Box of 8 Playtex deodorant tampons, Super, with new plastic applicator

Box of 8 Playtex deodorant tampons, Super, "Nouveau! avec l'applicateur Applidoux", "Les Premiers Tampons Deodorants", International Playtex Inc., made in USA for Playtex France, 1977-1980

Scented tampons were first introduced in the mid-1940s, playing on fears that even wearing ‘internal protection’ wouldn’t prevent unpleasant odours from revealing you were menstruating.

Even though menstrual fluid has no smell until it is exposed to air, Playtex – keen to have the edge over market-leader Tampax – launched its own deodorant tampons in 1971, swiftly followed by domed-tipped plastic applicators from or around 1973.

As well as reinforcing shame and social stigma, scented period products contain chemicals that can disrupt the vagina’s natural pH balance, potentially leading to irritation or infection. After receiving complaints from Planned Parenthood, Playtex added a warning label advising consumers to discontinue use and seek medical attention if they experienced irritation.

Scented tampons were largely withdrawn from the US market in 2021-22, although they continue to be sold in other countries.

This example was originally donated by Tambrands archive to the Museum of Menstruation and Women’s Health (MUM). The MUM collection was founded by American graphic designer Harry Finley, after he was struck by the differences between European and North American approaches to marketing menstrual products. The former, he noticed, tended to be more candid, while euphemisms and floral imagery proliferated in US advertisements and product packaging. This pack produced for the French market adopts a red colour scheme, which was unusual on the other side of the Atlantic.