Embrace a healthier & happier period with Sparkle!
Most conventional pads contain a large amount of petrochemical-based plastics, synthetic super absorbent polymers (SAPs), dyes, and artificial fragrances that may cause rashes, irritations, and allergic reactions.
Sparkle pads do not contain conventional plastics (no polypropylene or polyethylene in the top sheet, core, or back sheet), synthetic superabsorbents (sodium polyacrylate), artificial fragrances, deodorants, dyes, chlorine bleach, latex, parabens, formaldehyde, dioxins, or chloroform.
With a feather-soft top layer made from cellulose fibers, an absorbent core made with sustainable plant cellulose, and a leak-proof bottom layer made from plant starch, Sparkle pads are kind to your body and gentle to our beautiful planet.
Plant-based Pads
USDA Certified Biobased pads crafted with plant-based ingredients.
No chlorine bleach. No dyes. No fragrances.
Dermatologist-Tested and Hypoallergenic
Sparkle plant-based pads have earned the 5-star seal from Dermatest®, which means that no relevant skin reactions (i.e., potential for skin irritations) were detected from a clinical-dermatological point of view.
During the clinical application study, all test participants used Sparkle products several times every day for over 2 menstrual cycles during a test period of about 8 weeks.
From a dermatological point of view, the tested Sparkle pads exhibited no high potential for skin irritations and sensitizations when used as intended; neither intolerance reactions in terms of skin irritation nor allergic reactions (contact dermatitis) were detected.
No Conventional Plastics
Problem: Conventional sanitary pads contain plastics and petrochemical by-products throughout every layer. The top sheet and core typically contain polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), or other synthetic fibers. The back film is typically made from polyethylene (PE). The problem with plastic is that it’s not breathable - it can create a sweaty and humid environment near your most intimate areas.
Solution: At Sparkle, we believe that your personal care products should let your skin breathe all day. We designed our pads by replacing the conventional plastic from different layers with sustainable ingredients so that your pads do not cause you any kind of discomfort.
No Perfumes or Dyes
Problem: Many conventional brands use blue/purple dyes and designs to make your pad look more 'feminine' and 'pretty'. They also use artificial fragrances, which could subliminally signal to you that you need to disguise the fact that you are on your period (which is, after all, a natural process). These perfumes and dyes can make your skin feel itchy and uncomfortable.
Solution: Sparkle pads do not contain any synthetic dyes or artificial fragrances. We think that vaginas should be allowed to smell exactly the way they are, and that it is unnecessary to expose your skin to chemicals. We also feel that there is no need to use synthetic dyes because we don’t think periods are 'unhygienic' or 'unclean', or that they need to be masked with pretty 'feminine' designs.
No Synthetic Superabsorbents
Problem: The absorbent core of conventional sanitary pads contains super absorbent polymers (SAPs). Traditional SAPs are made from sodium polyacrylate polymers, which are derived from petrochemical by-products. Pads that are full of SAPs (which have unnecessarily high-absorbency capacities), can dry out your skin by wicking moisture from it, causing irritation. Many brands use synthetic SAPs to make pads long-lasting, which leads to you forgetting to change them, which, in turn, unhygienically promotes the growth of unwanted bacteria.
Solution: The absorbent core of Sparkle pads is made using a porous fiber network of natural, sustainable, and renewable cellulose fibers which effectively lock away the menstrual fluid.
Tampons made with Certified Organic Cotton
100% GOTS certified organic cotton tampons wrapped individually in paper.
Made without chlorine bleach, pesticides or fragrances.
Tampons made with an Organic Cotton Security Veil to Prevent Fiber Loss
Problem: Depending on how conventional tampons are designed and which fibers are used to manufacture these tampons, loose fibers can get disentangled and shed inside your vagina, which may lead to growth of unwanted bacteria and irritation. Most conventional tampons (and even some organic tampons), use a security veil made from polypropylene (a petrochemical-based plastic) to prevent fiber shedding.
Solution: Sparkle tampons are made using 100% GOTS Certified organic cotton fibres and are wrapped in an organic cotton security veil to ensure our tampons aren’t prone to fiber loss.
FAQ
You start by looking at the ingredients list on the packaging. If they have mentioned anything along the lines of “absorbent gel”, “gel technology”, “super absorbent polymers”, or “sodium polyacrylate”, it means that their pads contain synthetic super absorbent polymers (SAPs), which are crude oil derivatives.
