Buy Feminine Products Without Being Embarrassed

If you’re a woman, chances are you’ve had to buy supplies for your period. And if you're a man, chances are you've had to buy tampons for a woman in your life. While getting a period is a completely normal biological function, buying tampons can sometimes feel a little bit off-putting. But don’t worry – this feeling goes away and someday, buying supplies for your period will feel completely normal.

Steps

Buying Feminine Products In-Store

1. Take advantage of female cashiers. If you feel uncomfortable having a male ring up your period purchase, wait for a female cashier. They are guaranteed to have experience buying their own feminine products, and knowing you share that bond will make the experience much more comfortable for you.
   • If there are no female cashiers working, you may have to bite the bullet and get checked-out by a male cashier. Don’t worry – they ring up thousands of items a day and they won’t comment on what you’re buying (if they do and it makes you feel uncomfortable, seek out a store manager).
   • If you still feel uncomfortable dealing with a cashier, utilize self-checkout. This is an option at most grocery stores or pharmacies, and is an easy way to buy personal items privately.
   • If the pharmacy section of your grocery store or drug store is open, check out there. It’s usually much quieter, and pharmacists are used to selling people embarrassing things.
2. Fill your basket with other items. The easiest way to distract people from your feminine product purchase is to buy additional items. That way, when you’re checking out, tampons aren’t the only thing you’re looking at. Fill your shopping basket with food, shampoo, notebooks – whatever you need to feel better and distract yourself from the pad you’re also buying.
   • Don’t go overboard on buying stuff. You’ll end up with a lot of junk you don’t need, plus the more you buy, the longer it will take for you to check out.
   • Don’t use coupons. Coupons take additional time for your cashier to ring up and will only slow down the process (especially if you are purchasing a lot of stuff). If you are aiming to get in and get out, bypass the coupons.
3. Visit the store during off-peak hours. Stores are frequently much quieter during the week and late at night. If you visit your grocery store or pharmacy when it’s slower, you’ll have a better shot of seeing fewer people, which means less opportunities to embarrass yourself.
   • Stores often roll-out savings during off-peak hours, so you might be able to score your tampons at a greater discount.
   • Going to the store when it’s slower also lowers your odds of running into somebody you know, if that’s one of the things that scares you about publicly buying feminine hygiene products.

Buying Feminine Products Without Going to the Store

1. Order online. If you’re too embarrassed to purchase tampons in a store, order them from Amazon or another online retailer. If you order in bulk, you won’t need to restock for a long time (and you’ll always have supplies on hand when you need them).
   • Drugstore.com will give you free shipping on orders over $35.00
   • Kotex allows you to order supplies directly from their website.
2. Ask your parent or guardian to pick some up. Sometimes, it takes a little longer to reach the comfort level necessary to walk into the store and assertively purchase your feminine products. If this is true for you, ask your mother or an older sister or friend to pick some up for you when they’re at the store.
   • Make sure to tell them exactly what brand and size you like. Otherwise, you may find yourself with supplies that don’t exactly work for your body.
   • If you feel comfortable asking your father for help, go for it. Chances are, it’s not the first time he’s had to buy tampons in his life.
3. Utilize a feminine supply mail service. Many people are uncomfortable buying tampons in public, so now there are services available that will send them to you every month, all for a monthly flat rate. Research different services and sign up for the one that works best for you and your flow.
   • For fifteen dollars a month, Le Parcel will send you the feminine supplies of your choice, plus some chocolate to help get you through your PMS.
   • For twenty-eight dollars a month, Juniper will send you tampons, teas, chocolates, Midol and panty-liners.
   • HelloFlo allows you to customize your package, based on the severity of your monthly cycle.

Changing Your Attitude About Buying Feminine Products

1. Own it. Buying feminine products is a universal experience shared by women, and it’s hardly a secret from men. If you can change your perspective, you can see that buying tampons is a necessary and totally normal thing to do. Fake being comfortable buying tampons until you’re actually comfortable buying tampons – it may happen faster than you think!
   • Make eye contact with your cashier so they can see you’re confident with your purchases. This will actually make them more comfortable as well.
   • Stand tall. People are more likely to notice you if you’re slouching and looking embarrassed. If you act like what you’re doing is completely normal, no one will give you a second glance.
2. Bring friends. Everyone knows there is safety in numbers and the same holds true for buying feminine supplies. Take all your girlfriends on a trip to stock up: you can all provide moral support for one another, plus everyone leaves with the supplies they need. It’s a win-win.
   • Make your trip into a game. See who can buy the most potentially-embarrassing purchase without cracking a smile or laughing.
   • Talk about it. The more you and your friends talk about your periods and buying tampons, the more normal and comfortable it will feel.
3. Overcome your embarrassment if you're a man. Men are often embarrassed to buy feminine products for the women in their life, but they really shouldn't be. Remember first and foremost that no one is watching or judging you (and if they are, they're probably impressed that you cared enough to help your mom/girlfriend/daughter/sister out of a tight spot).
   • Don't feel the need to buy something extra-masculine to balance out your tampon purchase. It really doesn't matter.
   • If you're unsure of what you're picking out, ask for help. No one will think less of you for not understanding products you don't even use.
4. Think outside the (tampon) box. Menstrual cups are a great alternative to pads and tampons; they’re reusable, so they’re good for the environment as well as your wallet, and you only have to buy them once.
   • The Diva Cup is a great menstrual cup option. You can wear it anywhere and while doing anything and you can purchase it online for around $40.00.
   • Menstrual cups do not work for everyone and getting used to them requires some trial and error.

Tips

• Buying supplies for your period is completely normal. The more you do it, the less embarrassed you will feel about the process.
• You can also buy multiple packs at once to avoid running out and having to buy them more often.

Related Articles

• Tell Your Mom About Your Period
• Have a Relatively Accident Free Period
• Survive Your Period when You Live With All Guys
• Swim when You Are on Your Period
• Deal With Your Period
• Stop Your Mom from Telling Everyone You Got Your Period
• Use a Tampon
• Know when You're Ready to Start Using a Tampon

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make a Substitute Sanitary Pad
• Prevent Pads from Leaking While on Your Period
• Know if You're Ready to Wear a Panty Liner
• Have a Worry Free Period
• Make a Period Emergency Kit
• Have a Relatively Accident Free Period
• Make a Period Kit
• Buy Pads Without Being Embarrassed
• Avoid Night Time Stains During your Period
• Sneak a Pad or Tampon to the Bathroom at School

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What links here

• Prevent Pads from Leaking While on Your Period
• Enjoy Periods