Bodyform Micro > Reviews (3)

I first came across Bodyform Micro last summer when I was about to go on a holiday which required me to pack two weeks’ worth of luggage into a very tiny bag. My Mum saw them on the shelf in Tesco’s, branded as “The world’s smallest pantyliner” and bought me some to try.

They cost £2.19 in Boots or Tescos, but I picked some up in Wilkinson’s recently for £1.79. They come in a little translucent blue “capsule”, which is less than 4 inches long and would easily fit into a handbag or weekendtoiletry bag. Its innocuous appearance means it would not be an earth shattering embarrassment if it happened to fall out of your bag in a public place, and it has a flat end which means it will stand happily on your dressing table or bathroom shelf. It has a hinged opening which is good quality and has so far not failed me on any packet! You’ll easily recognise them on the shelf, as the contours of the packaging mean they cannot be stacked like other brands of feminine hygiene product, so have their own little display box where they sit cosily in little indentations – a bit like little eggs in an egg box!

Each capsule contains 22 liners. They are around 3 inches long, and 1.5 inches wide at their widest point. The shape is hard to describe, but reminds me of a very elongated egg!

Like many women, I find that there are a few days each month where I need a little extra protection, and had in the past always used conventional pantyliners, but had often found them to be uncomfortable, restrictive and rather too mobile for my liking, with the adhesive often not going right to the edge of the liner, hence they would not stay put. This was especially a problem for me as I do a lot of exercise, and my pantyliner would often end up in a concertina at the end of my workout. I also had the added problem that I often to wear thong style underwear. I had tried various makes of “G string” pantyliner, but found them unbearably uncomfortable, with the thin end coming unstuck after about five minutes and causing unpleasant chafing in places where you really don’t want any sort of chafing at all!

So, these little miracles turned out to be the answer to my prayers! Not just because I like anything that’s a miniature version of something else, as I invariably think they’re really cute, but also because they do have some definite functional advantages! Firstly, they stay put (you will realise this as soon as you first remove the backing from one, as you need to slide your fingernail under the edge to get hold of it)! The adhesive goes right to the edge, so there’s no chance of any part of it lifting up and coming adrift. Also, as they are so small, they don’t protrude out the side of your underwear, which not only means they are more likely to stay where they are supposed to, but also you can happily wear them in any situation where you are likely to be seen in just your undies – for example getting changed at the gym or swimming pool. You could even get away with removing your knickers (I won’t give an example of when you might be doing this!

) and, so long as they were white, it is unlikely that the liner would be noticed as it is so small – hence removing the need for any last minute dashes to the loo (you know what I mean, ladies?!) It is plenty small enough to be worn with even the tiniest of thongs and I have never felt uncomfortable whilst wearing it.

Once concern that I did have was that the liner would be too small to be, shall we say, fit for purpose. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover that it really does seem to have been designed with women’s every need in mind, the liner being almost exactly the right size and shape to serve its purpose on what I’d describe as an “average” day of the month! The only slight caution I would add is that the liner does need to be carefully positioned – this comes with practice, and it will only take a couple of incorrectly positioned ones for you to realise exactly where you do need to be placing it!

I would recommend Bodyform Micro to anyone who wears pantyliners as protection for normal light discharge in between periods. It would not be suitable as protection on its own for any heavier discharge, as it is more of a shield than an absorbent pad, but is also ideal to wear for extra peace of mind along with tampons during your period.

My only complaint about the product is that the packaging seems a little bit wasteful. Bodyform would be able to improve the product by selling larger quantities in normal boxes so that you could just refill your plastic holder for travel or handbag use, and keep a supply at home, without having to buy a new plastic holder each time.