What is a menstrual cup?

Menstrual cups are a period product— a funnel-shaped, flexible, silicone cup you insert into the vagina. Instead of absorbing menstrual fluid, it catches or collects blood, which can then be emptied. Menstrual cups hold more blood than other methods, and can be kept in up to 12 hours.

Check out our guide on How to use it

Things to note: Make sure to wash your hands before inserting/removing. Fold the cup and insert. If you struggle with a certain fold, try others! To help it settle into place when inserting; pinch the base, rotate 360 and squeeze your pelvic floor a couple of times. After insertion, run a finger around the cup rim to ensure there is no longer a bulge from the fold, then rotate and/or pull gently to verify suction. It doesn’t matter how high up you put it as long as 1. It’s comfortable. And 2. It does the job (Eg. Doesn’t leak).

Check out our guide on How to use it

It’s important to break the seal before removing (do this by pinching the base or using a finger to push one side inwards). If you can’t reach it you can bear down to help ease it closer to the opening but do so gently and not for prolonged periods of time

To sanitize your Vampire Shot Glass boil it for 5 minutes prior to use at the beginning of each cycle. To clean in between uses use a mild fragrance free soap or sex toy cleaner and warm water, and please make sure your cup doesn’t have any soap on it before inserting it. To minimize risk of contamination, thoroughly dry the cup and store in a ventilated container between uses.

If you can feel it, it might be in wrong (probably too low)! Every body is different so this can feel different from person to person.

It can take a few cycles (periods) to get the hang of it - most people have it down after 3 periods.

Do not exceed 12 hours of use without emptying your cup to help prevent TSS

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is a potentially fatal disease caused by a toxin emitted from a common bacteria. Although very rare, it’s possible to contract TSS while using a cup. You can reduce the risk of TSS by boiling your cup at the start of each cycle, washing your hands with soap and water before handling the cup, emptying the cup on a more frequent basis, and thoroughly washing the cup after emptying. Symptoms of TSS include a sudden fever (102°F or higher) and vomiting, diarrhea, fainting or near fainting when standing up, dizziness, or a rash that looks like a sunburn. If these symptoms appear, remove the cup and immediately seek medical attention. If you have difficulty removing the cup and it has been inside your body for more than 12 hours, immediately seek medical attention to assist in removal to reduce the risk of TSS

Yes and No. Gender is a social construct, meaning gender is what we make it. Some women menstruate, so YES Vampire Shot Glass is for them. Some women don’t menstruate or have uteri so they don't need The Vampire Shot Glass. The Vampire Shot Glass specifically has transgender, non-binary, genderfluid, agender, etc, people in mind. Some people experience gender dysphoria when they menstruate which society has pushed as a feminine act— especially when buying period products. Most pad, tampons, and menstrual cups are targeted for women. The Vampire Shot Glass menstrual cup is meant for anyone who menstruates.

How is The Vampire Shot Glass different? Structurally, not much is different. It’s made out of soft medical grade silicone (specifically liquid silicone rubber) manufactured and tested in the US. Each Vampire Shot Glass has ridges at the bottom to make it easier to grab and pull out. It has small pin sized holes at the top so it doesn’t create a vacuum to the cervix. We are offering 3 sizes, which is a little different than most brands. But the difference is in the education! While a lot of period products market their brand toward women we focus our efforts towards people who menstruate. And with a queer sex educator as our CEO we want to hone in on education and inspire a new wave of menstrual cup users to try eco friendly period products.