Kali Organic Tampons Subscription Box Review

My monthly cycle routine has been hugely overhauled over the past year. I got tired of using chemical-filled and plastic applicator tampons. So earlier this year I switched to a zero-waste menstrual cup and never look back. It was amazing! However, I found that occasionally there were times that my Lunette Cup was more than I needed and wished to use a simple tampon again. With a search of my local Whole Foods, surprisingly I didn’t find any organic tampons that fit my requirements. One day while browsing my Instagram feed, I came across Kathryn’s post about these organic tampons by Kali that were 100% backyard compostable. I just had to test them out and see if they really were that good.

Not only does Kali provide organic tampons, they truly provide much more as a subscription box.  I never got sucked into the trend of monthly subscription boxes so I’m not sure Kali would have otherwise come to my attention. The neat thing about the Kali subscription is that you can order it every month or every two months. You can cancel or skip a shipment any time!

When I received my first Kali box it came in a wonderfully unadorned box. All it said was “Kali” having no indication it was menstrual products. It ships in its own box with no additional shipping materials, which I love for the zero-waste factor. Since it is far nicer to receive this package in the mail than going to a store to find everything you need, especially if you’ve run out unexpectedly. What sets Kali apart from any company that ships organic tampons by mail is that I received lots of other useful monthly goodies in my box. If you’re just expecting basic menstrual products, you will be getting a lot more out of this box.

What Do You Receive Each Month?

Recently Kali began offering organic pads as an option instead of organic tampons. So you now have your choice of both, though you can’t mix them both. I receive 14 organic tampons – 7 regular absorbency and 7 super absorbency.  I had many left over after my cycle ended, since I wasn’t strictly using them, . You can also order your box with 16 organic pads and the option of half regular and half super absorbency. For both tampons and pads you can also order an entire box of one type of absorbency if you prefer. Having so many ways to customize your Kali box is amazing. You get exactly what you want with no wasted products you have no use for.

Kali takes its customer feedback very seriously. They listened to what customer needs were and have recently began offering organic panty liners in their boxes. Panty liners are now supplied in every order automatically, there is no need to request them.  The great zero-waste part about them is that they come unwrapped, no wasteful plastic cover that just gets thrown away.

Another item that comes standard with every Kali order are 10 organic wipettes.  They are individually wrapped and made with organic cotton.  The wipes are parabens and sulfate-free too. Though the wipes are wrapped in plastic, there is a certain level of zero-waste trash that I believe is necessary to live comfortably.

If by now you believed you were getting an amazing period package, you’re right! Kali makes it even better by including 1 rotating pampering product. The month that I received my Kali box, I received “The Mist” as my rotating product. It is an all natural rosewater spray and toner. For me, the best part of this product is that it came in a glass bottle. Glass is far more recyclable than any plastic bottle they could have sent. Once this spray is used up, I plan to repurpose it to create my own room spray with essential oils.

What Were the Results?

It is so great to know that I have an organic alternative when I can’t or don’t want to use my Lunette Cup. So lets get into the details, since you’re wondering how all these organic products work for me.

Organic Tampons

I found the paper applicator and wrapper easy to crush and recycle. Applicator and wrapper are easily compostable in your home compost pile with no problem. Before using these organic tampons, I was using up some Whole Foods 365 tampons I purchased by mistake. I had thought they were actually organic being the Whole Foods house brand. Well, those were really terrible tampons. The applicator kept separating when I used it. I kind of thought that was how all paper applicators were, glad I was wrong. Kali’s paper applicators stayed together and were easy to use, just as good as the plastic ones.

Kali offers two different absorbency sizes for their organic tampons and pads. Since I’ve always dealt with a heavier flow, I opted to use the tampons towards the end of my cycle during lighter days. The regular absorbency was good during my light days. The super absorbency was good during my heavier flow days, as one would figure is the case.

Panty Liners

I tried the panty liners just to see how absorbent they were, since I prefer a little extra protection to help avoid staining. I would recommend the panty liners only for your very light days. Mostly when you don’t think you would leak through them, as they can’t hold very much. I wouldn’t suggest these for catching any substantial leaks. I personally use Seventh Generation Ultra Thin Pad as extra leak protection when needed. Maybe Kali can add an option for panty liners or ultra thin pads in future boxes. As I don’t see myself getting too much use out of panty liners since they are so thin.

It’s good that the panty liners don’t have that wasteful plastic envelope around them, but the lack of that envelope also creates a problem. That silly envelope gives me a sense of the liner being clean and sterile. When I add it to my toiletry bag and it isn’t covered, I would worry about the other items leaking on it. Maybe I just need to create my own reusable divider/envelope to keep them protected.

Bonus Item

I didn’t manage to use the wipettes or spray this month but can tell the spray would be wonderfully refreshing since it smells so fresh. Your face will feel moisturized and awake as soon as you use it. Or use it on your body after a warm shower. With the wipe option to feel “clean down there” in my box, it can certainly help boost my confidence when you might not feel so great physically during that time of the month.

Overall Thoughts

• It might cost a bit more than your non-organic monthly routine, but is so worth it to care for your body free of harsh chemicals.
• I wish I could customize my box even more. Lessen or eliminate the wipettes if I didn’t need as many the next month. Less wasteful to not have items coming in that I wouldn’t use.
• Offering this service in a monthly and bi-monthly basis is great for all different lifestyles.
• The options for your box easily fits your life, give them a try.

If you live somewhere that doesn’t stock the organic monthly items you should be using, this box is a great alternative to searching all the stores.  Kali subscription boxes have impressed me, since all of the items are useful and are full size products. No sample sizes here!

Check out Kali’s subscription options and see which are the best for your eco-lifestyle.