If you haven’t already heard, period pants are big news. Not only are they better for the environment than single-use sanitary products, they’re also convenient, comfortable and work out cheaper in the long run.

Although period underwear is not exactly a new invention, the influx of stylish, modern and even sexy options is a more recent, and welcome, addition. From established brands to new and emerging names, there seems to be a new period pant launching every month.

US brand Thinx is a big player in the reusable period underwear market and is considered one of the OGs. Its collection offers a range of styles and categories, including period-proof activewear, teen specific options and postpartum underwear. As well as there being a variety of designs and absorbency types to choose from, the brand also caters from size XXS to 4X.

In our round-up of the best period pants that won’t cramp your style (excuse the pun), we rated the Thinx hiphugger lace and stretch-organic cotton period briefs highly for their comfort and style. Read on for a more in-depth review and see why we think they’re worth adding to your underwear drawer.

How we tested

Of course, there’s no better way to test period pants than to wear them on your flow. So, with that in mind, we tried the Thinx hiphugger period pants over a number of months and on varying days of our cycle.

We also tried them on days when we weren’t bleeding, just to see how they felt and if we would happily wear them on non-period days. It was also important to us to try the pants in a variety of situations, from socialising, exercising to wearing them overnight, to see how they fared. Another key consideration was how easy it was to wash and dry them, plus seeing how well the materials and design tolerated it.

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Thinx hiphugger period underwear

Rating: 8.5/10

Materials: Polyamide, elastane, organic cotton and polyester
Absorbency options: Two options – moderate or super
Sizing options: XXS to 4X

Design

With so much choice in styles, you’re pretty sure to find a design you like in Thinx’s vast catalogue. Although we’re a fan of its latest option: a fun blue houndstooth print, we focused on one of its classics: the hiphugger, which are available in five colours and one print. We got our hands on the product in beige and another in a dark lilac colourway named “dusk”. Generally, there is an increasing amount of choice now when it comes to the palette and prints offered up for period pants (which more often than not in the past, were always black) but we appreciate that Thinx has been promoting a mix of colours for a while. Its beige hiphuggers are a great choice for under lighter clothing, and in our opinion it’s always nice to open up an underwear drawer and be greeted with a range of hues – period pants or not.

Arriving in a biodegradable plastic packet, our first impression of the hiphuggers was that they seemed stylish, smart and practical. The full-coverage fit is great for those worried about leaks, with the high waist finish offering an added feeling of security. We’re fans of the soft lace waistband – thankfully it doesn’t feel scratchy at all – plus, it adds a touch of sexiness to the design. The gusset, which feels quite compact, smooth and lightweight, is made from a mix of layers and materials including Oeko-Tex certified organic cotton, elastane and polyester. There are also two choices of absorbency for the hiphuggers: moderate and super. We tested the hiphuggers in the moderate absorbency, which can hold up to three regular tampons’ worth.

Performance

Well, we know that the Thinx hiphuggers certainly look the part, but how well do they perform? We’ve said it many a time: as well as looking and feeling good, it’s absolutely vital for period pants to deliver on absorbency and freshness.

For the best way to rate the pants on their performance, we chose to wear the Thinx hiphuggers on various days over a number of months. Sometimes we wore them on non-period days as well as trying them out on different days of our flow. As mentioned, we chose to test the hiphuggers in the moderate absorbency, which can hold up to three regular tampons’ worth. They worked well on light and moderate flow days – we were impressed by how fresh they kept us feeling despite having quite a lightweight pad. We also didn’t experience any leaks, which is obviously great news. Of course, on heavier days we’d opt for something a bit more substantial as these aren’t designed for that. Luckily, Thinx produces the same design in a super absorbency, which can hold up to five tampons’ worth (£30.28, Shethinx.com).

Coming up slightly higher on the waist, thanks to the elasticated mesh waistband, the hiphuggers feel smooth, comfortable and secure. Thankfully, the high waist and elasticated mesh waistband mean they stay nicely in place too, without digging in or rolling. Elastane in the body fabric also allows for stretch.

As well as wearing well and being comfortable, we like the fact that the pants washed really well. It might not sound like a big issue, but some period underwear can be bulky (meaning it takes an age to dry) or don’t look as fresh as they did after a few sessions in the washing machine. Happily, we can say that our Thinx hiphuggers look like brand new, even months down the line. Given that the hiphuggers were one of the priciest period pant options in our best period pants round-up, it’s good to see that their performance and longevity reflects this.

The verdict: Thinx hiphugger period underwear

You can see why the hiphuggers are one of Thinx’s bestselling period underwear styles. Simply put, they deliver what they promise. Comfortable, sleek and of great quality, they’re a period underwear staple worth having in your underwear drawer. We were impressed by their design, smooth feel, absorbency and how well they fared even after months of wear and washing. They might be on the pricier side, but we’d say it’s worth investing in a pair if you can. Plus, there are some fab colours and a wide range of styles and sizes to choose from, which is to be applauded.

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