If they have NOT included a complete list of ingredients on their packaging, you can reach out to their Customer Care Department and put in a request for a full ingredient list so that you can make an informed purchase decision as a consumer.
If you do not get satisfactory answers and would like to take the matter into your own hands, you can try the following method. Well, you will be sacrificing one pad in the name of science, but at least you will find your answers. Just take one pad, cut the pad in half from the center using a regular pair of scissors, and pour half a glass of water on the pad.
If you see gel formation, you have successfully identified the synthetic super absorbent polymers (SAPs), which are crude oil derivatives. A rule of thumb is that the more gel you see, the higher the amount of synthetic superabsorbents used.
When crude oil is distilled at oil refineries, naphtha and additional by-products are obtained. One of these by-products called propylene is used to make acrylic acid, which is then used to create sodium polyacrylate, a synthetic superabsorbent polymer (SAP). Most commercially available superabsorbent hydrogels are cross-linked sodium polyacrylates.
Besides being non-biodegradable, these synthetic superabsorbents are also not renewable by nature.
You can start by looking at the ingredient list on the packaging. If they have mentioned “polyethylene (PE)” or “polypropylene (PP)”, it means that their pads contain conventional petrochemical-based plastics. These synthetic plastics do not break down for over 500 years after disposal and continue to pollute our planet for centuries.
If they have not included the complete list of ingredients on their packaging, you can reach out to their Customer Care Department; all it takes from your side is you requesting more information about their ingredients so that you can make an informed purchase decision for your next cycle.
You probably might feel like you're losing a lot of blood during your period, but in reality, the total amount of blood lost during an average period cycle is around 60 ml (about 3-4 tablespoons) over 5-6 days.
Most gynecologists recommend changing your pad every 4-6 hours to avoid the growth of unwanted bacteria. Now, you can choose any pad based on how your flow is, but the truth is, you simply don’t require a period pad that can absorb 100 ml to 150 ml of fluid.
We have all seen those marketing videos where they pour a glass full of 100 ml or 150 ml of blue water onto a sanitary pad to test the absorbency.
This is not the right way to test pad absorbency scientifically and there are 2 reasons for this:
Firstly, water and menstrual fluid are very different in nature (both from chemical composition as well as viscosity point of view) - therefore testing a sanitary pad with water is not the right way to test its absorbency.
Secondly, the reason that conventional sanitary pads can absorb large amounts of test fluid/colored water (as typically shown in ads) is that they all contain synthetic super absorbent polymers (SAPs) in their absorbent cores. Traditional SAPs are made from sodium polyacrylate polymers which are derived from petrochemical by-products. In a nutshell, if any pad brand claims that their pads have "exceptionally" high absorbencies, there's a very good chance that the amount of synthetic SAPs they might be using is equally high.
Therefore, don’t fall for marketing traps that involve showing a person pour a full glass of water onto a pad to showcase its "high absorbency". Pads that are full of SAPs (which have unnecessarily high-absorbency capacities), can dry out your skin by wicking moisture from it, causing irritation.
Did you know that around 60% of menstruators still wear the wrong-sized pads (which can lead to leaks and an uncomfortable period experience)? Choosing the right size (and absorbency capacity) of your pads can help prevent leakages.
Day 1 & 2:
Sparkle Regular Pads (9.45 inches) are perfect for light-flow days and for when your period is just starting or ending.
If you experience heavy flow on the first two days, you can try Sparkle Super Pads (11.02 inches) during the day, and Overnight Pads (12.60 inches) during the night.
Day 3 & 4:
During medium-flow days, you can try Sparkle Super Pads.
Day 5 & 6:
If you have light-flow days towards the end of your cycle, you can try Sparkle Regular Pads and then switch to Incredibly Thin Panty Liners (6.10 inches) during the last day if/when you have some spotting.
In between periods:
Sparkle Incredibly Thin Panty Liners are super thin and flexible, making them the perfect choice for light bleeding or daily vaginal discharge.
Our unique rapid fluid distribution channels help transfer the fluid across the entire length of the pad.
Sparkle pads are designed with advanced stay-in-place wings so that they can easily wrap around your underwear and stay there; with wide adhesive strips on the wings and the back of the pad, we have created a pad that does not move while it’s in use.
