Next time you’re walking down the personal care aisle, try this fun game: Compare the price of a razor marketed to men versus the same razor marketed to women. What will you discover? If you aren’t at a CVS, you’ll probably notice that the women’s razor can often cost about 25 percent more than the men’s razor.
This “game” (that nobody wins, but especially not people who identify as women) exposes what’s known as the “pink tax,” which is the tendency for products marketed to women to cost more than similar products that are marketed to men.
Think that sounds unfair? So does CVS Health®, which is why the brand recently announced that it’s taking a stand against the pink tax, the menstrual tax, and other inequalities when it comes to products and services marketed to women and for people with periods.
Here’s the scoop: CVS will be reducing the price of CVS Health store brand period products by 25 percent, lowering the price of other store brand products, and ensuring fair pricing for comparable men’s and women’s health products such as razors and shaving cream, among other initiatives.
What’s more, CVS has pledged to cover the cost of the “menstrual tax” on all menstrual products sold in stores across twelve states and is partnering with national organizations to work to eliminate the menstrual tax nationwide. (Because ICYMI: the average menstruating person spends $17,000 on their period over a lifetime.)
“It sends a message that women’s health and women’s needs are valued and important,” says board certified women’s health physical therapist Marcy Crouch, DPT. “Having a period is normal and healthy, and there should be zero shame or embarrassment surrounding periods, and all products should be easily accessible and affordable.”
So now, instead of scouring the shelves for the most fairly priced products next time you’re in the personal care aisle (what kind of shopping experience is that, really?), you can trust that all the products on CVS’s shelves are high-quality wellness essentials at prices that actually make sense. Because after all, “women’s razors” are just razors—and it’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
Keep scrolling for a few CVS products you can feel good about purchasing.
Beauty 360 Blissfully Smooth 5-Blade Razor — $9.00
A razor that removes hair oh-so-close to the skin without costing a fortune? Ground breaking. But really, this five-blade razor—which gets that extra smooth glide from shea butter, vitamin E, and cocoa butter—is what your shower routine has been looking all over the men’s section for.
CVS Health Menstrual Cup — $21.00
Dealing with that time of the month is already a headache (err, stomachache?), so stock up on your period essentials ahead of time. This reusable menstrual cup provides the ideal level of protection from leaks—not to mention they’re eco-friendly, which is an added wellness bonus.
CVS Health Maxi Pads with Wings — $4.00
These overnight maxi pads feature a cotton-like cover to help ensure maximum absorption, plus they have extra large wings so you feel clean and secure throughout the entire night.
CVS Health Long Pantiliners — $4.00
With a soft, cloth-like covering to help keep you feeling clean and dry, along with an adhesive strip to hold firmly in place, these discreet liners were designed for your busy, everyday life—sans any stress over the little leaks that happen from time to time.
CVS Health Plastic Tampons — $6.00
Round out your period-product drawer with these high-quality tampons, which help provide all the leak protection and comfort you could ask for, while only ringing up a six-dollar CVS bill. Menstrual tax, who?
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