Lunette Cup

Oh, yeah. We are going there. Be forewarned if you can't handle reading about *that* time of the month, this might make you squeamish. I'll try to put things nicely though.

I've had my Lunette going on 4 months now, and feel like I've used it enough to give an informed opinion. I had really been on the fence about trying out a cup for awhile, and finally decided to just go for it. Tampons were really starting to annoy me. They were getting uncomfortable, and for whatever reason they are more pricey. I also was getting cramps, which was odd for me. I usually have zero to very light cramps that practically go unnoticed unless I stop and really think about it. Then you read articles here and there talking about moldy tampons in the wrappers/applicators that people never see, because who pops their tampon out of the applicator? They also have a bunch of chemicals in them that absorb into your body. Then you go and expose yourself to them for a week every single month, and it made me wonder what negative longer term effects it could have. You can look up your brand to see what it contains and what those things do to you.

A menstrual cup is a reusable cup that you insert in a fashion similar to a tampon. They pose no risk for toxic shock as they are made from medical grade silicone or rubber. This also means it can be left in for longer stretches of time. The Lunette, for example, recommends taking it out and washing it at least every 12 hours. Yes, you read that right, only 2 times per day. This of course depends on how heavy your flow is. On day 1, I can go the 12 hours, but day 2 I have to go dump it out more frequently. Then the rest of the time I can usually go the 12 hours again.

Many say this lessens their cramps and shortens their period as well. The cup doesn't sit on your cervix like a tampon and cause irritation. Instead, it's sits down lower. I haven't had any cramps since switching. I don't think it's shortened anything for me though. I hardly notice anything going on, so that makes things seem better.

Each cup has it's own care instructions. I usually let mine soak in hot, hot water and vinegar while I shower. Then rinse and wash it the other time(s) during the day it needs emptied. The instructions recommended boiling it each time, but that seemed to be a hassle.

Most come in 2 sizes and an assortment of colors. The sizes are usually 1 or 2. 1 being for those who have never given birth or under a certain age, and 2 being for anyone who has given birth or over that given age. The birth can be c-section, and you'll still need the larger size. My Lunette is a pretty blue color, and I got it from drugstore.com. I didn't want just clear. I felt it would get stained, but I haven't noticed any discoloration at all. As long as it's cleaned properly, I imagine you won't see any problems. But, why go for clear when you can pick something more cheerful?

I really do love this cup. I had one leak my first week using it, and then read something that was very helpful. Insert more horizontal and push toward your back instead of more angle up. I've used it while having a stomach bug, during roller derby, out of the house and I cannot feel it. It hasn't came loose or leaked. I like that you don't need a liner for that last day, or for back up when your period is due. I knew mine was coming, and put my cup in. I didn't even notice when it finally started, but I didn't have to worry about carrying around anything and went about my day. I don't feel like it's any more gross than a tampon. If you are doing it right, you shouldn't have any contact with your menses anyway. I will say, it was a little tricky my first few tries. Mine got here the day before good old AF arrived. If you've got time though, I'd recommend trying to insert it before you NEED it.

Apparently, there are some that are longer/shorter, or have larger/smaller capacities. You should research for any special requirements you might require or like in a cup. This was a good fit for me, so I feel no need to look at any other brands out there at this time.

I did purchase this on my own, and just decided to share since I liked it so much.

New Beautification Goodies

I'm working on expanding my make up collection. I am still clueless about how to use most of this stuff, but I'm trying.

Made a purchase off of Hautelook like a month and a half ago? I can't even remember. Took forever to get the stuff, and I probably won't be buying from them again while in Italy. I had to pay Hautelook shipping. Then they don't ship FPO, so I had to have it sent to an FPO/APO mail forwarding service. They charged an $8 handling fee on $3 worth of postage. Usually I love this service, but I paid far more in shipping than I did for the products I got this time around. They were about 60% off, so a steal, but the double shipping charges killed it for me.

