Always Radiant Infinity Overnight Pads – Mini Review

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight - Box Front

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight – Box Front

Hi Everyone,

A few weeks ago, I got my hands on the new Always Radiant series of pads at Walmart (they were only $2.97!!!). I haven’t had time to write much, but today I do, so I’m making a mini review. You may think, “Why a mini review? Is it in relation to the size of the pad?” … well no, it’s not, hah, but it’s mini because I’ve written an Always Infinity review here before and the pad itself has not changed considerably, therefore it’d be rather repetitive to write on things that haven’t changed… but rather, I’m going to concentrate on some of the stuff that has changed. I will of course have detailed pictures which may overlap with the previous review for your viewing pleasure. On the 3 insides of the box, they even included $5 worth of coupons for future purchase of Radiant-series products!

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight - Box Top

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight – Box Top (Damn those fingerprint smudges!)

Always Infinity has always been a “premium line” of their Always series products. Unless you catch them on a really good deal, they’re pretty hard to match in price when it comes to the number per box versus the traditional bag of Always pads. They haven’t really made the Radiant series anymore “premium” than their original Infinity line so it hasn’t added any additional excitement to the pad…. unless you’re particularly picky with decorations of the pad and box. What I’m happy about is they didn’t do pull a “downsizing” trick like Stayfree did when they went from the normal Stayfree line to the Thermocontrol line. The original Infinity line had 12 overnight sized pads and luckily, the radiant line still continues to have 12.

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight - Box Rear

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight – Box Rear

Here is the description of the pad from Always site for the Infinity Overnight:

Sleep easy with the absorbency of a pad like no other. Always Infinity is made with an incredibly absorbent material called Infinicel, which can hold 10x its weight. Which means it’s absorbent enough for your heavy nights and so thin, you might even forget you’re wearing a pad. Its revolutionary new wings are designed for secure protection and less mess on the sides. The microdots help channel fluid deep into the pad and away from you, helping you feel dry. And the form-fitting channels and soft cover sheet provide comfort and great leakage protection. Rest assured, this pad’s got you covered.

When I first heard the sudden announcement of the Radiant line, menstrual community members as well as myself were really trying to figure out what changes they have/will make to the pad. It seems like there were very few answers and when we did get an “official” answer, it was very lackluster as the changes were all non-performance related changes. For instance, making a prettier box or wrapper doesn’t make the pad any better. The only thing that made it ‘better’ (and not for everyone) was that they have added a light scent to the pad.

Here is the description of the pad from Always site for the new Radiant Infinity Overnight:

Longer than our Radiant Regular pads, NEW – Radiant Overnight Pads help keep your period invisible even while you sleep. Our unique technology allows Radiant Pads to conform to each individual and unique shape and with the premium protection and performance you expect from Always Infinity. With NEW fun,designer packaging and wrapper, Radiant is worthy of your unique stye. Radiant Pads also feature a new backsheet design for an extra feminine touch. And we’ve added a light, clean scent, to help you feel fresh.

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight - Box Left

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight – Box Left

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight - Box Right

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight – Box Right

What is a really awkward thing about the release of the Radiant series is that (SIGH ONCE AGAIN) the US seems to have more products available than Canada. I’m actually not sure who’s “fault” this is, whether it is Health Canada that prevents them from releasing certain products for sale or whether P&G decides not to make a particular product available here in Canada. In the US, there are 3 Radiant pad absorbency available in-line with the original Infinity series, Regular, Heavy, and Overnight. In Canada, for some reason they only offer the Regular and Overnight absorbency. What kind of crap is this? What now, the Canadian population for some reason only floats between either having a light flow or a super heavy flow?

Though I do lament about the fact there hasn’t been any major performance changes to the pad, one of the change is quite inviting (to the nose at least). I always doubt the “necessity” of scenting pads/tampons because of the chemicals used and being in such close contact with sensitive body parts. However, I loved opening the box and the pad to get a very nice orange-like smell. It’s quite pleasing and it does help reduce odour during/after use. Furthermore, when you store it with other things (pads, tampons or otherwise), it makes everything else smell good! I actually happen to store my stash in a musky old cabinet and it has greatly improved the smell of the cabinet 😆 I thought about in the future when I buy these for my girls, I’m going to have to take a “levy” and use it as air freshener!

