Tampons made easy: Meet Lola, the 100 percent cotton tampons that come through a subscription service of your (period’s) dreams.

If you’ve ever wondered what tampons are made of, you’re not alone: After Jordana Kier and Alex Friedman searched for answers and came up empty, they decided to launch Lola—a customizable subscription service that sells tampons made of 100 percent cotton. Period.

“The more we started doing research around the ingredients and what was actually in the products, the more we realized we couldn’t figure it out,” Kier told Elle. “It’s hard to know what the composition is because cotton supply changes every single year, and nobody has to say what the breakdown is.”

The company, which launched last week, has our ovaries all aflutter. Besides the tampons themselves being made of body-friendly cotton, the applicators are made of BPA-free, recyclable plastic. And you know that thing where you buy a variety pack of tampons, only to be left with too many “super” and not enough “light”? Lola puts the kibosh on that too, giving you the option to customize your order based on your flow.

Each box comes with 18 tampons in the absorbencies of your choosing (a mixture of light, regular, and super), and you can choose to receive your subscription on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. If you need to make adjustments to your order—for example, skip a month or pause your subscription entirely—you can do so and not have to worry about additional service charges.

The service only costs $10 per box or $18 for two with free shipping anywhere in the U.S. New subscribers can score a two-box order for only $9! So really, what’s not to love? You’ll be doing your body and the environment a solid, while putting your tampon shopping on auto-pilot. (Translation: no more awkward emergency outings at three in the morning.)

Best of all, Lola is relatable. Instead of the too-pink, too-floral boxes and the annoying commercials of women twirling in white dresses, Lola cuts the crap: The tampons are delivered in chic, minimalist packaging that’s classy enough to leave out in the open—because while getting your period is no biggie, it’d be nice if the packaging didn’t scream “MENSIES!” to everyone who enters your bathroom.

And if you’re not a big fan of tampons, don’t fret: Word is Lola is planning to expand into other feminine hygiene products in the future. Cha. Ching.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about tampons?

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Tampon image via Shutterstock

The post 100 Percent Cotton Tampons Take the Suckiness Out of Getting Your Period appeared first on EcoSalon.

New research reveals you’re more likely to develop healthier eating habits through reading positive health messages.

We see health messages and warnings everywhere: Magazine ads, commercials, not to mention articles (you know, like this one). They range from downright terrifying, like cigarette warnings that could easily inspire a horror movie, to bright and cheery, like Kelly Ripa telling you to brush with Colgate—and when it comes to improving your eating habits, you’re more likely to follow through when those messages are positive or gain-framed, say researchers.

A recent study from Cornell Food & Brand Lab analyzed 63 nutrition education studies to determine who is more likely to be impacted by positive versus negative health messages, and why. They found while evoking fear may seem like a good way to get your point across, the opposite is true: Telling the public a behavior will help them be healthier and happier is more effective than trying to scare them into healthier habits.

The majority of health messages today (in other words, the negative ones) impact health care professionals more than the general public—but why? According to Brian Wansink, Ph.D., Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, there are a few reasons:

1. We aren’t as involved in the issue
When you’re super-knowledgeable about healthy eating habits – like say, you’re a nutritionist – you’ll be more motivated by a negative- or loss-based message. The general public may not have that deep-rooted passion for the cause like a professional does, and therefore may respond better to messages that provide clear, actionable steps that leave them feeling motivated.

2. We prefer a positive outcome (obvi)
Of course we prefer a positive outcome—who wants to spend their day waiting for an anvil to fall on their head? Why would we strive for a future at all if it wasn’t a better one? We’re not about burying our heads in the sand though: Researchers found when a positive outcome is a sure thing, gain-framed messages are best (such as “you’ll live 5 years longer if you exercise more”), but loss-framed messages work best when a negative outcome is certain (such as “sitting will kill you“).

3. We thrive on facts and certainty
“When claims appear factual and convincing, positive messages tend to work best,” Wansink said in a statement. “If a person believes that eating soy will extend their life by reducing their risk of heart disease, a positive message stating this is best.” If they’re not as convinced, that’s when a negative message (such as “people who don’t eat soy have a higher rate of heart disease”) will have more impact.

As someone who sucks at the whole healthy eating habits thing, I can honestly say I’m more pumped to eat a carrot when I’m told about the wonderful things carrots do for my body, as opposed to being told how not eating them will make my eyes fall out.

So when you’re in need of some added motivation to improve your eating habits or hop on that treadmill, seek out articles or clips on the positive impact these changes will have on your life and you’ll be more likely to stick to them. You don’t need to terrify yourself into doing anything: That’s what CNN is for.

How are you improving your eating habits?

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: Healthy eating photo via Shutterstock

The post Want to Improve Your Eating Habits? Then Focus on the Positive appeared first on EcoSalon.