Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Intimate Portal Women Total Leak Proof Sanitary Protective Brief Blue Lace XXL US 12 14 I never knew period panties existed until I considered creating my own. (Why didn't they tell us about these in SexEd? Or even in women’s magazines?) Before trying my hand at making some, I googled to see if perhaps something like that already existed and — voilà — Amazon had several choices. Confusing choices. First off, I was looking for a panty that would provide coverage from spotting while I’m sleeping. I’m not expecting full absorption, just an extra measure of defense against spotting the sheets. Pads are fine for daytime wear, when gravity is working with you. But at night, when the body is horizontal… Well, I never knew of anything but towels, bedwetter pads or (please, god, no!) adult diapers that could protect the sheets. Especially after having a baby. Period Panties are SO much less conspicuous. So I decided to order several of the different versions offered on Amazon and see which one came closest to being my Holy Grail: Comfortable (Cotton, preferably), Not Too Ugly, and of course, Protective. After weeding out the styles that seemed to be too skimpy/daytime-only, or made of unwearable fabrics (ahem, polyester and nylon) I ended up with the ones I’m reviewing below. Their colors are noted so you can see the differences in size in the picture. A few notes: • This type of underwear is meant as a backup to pads or tampons (Except on the lightest days/nights, when leaking isn’t such an issue anyway.) • Sizing is all over the place (many brands are from Asia, and seem to run smaller than corresponding American sizes). It appears that sizes relate to underwear rather than pants, and since I wear a 7 or Large in panties (10 or 12 in pants), I went with L and XL, choosing on basis of other reviews. • And finally, I am more sensitive than most people to fabrics and stitching, and have a strong bias toward all-cotton clothing. Intimate Portal Women Total Leak Proof: 2XL (Dark Blue) - I’m not a fan of granny panties, but these ended up being the clear winner for the purpose. With their high back, they felt the most secure for sleeping. The high-cotton (95% Cotton, 5% Elastane) is comfortable, however the leakproof liner doesn't "breathe," so that area is a bit warmer than I'd like. Despite the lacy touches, they are certainly not going to feature in Victoria’s Secret any time soon. But then, I’m not feeling too sexy at that time of the month, anyway. The biggest surprise was how BIG (2XL?!?) I had to order to get a decent fit. Especially if I’m going to wear a pad, too. Intimate Portal Women Cotton Leak Proof: L (peach) - I really thought these would be the winner. And if I order two sizes up, they’ll have a chance for daytime use. The 95% Cotton 5% Spandex fabric is lightweight and soft, the wide waistband felt like it would stay up, and the stitching is about as comfortable as one can find in underwear. The cut is more youthful (meaning the waist is not as high) than the Total style so they are probably more suited to wearing as a backup to pads/tampons during your upright hours. BFF Period Undies: L (black) and XL (beige) - The 95% Cotton 5% Spandex fabric is lightweight and soft. But the stitching is scratchy. This one proved to be too skimpy for night wear — the low-rise rear being my main complaint. There’s just not enough there for me to trust that I wouldn’t leak out the top of the back waist. That said, the sportier (more youthful) cut would make these a viable option for wearing with low-waisted pants. As for sizing, the XL “fit”, but I suspect panty lines will show. And the elastic doesn’t feel like it will actually stay in place when I’m out running around. I foresee a lot of panty picking and pulling if I wear them. Undiepads Disposable Panties: L/XL (pink) - These are the most adult-diaperish of the bunch. No surprise, since they are disposable. The body is made of a papery, ribbed elastic and the liquid-proof (noisy) pad extends only partially up the back (like the badly misnamed “overnight” menstrual pads offered by the feminine protection products industry). The pad ripped away from the crotch within minutes of putting them on. FAIL. So that’s my take on fit and appropriateness of these period panty styles for night use. If it helps you save some time and money, then I’ve done a service to The Sisterhood.