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight - Pad Length

Always Infinity Radiant Overnight – Pad Length

It does not appear the pad dimensions or overall build has changed. The pad is still incredibly light, giving foreign pads like “Laurier F” a run for its money to build a pad that is even lighter than your typical ultra thins. Since the pad is not symmetrical and has a very unique design, it’s necessary to clearly differentiate the front and rear of the pad via the wings sticker.  The box design does have a shiny, attractive look. Instead of having a “fact and myth” section like the Kotex packaging does, Always has a “Let Your Style Shine” section which has recommendations on using crafts to make a fashion statement.

The back of the box has a new layout with an image of a pair of cute panties and the pad itself. Listed are also the “selling features” of the pad:

+ Made differently so it protects differently.
+ Absorbs 4x more than you may need.
+ Soft, seamless and flexible design to move with you
+ Light, clean scent so you feel fresh

Though I really do like the new scent they added and the pretty design of the box, it’s not enough to “win me over” per se for making it sound like this great new product. So far I haven’t quite seen whether they’re completely transitioning away from the original Infinity line, so we’ll find out in time. I still see both stocked on the shelf, but that may be short-lived if they’re actually phasing it out. Lucky for people who buy it, you’re not being short-changed by any reductions in the equivalent packages by downsizing the number of units per box. The “Radiant” series also extends to the Tampax Pearl line, Pantiliner and Wipes.

I hope you enjoy the scent as much as I did 😛 Unlike when Infinity first unveiled, there’s no need to scramble to your nearest store to buy it, there’s nothing amazingly special unfortunately.

About Prexus Swyftwynd

Probably not a good idea for you to know anything about me....

Posted on May 2, 2012, in Periodtastic and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 21 Comments.

  1. Laurier F still rocks!~

    • I second that!!

      • I definitely agree with both of you! Laurier F is superior to Always Radiant (or any line of their product for that matter), but it’s very hard to get around where I live so you just gotta stick with what you have! Haha. I plan on definitely doing some testing when I go back to Hong Kong at the end of this year and talk to my cousins to help me with testing.

  2. Hi every one there s a realy fun scrathch that infinity fun period quiz at www. webmd.com
    I saved it know if there could just be a game about periods for all the game councels that would be alsome or at lest have girl an women sims on sims games be able to menstrate i hate how thay can’t.

  3. Just bought these Radiance pads after years of using the same ‘Always’ Pads, The shiny box did attract my attention and I thought, why not try them!
    Before using them I wanted to make sure the scented stuff is not harmful so I was goggling around and found this site. I am perplexed, You are a MAN? If so, how can you write reviews on absorbancy, how it feels etc?

    • well Jessica hi this is John at JohnPSundeen@att.net extending friendship to you some not all men know because some not all of us do medical reseach in the feild if Gynicolgy , wile others simply do out of natral curiosity we men care for you ladies in the long run and we try hard to take loving care of you rather then igonring you in your time of need, however if a women refuses help and would rather have none that is hard on us men as menched above loving care, on the matter of privisey chose wisely we are not mind readers but we can pick up on visual cues and tones in a ladies voice, for the most part we are visual beings but thats just the tip of the ice berge.

    • Yes, I identify as a man, have male anatomy and of heterosexual orientation. I can write such reviews with the great help of my female friends or female family/relatives who are willing to make such contributions to my blog. I tell them explicitly when I ask them questions which I want to post up for their consent/with their knowledge. Without my willing female counterparts, this blog would be doomed to failure with inaccurate details of reviews. I also use testing methods on “science experiment” type testing but better results are yielded from anecdotal product usage from my girls.

