Review: The Lily Cup One

As far as I know, the Lily Cup One is one of the only collapsible menstrual cups available. Squish it down until it's practically flat, then tuck it away in the carrying case which comes with your purchase! It also features a ring stem, which helps one pull the cup down easier for removal.

The cup and carrying case is hot pink, as it's Intimina's signature color. Some reviewers described it as too feminine.
On the flip side, the carrying case can easily be mistaken for a package of blush or lip balm due to the hot pink color.

(via Amazon)

The Lily Cup One by Intimina ("LC One") is aimed towards teens and first-time users, but it's also marketable to any user seeking a portable cup. The circular case is as round as tarte's sample-size Amazonian Clay Blush, and as thick as a Dirty Little Secret blush case (see pictures below). You can tuck it away in a bag or jacket pocket without it taking up much room. If your period suddenly comes while you're on the go, this menstrual cup has your back!

What also makes this easier to use is the ring stem, which has a flattened base that's easier to grip. Regular cups have a pole-like stem, which may be harder to grasp when removing the cup. The silicone cup material is flexible enough to be comfortable while strong enough to withstand tugging on it for removal.

This cup checks almost all the right boxes... Almost. Unfortunately, the Lily Cup One only comes in one size: 20ml capacity. At 1.85" in length and a 1.54" diameter, it's noticeably smaller than the average 'regular flow' cup. For example, the popular Diva Cup in Size 1 lists 30ml capacity, and it is 2.25" long and 1.69" in diameter. To see the difference between multiple brands, check out Put A Cup In It's comparison charts (Both Imperial measurements and Metric measurements available).

A comparison between the Lily Cup One
carrying case & compact blush packaging

Maybe Intimina made the LC One so small so teens can use it easily, or its collapsibility factor demanded a smaller cup size... or both of these factors combined.

No matter the case, this cup is a little small for my needs. This is due to two things:

My current period situation: Pretty heavy, especially on 2nd-5th days and with moderately severe cramps. I was on The Pill for 6 years,  during which I had very mild periods—a relatively light flow, almost no cramping. Then, this past August, I stopped The Pill in favor of the non-hormonal copper IUD, ParaGard. The Copper IUD is notorious for making monthly flows heavier and longer than they normally are (without hormones). I think this is a fair trade considering how The Pill was affecting my body and mind. My flow currently lasts between 5-6 days and most of the days having a heavy flow. I have heavy cramps 3-4 days of my period. I'm hoping that after time passes with my IUD in, my periods will return closer to how they were pre-Pill/pre-IUD. 

My business: My cervix is usually on the low side during menstruation—I don't have to reach far in to feel it. Some people have described some low cervixes as 'dangly' and it sounds very similar to how mine gets on my period. I have not given birth.

MY EXPERIENCE

(via Intimina)

I bought this cup for its key features, the ring stem, and portability. I also took my low cervix into account and thought a slightly smaller cup would be better. My flaw was purchasing a cup before my IUD was inserted; I had no way of telling just how heavy my flow would be. I thought, since my periods were fairly light, the IUD would not cause my periods to be very heavy... but I was wrong!

While I find it easy to use, the Lily Cup One is simply not large enough to meet my current period needs. On my heaviest days, I find myself needing to empty the cup every 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Perhaps, my "dangly" cervix takes up a bit of room in the cup—thus, preventing it from reaching full capacity at 20ml. After further research, I've considered cups with a sphere or bell shape; these reportedly work well with low cervixes because they are wider towards the stem, which allows more fluid to be collected.

(via Intimina) It may defeat
the purpose of the ring stem
to cut it off; still, its flatness
may still be easier to handle
than a pole stem (which most
menstrual cups have).

Despite my heavy flow pushing the LC One to its' limits, I generally like using the cup. Unless I've started leaking, it feels like it's not even there. All of my cups sit "low" (I don't need to reach in far in to feel it) and since this cup is already small, and the ring stem is not as long as the traditional pole stem, it does not poke out and there's no need for me to trim the stem off. I also don't have issues of pressure on my pubic bone—the silicone is pretty flexible due to its collapsibility, although some reviewers have mentioned that it may be too flexible. This means the cup may have trouble popping open because the silicone is not rigid enough to push against one's vaginal walls to open.

I love the design of the Lily Cup One dearly, and lament that it only comes in one (very small) size. Fingers crossed that Intimina will release a larger version of this! But until that day comes, I'll need to rely on another cup which can accommodate my heavy flow.

4 out of 5 stars

Click to shop Intimina's
Lily Cup One on Amazon

Big points to Intimina for creating a travel-friendly menstrual cup. As my first cup, it was incredibly easy for me to use and super comfortable to boot. I'm docking a full point because they only make this in one size... Yet, despite it not being my "Holy Grail," I'm keeping this cup for the sake of portability. I'll never be caught without an emergency period product! So, the Lily Cup One will be tucked away in its carrying case in my purse, if ever my time of the month comes while I'm on the go.

My first time using a menstrual cup has passed, my Lily Cup One is sanitized and in my current purse for emergency purposes, and I've purchased another set of menstrual cups to try out on my next cycle. What brand could they be? Find out in my next cup review! ✻