JUST Pads Review: Pros & Cons of This Walmart Cleaner Labeled Option (2023)

One of my passions is finding cleaner, less toxic options for everyone to use for themselves and their family. No one should be subject to harmful chemicals. And budget should certainly not be a barrier or punishment.

As an avid Target and Walmart shopper, I am over the moon about the cleaner labeled options showing up on the shelves. When it comes to feminine care, the options are quickly growing.

I spoke about the need to switch to non/less toxic period products in this post and also in this one. And while I’m somewhat fond of menstrual cups (click here to find out more about my collection), I understand that they are not for everyone. I totally get it.

That’s why I’ve been keeping my eye out for pads and tampons in the clean, less/non toxic and organic period products aisle. I shared my excitement during a visit to Target which I filmed here.

During one of my Walmart runs, I came across the JUST PERIOD Pads and picked them up to review them.

Here are the Pros & Cons of the JUST PADS available at Walmart:

Pros

#1. Less Toxic Ingredients

When it comes to the cleaner labeled life, you can generally expect for the the price tag to be increasingly more jaw dropping as the ingredients get fewer and simpler.

But, a balance was struck with these JUST PADS. They do not have dyes, fragrances, or chlorine bleaching. All 3 of these ingredients are used in the production of many of the most popular feminine products found on the shelves. The research on the potential negative effects of each of these are well established and growing. I will share the science in an upcoming post so stay tuned.

Though there are other chemicals found in popular feminine products we should be mindful of, it’s best to avoid these 3 at the very least.

#2. Affordable

One of the biggest barriers to converting others to using more natural products is the cost. In general, they are more expensive.

But, I challenge folks to think about it differently. Over time, the inclusion of potentially harmful ingredients has enabled companies to lower prices. Companies know most of us are budget conscious. In fact, that is the purchasing motivation for the vast majority of us.

Once I started reading labels, I became infuriated. Eventually I changed my priorities and budget to allow for cleaner labeled purchases. In turn, my clothing budget significantly decreased, but I was ok with that.

The JUST PADS are a great compromise. While there are cleaner products on the market, JUST PADS are certainly the most affordable. In fact, in my local Walmart, they were the ONLY clean option available on that day.

They cost less than $5 for a box of 20. That’s not bad at all.

#3. Availability

Since moving to the suburbs from NYC, I realize how ingrained Walmart is in everyday life. New Yorkers have no idea how convenient Walmart is because there are few that are accessible using public transportation. But, OH MAN Walmart is a time and money saver despite the many reasons they end up in the news for negative press.

Having cleaner labeled products on the shelves of Walmart and Target is CRUCIAL to making less toxic living mainstream. For those like myself who want to make sure healthier products are accessible for all, I am delighted when I see them.

JUST PADS is one of the few that I’ve consistently seen at Walmart. That means it meets the needs and demands of Walmart shoppers. The increased availability of the product is the main reason why I recommend them.

You Might Also Like Reading:

RAEL Organic Cotton Pads Review

Cons

#1. Not Completely Transparent

By observing JUST PADS’s labeling and marketing, it’s pretty clear they are targeting women who are starting to tip toe into cleaner living. And while the box and website states what the products do not have, it’s not clear on everything it is made of.

This is a tactic used by lots of companies. While I have my personal beliefs on why, “greenwashing” is definitely used in this case to some degree.

When you go on their website, you learn JUST PADS is a brand by Proctor & Gamble. P&G also makes fellow feminine care brands Always & Tampax. Each of these brands are also coming out with more cleaner labeled, less toxic options.

However, Proctor & Gamble has notoriously dragged their heels on sharing every single ingredient used in their feminine products. In the article “Testing Reveals Toxic Chemicals in Procter & Gamble’s Always Pads” the non-profit organization Women’s Voices For The Earth revealed third party testing found toxins in P&G’s popular Always brand products. They also shared that petitions were being drawn to force P&G to share ALL the ingredients in their feminine products.

In the 6 years since then, P&G has increased transparency in their ingredients and added cleaner options under the brands.

However, they are still not fully disclosing ALL of the product’s ingredients right on the package.

Please do not confuse a company telling you what they did not use in their products with them revealing exactly what they ARE putting in the products. Their website is a bit descriptive on ingredients, but they do not share what’s used in the “absorbent gel core”.

JUST PADS, do NOT have explicit ingredient labels right on the package. That does not mean the product is bad or should be avoided, it simply means (for whatever reason), they feel the need to not tell us everything they are using in it so we can research it ourselves.

Do with that what you may.

#2. It’s (Mostly) Only Available At Walmart

This might not bother some, but it’s still a factor.

As of the time of this post publishing, the JUST PADS are only available at Walmart and on Walmart.com. It would be great if these pads were on the shelves of stores like CVS and other pharmacies. Any of the other major places women purchase feminine care would be great options as well.

Overall, the JUST PADS are exciting to see on shelves. Despite the cons, I would absolutely opt for them if I was in need of pads and looking for a less toxic option.

Be sure to check out the video I created further sharing my thoughts on the product above.

FTC DISCLOSURE: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small finder’s fee on the sale. This does not increase your price in any way shape or form. Using these links help support the continuation of this website. All opinions are my own. Thank you in advance.