There are pros and cons to all period products! It's nice to know that you have a lot of options when it comes to finding products to help you with your period:
Liners: A thin and absorbent (usually disposable) piece of absorbent material that sticks to your underwear. These can be useful for days of light flow, or can be used with a tampon/cup to protect against leaking.
Pads: Thick napkins that stick to your underwear to catch your menstrual blood. Pads come in different thicknesses and sizes, so you can find the most comfortable option.
Tampons: A small plug made of cotton that is inserted into the vagina and catches blood. Tampons also come in different shapes and sizes.
Cups: A soft and bendable cup made of medical-grade silicone, latex, or rubber. It sits in your vagina, and is held in place by your vaginal muscles, which the cup naturally suctions to without any extra effort required on your part. Cups also come in different sizes, so you can find what fits best in your vagina.
Underwear: Period underwear is made of a special material to securely absorb period blood. They are worn just like normal underwear, and can be used independently or with other period products to prevent leakage.
Some pros of period cups include:
you can usually keep them in for up to 12 hours, which is much longer than you can keep in pads and tampons
they are pretty affordable, because you only have to pay once for the cup, and then the cup will last you 2-5 years, depending on the brand!
it helps you cut down on period waste since you reuse the same cup, instead of throwing away pads and tampons
Some difficulties with period cups may include:
it can be difficult to insert or remove until you get the hang of it
cleaning it out in a public restroom can be hard, because you do have to wash it with unscented soap and water before putting it back in
See more information about types of period products, as well as information on inserting, removing, and cleaning period cups here! https://www.violetproject.org/menstrual-health