Thankfully, a revolution in the world of feminine hygiene is finally here. New technology and a shake-up in the way we approach menstruation has led to a raft of new (and often female-owned) brands working tirelessly to deliver period products to better suit our lifestyles and our bodies.

“The way people manage their menstrual health has, until recently, been limited,” says Nikki Michelsen, co-founder of organic tampon delivery service OHNE. “Now, women are starting their own brands and designing their own products, the period industry as a whole is a far more exciting place.”

This comes hand in hand with period shame being dismantled. At last, menstrual pad adverts have largely stopped using blue fluid as a stand-in for blood when demonstrating absorbency. Protests are triggered if social media censors a photo of someone’s period blood. When poet Rupi Kaur first posted an image of menstrual blood leaking through her trousers in 2015 it was removed by Instagram for violating its community standards. The ensuing outcry and Kaur’s complaint that, “Their patriarchy is leaking. Their misogyny is leaking. We will not be censored,” led to the image being reinstated and ushered in a new era of more open attitudes towards menstruation.

Period tech: we try the innovative new period products worth knowing about