As someone with sensitive skin, I’ve had trouble searching for comfortable sanitary pads ever since my menses first started about 13 years ago.
The few brands and products that I’ve used before have caused me to get the itches or worse, rashes.
So when the idea for a review of pads for sensitive skin came up, I volunteered to be the guinea pig. Some brands sent their pads to us upon request, while others were purchased with our own funds.
The experiment was carried out throughout one period cycle in February 2023. The sanitary pads were changed every three to four hours. The scale I used for my verdict is between one to five and displayed in the blood emoji (🩸), and each brand is only rated, not ranked.
With that said, here is my review of four brands in Malaysia that carry sensitive-skin-friendly pads. These four brands were picked because they explicitly market themselves as being sensitive-skin-friendly, and were easily delivered/available for purchase.
1. Libresse
The first brand of sanitary pads that I ever used was Libresse. More specifically, the ones with the brand’s signature blue packaging.
They always left my privates feeling a little sweaty, which made them itch and therefore, uncomfortable.
But in 2021, Libresse came out with a new collection called SensitiV that’s described as “hypoallergenic”.
According to their website, the products contain 0% of common allergens, fragrances, and dyes. They’re also supposedly made of 100% virgin pulp.
Dictionary time: 100% virgin pulp means it does not contain any recycled content and is made directly of the pulp of trees or cotton.
Hygiene World
Since the SensitiV line was released, it’s been my go-to menstrual pad. So I decided that it would serve as my benchmark against the others.
Products I used:
- Libresse SensitiV Slim Wings 24cm (Has 16 pads for daytime use)
- Libresse SensitiV Maxi Night Wings 32cm (Has 12 pads for nighttime use)
Scent: None
Cycle period: Day one
Price: Starts from RM8 at most stores and depends on the type of sanitary pad chosen
Accessibility: Generally available in most pharmacies and supermarkets in Malaysia
Review: The sanitary pads were comfortable and did not leave me feeling sweaty like the brand’s other collection. But the thickness was similar and felt very noticeable.
Because of this, the nighttime sanitary pads bundled up after my slumber. This made it easier for leakages to happen, though my menstrual flow on day one wasn’t heavy enough for that to happen.
My verdict: 🩸🩸
2. Bieu
Bieu is a Malaysian period-care brand that began to combat period rash and confusing sizes.
They created hypoallergenic sanitary pads made from 100% organic cotton core, which helps with absorbing the menses quickly. Their products also feature leak locker technology that prevents side leakages.
When we emailed Bieu requesting for samples to try out their sanitary pads, they generously came through.
The PR box they sent over is Bieu’s Monthly Saver combo set which is also available online. It contains sanitary pads for daytime use, nighttime use, and panty liners.
Products I used:
- Bieu Day Period Pad 24cm (Has 16 pads for daytime use)
- Bieu Overnight Period Pad 33cm (Has 12 pads for nighttime use)
Scent: None
Cycle period: Day two
Price: Starts from RM17.90 on their website and depends on the type of sanitary pad chosen
Accessibility: Available at certain pharmacies and supermarkets in Malaysia
I went around my neighbourhood in search of the brand to check its availability, but could only find it at a large Watsons mall outlet. To avoid going around aimlessly as I did, it’d be better to ask the brand’s social media where they’re stocked, since they’re responsive too.
Review: The first thing I noticed was the sanitary pads were thinner compared to the ones from Libresse. My flow was slightly heavier than the day before, but there were no leaks at all.
The adhesive was also stronger, which gave me a feeling of security. True to that, it did not move around as much throughout the day and night.
I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up without the usual bundle-up in my “backdoor”.
It absorbs better than the Libresse ones too. I noticed my menses stayed within the middle portion of the nighttime pad and did not flow to the back end at all.
My verdict: 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
3. Blood
Blood is a Singaporean brand that makes sanitary pads out of corn.
According to their website, Blood’s sanitary pads are made with 100% corn topsheet. This supposedly makes them three times drier than cotton.
Paired with a Japanese “super absorbent” core, the brand promises “barely-there comfort”.
The sanitary pads also reportedly contain zero chlorine, phthalates, fragrance, dyes, rayon, or wood pulp.
Products I used:
- Blood Ultra-thin Corn Pads 25cm (Has 14 pads for daytime use)
Scent: None
Cycle period: Day three
Price: Starts from RM16.90 on their website and depends on the type of sanitary pad chosen
Accessibility: Available only at certain stores in Malaysia, like Bila-Bila Mart and Qra
Review: Similar to the Bieu sanitary pads, Blood’s was thinner compared to the ones from Libresse. The adhesive was stronger as well, giving me peace of mind despite moving about throughout the day.
Comfort-wise, it was a much more pleasant experience than the first day’s pads. My privates were not sweaty and I didn’t develop any rashes.
One very interesting thing to note was the brightness of my menses when using Blood’s pads. It was not brownish in the way blood tends to be when dried up, which was very surprising.
I’m not an expert, but I’d bet it’s because the pads are not made from cotton like the rest. It’s a shame that they’re not available for purchase at more stores.
My verdict: 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
4. Enya
Enya is a Malaysian brand that started growing in popularity a few years ago. With its signature holographic packaging, its sanitary pads have captured the eyes of many online.
It was also one of the few menstrual brands at the time that provided an online subscription option.
According to its website, Enya’s sanitary pads are made from 100% organic cotton topsheet, high quality airlaid paper, and 150g “super absorbency” paper.
Their products are also free of fragrances, chlorine, paraben, and toxic adhesive.
Similar to Bieu, Enya also replied to our email requesting samples to try out. The PR box they sent over was their Period Care Kit which is also available online.
There were quite a few products in it, but we narrowed it down to only two for the purposes of this review.
Products I used:
- Enya Basics 24cm (Has 10 pads for daytime or nighttime use)
- Enya Premium Mix Sizes, 24cm and 28.5cm (Has 6 pads for daytime use and 6 pads for nighttime use)
Scent: None
Cycle period: Day four
Price: Starts from RM14.90 on their website and depends on the type of sanitary pad chosen
Accessibility: Available at certain pharmacies and supermarkets in Malaysia
Review: Right off the bat, the most noticeable aspect is the thinness of Enya’s pads. I found that Enya’s products felt the most like I was wearing nothing.
In terms of performance, the Enya Basics is quite similar to the Enya Premium Mix Sizes. The only difference is the size of the sanitary pads.
It was comfortable, didn’t give me an itch or a rash, and felt light as air.
The adhesive was also stickier than Libresse’s. This helped it stay in place during the day, when I used the Enya Basics and Enya Premium Day Pads.
And this was especially helpful during the night, when I used the Enya Premium Night Pads. Like Bieu’s, it didn’t cause the usual bundle-up in my “backdoor”.
That said, my menstrual flow was quite light at this point of my cycle, so I can’t speak for its absorbency or volume intake.
My verdict: 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
-//-
Another brand that we wanted to review was Bobble which carries 100% organic cotton sanitary pads. But unfortunately, it was extremely hard to find in stores we frequented, and our email request for samples went unanswered by the team.
All in all, I would say that the brands I’ve used throughout this experiment have lived up to their claims of being sensitive-skin friendly.
I find that they’re all quite unique in their own ways, but purely out of personal preference, I’d likely pick Bieu if given the choice to stick with one.
That said, what works for me might not work for you, but hopefully my review of each will give you a starting point if you’re looking to make a switch.
- Read more reviews from us here.
