Tampon Applicator vs 100% Organic Cotton Tampons: which is safer?

Natracare 100% Organic Cotton Tampons is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Aunt Flow Tampon Applicator

Aunt Flow

Tampon Applicator

PFAS grade

Excellent 95/100

Overall grade

Excellent 91/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 1

Material

cardboard tube applicator, plastic handle

Confidence

82%

PossibleContamination from unsterilized or improperly manufactured plastic handle

Our pick

Natracare 100% Organic Cotton Tampons

Natracare

100% Organic Cotton Tampons

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 96/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 1

Material

100% organic cotton

Confidence

88%

PossibleHeavy metals in pigments or cotton processing

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Contamination from unsterilized or improperly manufactured plastic handle on the Aunt Flow and not on the Natracare.
  • We flag Heavy metals in pigments or cotton processing on the Natracare and not on the Aunt Flow.
  • The Aunt Flow is cardboard tube applicator, plastic handle where the Natracare is 100% organic cotton, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are 5 points apart, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More tampons, see the full ranking