Periods are the worst—especially when you have to resort to unconventional methods because there are no other resources available. Not only is it uncomfortable and unreliable, but I’ve heard countless horror stories about leaking without realizing it, leading to feelings of embarrassment, humiliation, and stress.
The inspiration behind Pinked was seeing a video of someone struggling to find a period product dispenser after they unexpectedly started their period. They ran from place to place, only to discover that most of the dispensers were either empty or not free. Looking in the comment section, I saw that many had been in similar situations and could resonate with her feelings of vulnerability, anxiety, and embarrassment.
It made me realize how common it is for women and individuals who menstruate to face lack of access to period products, with many spaces either understocked or failing to provide them for free especially when needed the most.
Problem
Period poverty —the lack of access to period products, education, and safe spaces to feel hygienic while on your period. Many people are deprived of these resources, even though they are a basic necessity.
Solution
I designed an app called Pinked, a period resource locator that also serves as a platform for free educational resources.
I created a Google Survey and shared it with friends, family, and Reddit forums, gathering 79 responses. I designed the survey with a balanced mix of close-ended and open-ended questions to gain deeper insights and craft a narrative that complements the quantitative data. I received responses from individuals with diverse demographics and personal anecdotes, which helped broaden my perspective on the problem, which was rooted in period poverty.
Most of my respondents were aged 18–34 and from low to middle-income households, which was ideal because they represented the target demographic of my app. Here are some of the anecdotes that stood out to me.
Have you ever had difficulty accessing period products?
If so, can you describe the experience and how you handled it?
"When I couldn’t afford them, I would use paper towels, toilet paper, cut up old wash cloths. It was humiliating and those things didn’t work well so more accidental leaks happened. I would try and sneak extras out of the basket at work but there were never very many available."
- Jane Doe
55 - 64, Middle Income
- Jane Doe
18 - 24, Low Income
- Jane Doe
25 - 34, Below poverty line
- Jane Doe
18 - 24, Upper-Middle Income
After reading through the responses, I created an affinity map to organize and identify patterns from the responses.
Key Takeaways 📝
64% felt that financial strain affected their ability to access period products.
74.7% reported that they have never or rarely encountered menstrual products available in public spaces for free.
There are concerns about existing period apps regarding data privacy issues and restricted access due to paywalls.
Due to the lack of access to necessary period products, many people have been forced to resort to unhygienic or unsafe methods to maintain hygiene during their periods.
After conducting user research, I gained a clear understanding of my target audience's needs and wants. I then mapped out user flows to outline the steps users would take to find resources near them or at a given location.
I created wire flows for different tasks to get a better visual of the user flow. This helped me see how everything connects and made developing the hi-fi prototype smoother.
For Pinked, I focused on developing three key features: the option to share resources with your local community, the ability to check for resources at a given location, and free menstrual education.
One important detail that I wanted to highlight is the absence of a login system for this app. You might ask, why omit a feature that’s so common in mobile apps today? I chose not to implement a login system after my user research showed widespread concerns about data privacy with current menstrual health apps. With recent news about the selling of user data and given the rocky sociopolitical climate, I didn't want this app to feel like an invasion of privacy.
My focus for this app was to help people be able to access necessary resources, not collect their information. So, I decided it would be best for users to access the app anonymously, similar to how you search for locations on Google Maps.
Still Screens
I’ve been passionate about women’s health, especially fighting against period poverty since high school. In my background research for my high school science fair project, I was shocked to learn that nearly 1 in 4 students have struggled to afford period products in the United States. I remember working and researching for hours on my kitchen floor, where I focused on creating biodegradable, cost-efficient pads made from banana leaves and coconut husks.
Reading the responses to my survey really moved me—I didn’t expect so many kind strangers from the internet to take the time to share their unique perspectives and the hardships they’ve faced because of period poverty. As unwomen.org states, "…period poverty costs women and girls too much and it doesn't have to be this way."
In my next steps, I want to take the time to learn more about menstrual health so I can create courses and educational resources on the topic. I see this as a way to help my younger self, who lacked knowledge, and to support those who have felt pressure and stress due to misconceptions and stigma surrounding periods.