  4. Thank you Prexus. In no way were my questions meant to be judgmental, they were simply questions out of a curious mind, as in how exactly can you review the effectiveness without using it yourself, I was just hoping it is not based on those ‘blue water’ testing. I beleive those are inaccurate. Have you seen some videos on youtube? I loved a comment which said ‘ even elephants would not menstruate that much blood in 8 hours’. So yeah I simply wanted to know if reviews are based on actual usage.
    I read several other reviews in many different websites and the reviews here are the best. So keep up the good work. The women in your life are lucky to have men like you who care.

    Oh btw, could you do some posts on materials used to make pads, are they harmful, carcinogenic, irritants, etc.

    • Hi Jessica,

      You did pose an interesting question towards the reliability of my review. Certainly, I recognize that using any male methods of testing a feminine hygiene product could not nearly be as accurate as true-usability by a menstruating counterpart. I mock the “blue water” tests as much as you do, recognizing that those liquid are hardly any replica of menstrual flow. I also don’t know why they use blue, since I don’t recall menstrual flow being blue (lest that person probably needs a quick visit to the ER) 😆

      I’ve watched a lot of “review” videos on Youtube, both by males and females. Though females typically have a good idea of menstruation, I have seen some women who lack good knowledge on it and even miscommunicate information. I try to keep my postings here as accurate as possible, relying both on research and from feedback from my girls.

      Just the other day I was having a conversation with a friend who is in her late 20’s and still, she didn’t actually realize how little menstrual flow is involved per period (on average of course), thinking that it always “seems like there’s more than there really is”… which is true, because when soaked up in a pad or tampon seems like an exorbitant amount of flow.

      I really thank you for giving me such a great idea regarding material and such. I wonder how much of that information will be available to the public and whether manufactures would dare expose all the stuff used to make pads. With that said, I know organic pad/tampon makers are the ones who are upfront about the composition because that’s the “selling point” of their product. I will certainly consider this for a future posting and once I get enough useful information.

  5. Lady TabbyCat

    I bought these but it isn’t that time yet so I was wondering if bebe or any of your girls tried these and what their opinions are? Is there an overnight pad available in the USA that is better?

    • Yes, they’ve tried these and their opinions are like mine (since I write my reviews based on their feedback to me as well). It hasn’t change a lot from the last “Always Infinity” series… the only thing they truly noticed were the extra orangey scent (which is still pretty cool). The product seems to just work as great as their pre-Radiant product. Bebe is not a fan of ultra thins so we will rarely buy those. Both of us prefer Stayfree products and slim/maxi fittings rather than ultra thins. I would suggest you trying Stayfree Overnights or Supers, which come in both ultra thin and maxi sized… as well as your choice of wings or no wings.

      If you prefer Always, Always does have a “Extra Heavy Overnight” product but given that you mentioned your petite size in a previous post, this pad would be extremely large on you and become quite uncomfortable. Infinity-series work well if you enjoy the thinness of the product or I’d really suggest Stayfree products otherwise!

  6. Always Radiant pads are the best out there. I have a very heavy period and I alway have to worry about accident. Not no more 🙂 I will never use another kind a

    • Thanks for your input Beverly! It seems like I’ve heard a lot of good things from my girls as well regarding the product. Though I’m a bit disappointing at this so called “new” product despite miniscule changes, the scent does make a wonderful edition… especially for leaving in drawers and closets for a nice, fresh smell 😆

  7. Lady TabbyCat

    So I tried these out and I leaked a third of the time out the back. The problem is finding a pad that is long enough but slender enough and can hold a good amount. I have yet to find the perfect overnight pad. Maxi pads would be acceptable but I haven’t heard of a slender Overnight maxi pad…any ideas?? I guess they don’t need to be “slender” but still…

    • Wow, leaking out the back even with this length? Have you tried positioning your pad more towards the back or is that out of the question since you need more protection in the front as well?

      You can always try the “Always” Extra Heavy maxi if you can handle the thickness of the pad. You can find a review about it here: https://meninmenstruation.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/always-extra-heavy-overnight-maxi-pads-with-flexi-wings-review/ — They are MASSIVE though. If you want to scale down a bit, you can also try the red Always Maximum Protection line which is slightly shorter, less wide and doesn’t have the double rear wings.

