’s possible to get Toxic Shock Syndrome from the iCare menstrual cup. And, is this risk higher than with tampons.
The good news is that it’s not easy to get TSS from either of these products. This is especially true if basic precautions are taken. They include:
- Washing your hands before handling these products, or reaching into your vagina
- Using the lowest absorbency tampon possible
- Changing them within the recommended time (max 12 hours for menstrual cups, and 8 hours for tampons)
To date, there has been one reported case of Toxic Shock Syndrome from menstrual cups. This happened because the person cut themselves when inserting the Diva Cup at the beginning of their period, and then left it in way longer than recommended.
There are hundreds of cases each year from tampons. Of course, there are more tampon users than menstrual cups users, so this must be considered.
What is clear is that there is a greater risk of TSS from tampons than with menstrual cups.
iCare Menstrual Cup and IUDs
Menstrual Cups and IUDs.
If you’re new to using a menstrual cup, you may want to know whether it’s possible to use one along with an IUD. The company says on their website that it’s possible, but that you should check with a medical professional first.
Here is some general advice about using an IUD along with a menstrual cup that you should consider:
- Your IUD strings are right below your cervix, while the iCare Cup sits low in your vaginal canal. They shouldn’t interfere with each other, in theory.
- If you have a low cervix, these two products may not work well together. Check with your doctor.
- You can get your doctor to trim the strings on your IUD as short as possible to reduce the risk of dislodging it when removing your menstrual cup.
- Be very careful when removing your iCare Menstrual Cup. Be sure to break the suction seal by squeezing in with two fingers at the base before pulling it out.
- DO NOT pull out your iCare Cup only by the stem. This is the easiest way to dislodge an IUD with a menstrual cup!
Consider one of these Menstrual Cups
If you’re looking to buy a menstrual cup, steer clear of the iCare Menstrual Cup. It’s a cheaply made period cup that doesn’t contain top-quality materials. It’s not something that we’d consider putting into our own bodies, and we hope that you’ll feel the same.
Instead, consider one of these top-quality period cup options:
Or, just get the Diva Cup
Or, just check out our top-rated menstrual cup, the Diva Cup. It’s the most popular one in the world for good reason! It’s an excellent cup at a reasonable price and it’s the one that many people stick with for their whole lives.
Although the Diva Cup is slightly more expensive than the iCare menstrual cup, it’s well worth it when you consider that it can last for around five years with proper care and cleaning. Compare this to the iCare which may only last a few cycles, if it even works.
The Diva Cup is made in Canada and has some excellent user reviews and ratings. Here at Reusable Menstrual Cups, we always prefer cups that are made in North America or Europe. This is because they are usually very high in quality. There’s also no uncertainty about materials or the manufacturing process.
There are two sizes: small + large. The company recommends the smaller one for people under 30, or those who haven’t given birth vaginally. The large is for those who have given birth vaginally, or are over the age of 30.
Check out this top-rated period cup on Amazon for yourself:
Diva Cup Review
What about Sex with the iCare Cup?
A common question that people is whether or not they can use a regular menstrual cup like the iCare Cup during sex. It’s a great question with an easy answer, no! Menstrual cups are not suitable for penetrative sex.
The good news is that for anything up to penetrative sex, a menstrual cup may be a better option. This is because unlike with tampons, there are no strings hanging out.
Consider the Ziggy Cup for Sex During Your Period
If you wanted to have non-messy period sex, your best option used to be the Softcup. It’s a flat, flexible disc that fits right up below your cervix. The major downside to them is that they’re disposable, which means that you lose out on the environmental benefits, as well as cost-savings of reusables.
In the past few months, Intimina (makers of the Lily Menstrual Cup) have come out with the Ziggy Cup. It’s very similar in design to the Soft Cup, but it’s made from medical grade silicone. This means that it’s reusable for up to a few years.
Finally, a reusable option for period sex! We LOVE that this option is now available—we’ve been waiting years for it!
You can check out the Intimina Ziggy Cup for yourself over on Amazon:
If you want to have sex during your period, there are options to consider beyond the Intimina Ziggy Cup. Check out the top picks here:
The Best Period Sex Options
Best Overall | Most Eco-Friendly | Easiest to Insert |
---|---|---|
Instead Soft Cups | Intimina Ziggy Cup (reusable) | Soft Tampons |
Check Prices | Check Prices | Check Prices |
iCare Menstrual Cup: Have your Say!
What do you think about the iCare Cup? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.
Is it a buy? Or, are you considering one of the more expensive menstrual cups like the Diva Cup, Lena Cup, or Eva Cup?