on May 03, 2026
The ingredients list you never thought to check.
You read the labels on your food. You check what goes into your skincare. But when did you last think about what's in the products you use inside your body, every month, for decades?
Most of us never have. And that's not an accident.
The Transparency Problem
Tampon and pad manufacturers in Australia are not legally required to disclose a full ingredient list. Unlike food or cosmetics, period products sit in a regulatory grey zone, meaning what's inside them is largely invisible to the consumer.
What we do know, from independent research and manufacturer disclosures, is worth paying attention to.
What's in Conventional Disposables
Synthetic fibres and plastics
Most disposable pads contain polyethylene, polypropylene, and other plastics, the same materials used in packaging. These sit against some of the most absorbent and permeable skin on the body for hours at a time.
Chlorine bleaching agents
Conventional tampons are often bleached to achieve that clinical white appearance. The process can produce dioxins, a class of compounds classified as persistent environmental pollutants. While levels in individual products are considered low, cumulative exposure over a lifetime of use is less studied.
Fragrances and odour neutralisers
Many pads and some tampons contain synthetic fragrances, a catch-all term that can include dozens of undisclosed chemicals. These are a common trigger for contact dermatitis and vaginal irritation.
Pesticide residues
Conventional cotton is one of the most heavily pesticide-treated crops in the world. Unless certified organic, the cotton in period products may carry trace residues of herbicides and insecticides.
Toxic metals
In 2024, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley published the first study to measure toxic metals in tampons, testing 30 products from 14 brands sold across the US, UK, and Europe. They detected 16 metals in total, including lead, arsenic, and cadmium. Lead was found in all products tested. Arsenic concentrations were higher in organic tampons than non-organic ones, while non-organic tampons had higher lead levels. The researchers noted that because the vaginal mucosa is highly permeable, even small concentrations of these metals could be absorbed into the bloodstream. No safe level of lead exposure is known. The study's authors called for stronger regulatory oversight and greater transparency from manufacturers.
The Vaginal Absorption Question
The vaginal mucosa is highly permeable. Unlike the skin on your hands or arms, it doesn't have the same barrier function, meaning substances in contact with it can be absorbed into the bloodstream more readily.
This is why the question of what's in period products matters more than it might for, say, a cotton t-shirt.
Research in this area is still developing, and definitive conclusions are limited. But the precautionary principle applies: if you can reduce unnecessary chemical exposure with no trade-off in effectiveness, it's worth considering.
Toxic Shock Syndrome: Still Relevant
Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is rare but serious. It's caused by toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, and tampon use, particularly high-absorbency tampons left in too long, is a known risk factor.
The risk is low with correct use, but it's not zero. Menstrual cups and discs, when cleaned properly, carry a significantly lower TSS risk. Reusable pads and period underwear carry none.
The pH and Microbiome Connection
Your vaginal microbiome is a finely balanced ecosystem, dominated by Lactobacillus bacteria that maintain an acidic pH and protect against infection. Disrupting this balance has downstream effects on comfort, fertility, and overall reproductive health.
Synthetic materials, fragrances, and the super-absorbency of conventional tampons (which absorb natural moisture alongside menstrual fluid) can all contribute to microbiome disruption. Women with recurring thrush, bacterial vaginosis, or unexplained irritation are sometimes advised to switch to unbleached or reusable products as a first step.
What Reusables Offer Instead
Menstrual cups and discs (POPPY, FREESIA, DAHLIA, IRIS, Hello Period, CALLA) are made from medical-grade silicone, which is non-porous, hypoallergenic, and free from BPA, latex, and synthetic chemicals. They collect rather than absorb, leaving natural moisture intact.
Period underwear is typically made from GOTS-certified organic cotton or similar natural fibres, with a moisture-wicking layer that doesn't rely on synthetic absorbents.
Reusable cloth pads made from organic cotton or bamboo are free from bleaching agents, fragrances, and plastics.
None of these are perfect, and quality varies between brands. But as a category, reusables offer significantly fewer chemical inputs than conventional disposables.
A Note on Organic Disposables
If switching to reusables isn't the right step right now, organic cotton disposables are a meaningful middle ground. They avoid pesticide residues and synthetic fibres, and many are unbleached or use hydrogen peroxide bleaching (which doesn't produce dioxins). However, as the Berkeley study found, organic tampons are not necessarily free from all contaminants, with arsenic levels actually higher in some organic products tested. Organic is still a better choice than conventional, but it is not a complete solution.
They're more expensive and still single-use, but they're a step in a cleaner direction.
Final Thoughts
The health case for reusables isn't about fear. It's about information, the kind that should have been available all along.
Your body deserves the same scrutiny you give everything else you put in and on it. And once you start asking what's in your period products, it's hard to stop.
Source: Shearston et al. (2024). First study to measure toxic metals in tampons shows arsenic and lead. UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
Curious about reusables? Browse our full range of menstrual cups, menstrual discs, and period underwear, or explore how Daysy and Lady-Comp can help you understand your cycle more deeply.