      Kotex has their overnight pads and Stayfree has one now as well in a maxi size (black packaging), but their lengths are all roughly the same between the manufacturers. I highly doubt there’s anything local in Canada/US which is able to get that nice balance of “long and thin”… seems like they don’t have the market for it here, because they do have the technology to do it (as many of the companies that manufacturer better products in other countries are all the same).

      You can purchase internationally or through some online-US retailers who import “sanitary napkins” (which is more commonly referred to in Asia) from Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, etc. who have a lot more advanced pads, offering a variety of lengths, thickness, wing/no-wings, absorbency, features/functionality that are not offered in local stores. It’s such a shame these companies don’t feel it’s worth their market to spread to North America since we have a much lower population here compared to Asia. Their products are WONDERFUL and I can’t rave enough about them, though the cost of getting products that don’t originally local is always terrible… but if you need them, you need them and they will be your saving grace!

      • Lady TabbyCat

        I toss and turn a lot when I sleep so I would rather risk just couple drops out the back than major leakage out the front. Do you know how wide and long the red Always Maximum Protection ones are? I was wondering if you could test some more U by Kotex products, because I am rather interested in that line? I really appreciate your help and I think it is really nice that you are so open!

        • Hi Lady TabbyCat,

          UbK has recently undergone some transformations, introducing a “sleek” series. I’m waiting for sales to offer them and if I have a few girls willing to share some with me, I can certainly do a review on them.

          Regarding the Always Maximum Protection pads, I haven’t had one of those in my hands for a while. Occasionally one of my girls buy those so I can swipe one off her, but since she’s been on the pill her period has been lighter and she hasn’t needed such degree of protection. I’ll give her a shout just to let her know I’m looking for one and I can provide you with that info when I get it.

          I’d be more than happy if you had any of your own thoughts/experiences to contribute, I’m sure our blog team would love it and many of my readers would as well. Cheers!

  8. Wow! Look at this website. Pretty interesting POV’s!I have to say my personal experience with the Infinity/Radiant line … they cannot handle a truly heavy flow. They have leaked on me a few times – I have endometriosis so my flow is a bit unusual lately. Here’s a dare, go grab a pack of the Always Maxi with Leakguard in Overnight Extra Heavy Flow. Review those! The wraps are purple, you can only get them in packs of 20, and they are not thins. BUT – hands down, the only pad that allows me to get at least 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. They are huge – so huge I laughed hysterically when I opened the first one – but then felt a sense of relief as I could tell immediately that this was one kick-butt pad! And regarding the menstruating elephant comment? I’ve bled heavier.

    • Hi MistyMiss,

      I definitely have reviewed those pads already, they are monsters 😆

      Always Maxi Pads Overnight Extra Heavy Flow Review (20ea)

      I think the Infinity line was trying to provide a balance of beyond-normal absorbency while maintaining a very slim profile – which I can’t deny they’ve done quite well on. It’s feather-light and has an amazing absorbency rate. However, you’re right that it can’t replace a “true” Overnight pad…. Unfortunately there are times you can’t expect big things from small things, haha.

  9. These are HORRIBLE! How is a thin little strip supposed to give me the security that my overnight flow will not leak into my bedding!!!! This is the most disappointing (and expensive at 9$!!!!) purchase ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so mad right now!!!!!!!!!

  10. I don’t know about the infinity radiant, but i will consistently forever use always infinity. They are amazing. I was in my car – if you’re sensitive, stop reading – and i got ‘caught out there’ having forgotten to put one on. i was able to discreetly put it on, but i was upset because i had purchased a box without wings and had stuck it to itself hopelessly in the process. Having no option, i went about my day (5 hr rehearsal in central park in the hot sweaty sun) you can feel the flow come down, and i wanted to panic, but a mile from the bathroom i stuck it out. Let me tell you, NOT ONE DROP on my undies. bunched up and sideways, this is still the BEST PAD EVER!

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