Photo by Susi Vetter
Clue Reviews: Modibodi Period Underwear
Menstrual products are a world apart from what was available even only twenty years ago. But it can be difficult to determine which product is right for you—a decision that may be influenced by lifestyle, physical activity, comfort, fit, cost, and many other factors.
That’s why we’re publishing a series of menstrual product reviews, written by the staff here at Clue (and a few of our loved ones) to show you how we used these products, and how they worked for us. Check out the reviews here.
Full disclosure—many of these products were sent to us free of charge, for the purpose of reviews. These are the unbiased opinions of the folks who used the products.
Sensual Bikini by Modibodi Period Underwear (UK)
€23.50 (for customers within Europe)
Modibodi.com ships to Australia and most Asian countries
“The fit was so nice, my buns felt perfectly nestled”
My flow is: A massive, horrific, bloody nightmare
I’m looking for: An environmentally sustainable way of managing my period
This is my first time trying period underwear ever, and I have to say that I think I’m a convert. I was so impressed! Modibodi looks and feels like normal underwear that I would wear any other time, without that diaper feeling that I expected from a pair of period panties. They didn’t ride up my butt which, as anyone with a large booty will tell you, happens often. My buns felt perfectly nestled in the underwear, and because the fit was so nice, there were no leaks whatsoever. The material was comfortable, and absorbent. The underwear I had was best suited for light-to-medium absorbency (they also have underwear for heavier days) so I wore it on my medium days. The material held the blood well, without any odors or discomfort. I wore them as a backup on the heavy days when I used a menstrual cup, but they also held up just fine on my lighter days. After washing them, they were as good as new, and I’m looking forward to using them again.
On their website, I see they have a large range of period underwear products for various absorbencies and styles (including thongs, boyshorts, and swimsuits). But what I love the most about their website is the ethnic and body diversity. As a highly visible woman of color myself, this is an unfortunate rarity, and it makes me feel seen in a conversation that often excludes people who look like me.
—Jennifer, Content Manager
“I decided to test them in an extreme scenario—a long flight”
My flow is: Light to moderate (thanks to the pill)
I’m looking for: A environment-friendly solution that will allow me to not worry about my period
For someone who has never used period panties before, my initial experience with Modibodi (even though I didn’t know them before) seemed like the ideal solution. When I set out to test my new panties, my main concern was how would they hold up based on absorption, odor and appearance over time, so I decided to test them in an extreme scenario and wear them on a long flight.
I’m happy to report full absorption on that timeframe. They also offer a varied range of products for lighter or heavier days. The panties were very comfortable and looked like a normal pair of underwear I would wear at any other time, and I can safely say that after several hours, there was no odor at all.
Their website explains how the fabric technology works in regards to the different layers, how the panties are meant to be used on different occasions (like outdoor sports and swimming) and how they can be used alone (without any other menstrual products), as well as how to take care of them. I will definitely wear my Modibodi panties again, because they allowed me to get on with my day without worrying about my period.
—Kate, Senior iOS Engineer
“Now there’s no need to stain my non-period underwear!”
My flow is: Medium to light
I’m looking for: something practical, sustainable (and glamourous)
After working for Clue for 3.5 years, this is my first time ever trying period underwear! The design of the product is great—the cut is sexy and the fabric is soft. You don’t even notice the “absorbent” part. They’re super comfy, and feel like a regular pair of underwear.
I wore them on the second day of period, when my period is normally a medium flow. I was amazed that the panties didn’t leak and, unlike what normally happens when using a regular disposable pad, there were no odors. My panties had a light-moderate absorbency, but I think they were better suited towards a lighter flow. Even though they don’t leak, you can still see that some blood hasn’t been absorbed, and there was a mild wet feeling when wearing them.
I will definitely use them again, especially for the 3rd and 4th day of my period. I don’t think there’s any need to use another product on these days of my period, and now there’s no need to stain my non-period underwear!
—Lucia, Director of Growth
“These panties are a lifesaver against leaks”
My flow is: Normal (2 days heavy, 3 days light)
I'm looking for: Menstrual products that are environmentally-sustainable
I’ve got wide hips and a slimmer waist, so finding full bum undies that actually fit perfectly can be difficult—but these fit perfectly. No wedgies, no re-adjustments needed. The only problem was the look, I didn’t find them very attractive. The pink color was not a good look against my pale skin, and light colored period underwear will show stains more if any blood gets off the absorbent pad section. The other problem was strong underwear lines, so don’t wear these with leggings. But to me, performance is more important than appearance. My favorite way to wear my Modi Bodi period panties is as a backup method for my tampons or menstrual cups. Before period panties, I would always wear a panty liner just in case, but these panties are a lifesaver against leaks. I can feel confident during work or sports that I won’t leak through my pants. I wore them to sleep with my menstrual cup and they worked fine and were comfy. The model of Modi Bodis that I tried only had absorbent padding in the crotch (similar to the size of a regular pad) but no absorbent padding that extended far to the front or the back of the undies. I did check online though, and ModiBodi does sell a pair of period undies that are specific for overnight with more protection in the back.
For free bleeding, I found that while the absorbent crotch was good at holding blood, the stitching along the sides of the crotch was not completely leakproof—so a small amount of blood did escape my underwear.
Overall I liked these undies, and I will certainly continue to wear them with my menstrual cup on heavy days, or just on their own for light days. Next time I would certainly try a black pair and maybe the “Sensual Collection”, “Overnight”, or the “Active Brief”.
—Nicole, Science Editor
“Nice silky feel, and the absorbency was perfect for my needs”
My flow is: apocalyptic the first couple days, then pretty average
I’m looking for: something that can contain all the blood with convenience, comfort and style
I need something to catch leaks from my menstrual cup, but I hate the plastic feeling of disposable pads. I don’t like carrying around used reusable pads, so I hoped these panties would be the answer to my period prayers—something I can put on in the morning and forget for the rest of the day.
The beige-pink color and high cut is not my usual choice, but the underwear has a nice silky feel, maybe because they are 95% bamboo. The fabric is thin, and the effect is less bulky than wearing a disposable pad. I wore them to work and they were pretty comfortable, although the narrow waistband tended to twist around.
The absorbency was perfect for my needs. The panties didn’t feel damp when I was wearing them, but when I went to the bathroom to empty my cup, I noticed a few wet spots on the gusset. I felt relaxed, knowing that I had these panties as a backup in case my cup leaked. I wore them all day and tossed them in the washing machine when I got home. They came out of the wash looking good as new. A few days later, when my flow was lighter, I used them without a cup—and they worked perfectly. I’ll definitely use them again, but I would look for a different color and cut.
__*—Jen, Writer at Clue * __
If you want to explore more period underwear, then check out what Clue had to say about Rael period underwear next. You can read all about this and the rest of Clue’s period product reviews here.
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