I got some stuff from a Stila sale they had. I am very, very pale. Like Casper the Friendly Ghost white, and like to stay that way. I've realized I don't tan or hold color (I just turn lobster red, peel, and go back to white), so my new goal the past several years is to keep my lovely white coloring. It proves challenging finding foundations this pale though. I have a friend who is just as pale as me, so she recommended I try the Stila foundation. She also has a beauty blog here, so go check her out! The foundation has been a great match. Easy to blend and doesn't irritate me. I've even worn it to roller derby practice and not had my face run off or stay inside my helmet. Bad news, right after I got it they announced it was being discontinued.

A meh, iPad photo, but you can tell all my cheek redness is covered!

Then E.L.F. had a sale right around St. Patrick's Day. 10 free brushes with a minimum order of $25. I have a mini kabuki and an eyeshadow brush. That's it. Free brushes were definitely a welcome addition. I still don't have this stuff though. The estimated date for delivery is early May. Not impressed, once again. I don't get why it's so hard to mail things USPS for APO/FPO. I'm hoping it's not all banged up and broken after all that travel time. I'm sure the brushes will be good, but I got some shadows and blushes that could break.

Then I also snagged some stuff from one of my favorite shops, My Beauty Addiction. More foundation samples. All are mineral foundations, but 2 were powders and one a liquid. The liquid is no good. It smells weird to me and seems too purple/grey. I am liking the powder though. Ivory is a better match for me, but I also got Cameo. Maybe if my face does get a little color this summer, a combination of the 2 will be perfect. Then I got some lipstick samples too. I have yet to open them though. Still a little intimidated to try something so colorful and pigmented. Maybe this week I'll try them out, or at least swatch them?  They've got a code on FB for a Tax Day sale right now. TAXDAY will get you 15% off their Etsy store or their website. They do stuff like that frequently. My order had a coupon for it too (was for Easter or the start of Spring I think).

 <--- Is the Ivory. Light coverage (still can see freckles), but covers redness.

Then over here ---->
They sent Turquoiuse eye shadow as a bonus sample. Like the color, but feel like I need work with my eye skills

Picking a Roller Derby Name: Q&A time!

I think I briefly mentioned this before in another post, I am a roller derby girl for those who are new, or missed that little tid bit. Pretty new at it too. Only joined a team about 2 months ago now. The team is very new. It was founded end of October 2012. None of us have ever played before, and many have never skated. I skated a lot as a kid, and worked at a roller rink as a teen. The skating portion has come easy to me, but I'm new to the sport and the rules. Here's a little blurb a few guys from AFN Sigonella did for us. I'm in there a couple times. Check me out doing my first few arm whips!


That said, only one girl has passed her minimum skills test. You have to pass this test to pick your derby name and number. More importantly, you have to pass to be able to bout and hit. I've taken one try at the test. I passed the written test with a 100%. I passed everything on the skills portion too, but the 25 in 5. You have to do 25 laps around the track in 5 minutes. This means you need to be doing laps in 12 seconds, or less. I average 11.7 for the first 15 or so laps, and then slow down. My latest time was 5:20, so very close to getting it.

This means I'm also very close to needing to pick my name and number out, and I haven't the slightest idea what to do. The name also has to be original. I'll have to go through the registered list and see if there is anything too close to what I want.

I'm front and center in this pic. 

I thought it might be fun to do a Q&A on here. Anyone can post a question and then I can come back through and answer. Then we can do a little name suggesting contest. I'll come up with something for anyone with a suggestion I really like, or can take a spin off of. We are working on getting more stuff with team logos on it (stickers, sweatshirts, shirt etc), so maybe something like that.

Thought this would be a good getting to know you for the blog too since it's still fairly new, and I've just posted a lot of reviews up to now. They can be personal questions or derby related ones. Just nothing too raunchy or inappropriate please. I'll just skip over anything I feel isn't meant to be public knowledge. Our team is also pretty family oriented. My kid goes with me to practices and team events, as do quite a few other kids. We are also a team on a military base, so need to keep names on the cleaner side. At lest in my opinion we should. If you ask a question, make sure to subscribe so you see the answer post go up, and can submit a name idea if you've got one.