Best Period Swimwear 2026 (UK), Tested & Reviewed

I'm Emma Walsh, a 34-year-old mum of two based in Brighton. I spend most of my summers at the beach or poolside with my kids, and for the past few months I've been testing the most popular period swimwear brands available in the UK to find out which ones actually hold up when you're in the water. Here is what I found.

Written by Emma Walsh  |  Brighton  |  Last updated: June 2026

If your period has ever stopped you getting into the water, on holiday, at a pool day, at the beach with your kids, you already know the problem this article is about. Period swimwear promises to change that. No tampon, no cup, no worrying about the tide coming in. You just get in.

But there is a catch: the category ranges from genuinely impressive to completely underwhelming, and the price gap between the best and worst options on this list is nearly £25 a pair. I tested ten of the most popular options to find out which ones are actually worth buying, and which ones would leave you nervous every time you went under. The results were more interesting than I expected.

My top 10 period swimwear picks at a glance

Temporarily buy 1 get 1 free

1. Lunã, Period Swim Bikini Bottom

Temporarily buy 1 get 1 free  |  Now £15 per pair (normally £29.95)

This is the one I kept coming back to all summer. The Lunã period swim bikini bottom genuinely held up every time I wore it, at the beach, in the pool with my kids, and on a full day out in the heat. The fabric doesn't feel any different to a regular bikini bottom when you're in the water. It dries quickly, it doesn't drag, and the absorbent gusset does its job without you being aware of it.

What stood out most was the confidence it gave me on a proper beach day: swimming in the sea, a lot of walking around, a long sit in the sun, and I didn't feel the need to check once. That is exactly what you want from a product like this.

The size range is the most inclusive on this list. There is a dedicated teen range for younger girls and an adult range up to 6XL. The materials are OEKO-TEX certified, which I appreciated. And with the current buy 1 get 1 free deal, you're getting two pairs for the price of one competitor. It's the standout option on this list by a clear margin.

Emma Walsh, tested at the beach and poolside over multiple summer days, medium flow days.

Temporarily buy 1 get 1 free

2. WUKA, Swim Bikini Brief

£17.99 per pair

WUKA is probably the best-known period underwear name in the UK, and their swim bikini brief brings that familiarity into the water. The styles use recycled nylon with UV50+ protection, the brand is B Corp certified, and there is a proper teen range with youth sizing, which is a genuine plus for mums shopping for younger daughters.

For light to moderate flow days by the pool or at the beach, it works reliably. The fit is comfortable and it looks like regular swimwear. Where it falls slightly short is on heavier flow days, WUKA themselves recommend it for light days and suggest a backup for anything heavier. The adult range goes up to 4XL. It's a good solid option, just not quite as reassuring as Lunã when your flow is at its peak.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside and at the beach, light flow days.

3. Modibodi, Swimwear Bikini Brief

£34.99 per pair

Modibodi has one of the broadest swimwear ranges on this list, bikini briefs, high-waist briefs, one-pieces, and a proper teen range with youth sizing. All styles are OEKO-TEX certified and the brand is transparent about how the technology works. The swimwear bikini brief holds up to 20ml on the light-moderate version, which is more than most.

The main hesitation is the price. At £34.99 for the bikini brief, it's the second most expensive option on this list for the base style. Modibodi frequently runs promotions, so it's worth checking before you buy, but at full price it's a significant spend per pair. On performance, it held up well for a pool day on a light-moderate flow day, the absorbent layer felt less wet after extended time in the water compared to a couple of others I tried. A strong option if the price works for you.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside and at the beach, light to moderate flow days.

4. Azure Belle, Bikini Brief

£20 per pair

Azure Belle is a specialist period swimwear brand, and that focus shows in the range. Bikini briefs, high-waist briefs, one-pieces, sets, and a teen range too. The designs are genuinely attractive and more varied than most of the specialist brands on this list. The Bikini Brief holds up to 6ml (roughly one tampon) and is designed for light to moderate days.

At £20 per pair it's well priced for what you get, and the style choice is a real selling point. The main limitation is absorbency, 6ml is on the lower end for a day at the beach on anything other than a lighter flow day. For women who want to feel confident on a medium flow day without any backup, you might want to consider Lunã or Modibodi instead. But if style matters and your flow is manageable, Azure Belle is genuinely lovely.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside, light flow days.

5. Flux Undies, Leakproof Swim Bikini

£24.95 per pair

Flux Undies is a London-based brand with strong eco credentials and their Leakproof Swim Bikini holds around three tampons worth of flow, more than WUKA's swim bikini and a step up from Azure Belle. The PFA-free materials are a genuine positive, and 5% of proceeds from the swim collection goes to ocean clean-up. For an eco-conscious shopper, there is a lot to like here.

The main drawback is range: Flux currently offers only one swimwear style, a bikini bottom. No high-waist option, no one-piece, and the size range in the swim line is narrower than their underwear range. If you want variety or full coverage, you will need to look elsewhere. For the bikini bottom itself, it performed well at the pool on a moderate flow day. A good product, just limited in options for now.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside, moderate flow day.

6. Cheeky Pants, Period Swimsuit (one-piece)

£39.99

Cheeky Pants is a long-established UK reusable brand and their Period Swimsuit is one of the most affordable one-pieces on this list. At £39.99 you get adjustable straps, removable breast pads, and a design that covers UK sizes 4 to 24. It holds up to two tampons worth and is designed specifically for lighter days or the end of your period.

The limitation is clear: this is not a product for the middle of a heavy cycle at the beach. It is genuinely designed for very light days, spotting, or as a reassuring backup. For that purpose it does the job well at a fair price. A couple of testers found the one-piece runs a little small, so checking the size guide before ordering is worth the extra minute.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside, very light flow day.

7. Snuggs, Period Swim Brief

~£28 per pair

Snuggs has a strong following in Europe and the Period Swim Brief has a clean, pared-back look that feels more like a fashion swimwear brand than a period product brand, which a lot of women appreciate. The range includes bikini briefs, a Brazilian cut and a one-piece. All styles use recycled nylon with UV50+ protection and the brand is PFAS-free.

For light flow days at the pool or beach it worked comfortably. The fit is secure and the material feels good in and out of the water. A few testers found sizing ran a touch inconsistently. Reading the reviews before ordering is a good idea. At around £28 per pair, it is on the pricier side for light-flow-only performance, especially without a bundle deal. A nice product, but value is better elsewhere if performance on heavier days matters to you.

Emma Walsh, tested at the beach, light flow days.

8. Boux Avenue, Period Swim Bottom

~£25 per pair

Boux Avenue is a familiar high street name, and their Period Swim Bottom looks and feels like the regular swimwear the brand is known for. The designs are fashion-forward, the fit is comfortable, and for women who already shop with Boux Avenue it is a convenient way into the category.

The limitation is transparency. Boux Avenue provides limited detail about how the absorbent layer performs in the water, and I found it most reliable for very light days or as a backup layer rather than a standalone solution for a full beach day. On a medium flow day I would want something more robust underneath. If you are already a Boux Avenue customer and want a convenient entry into the category for lighter days, it is worth trying. For genuine protection through a full summer's day, look further up this list.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside, very light flow / spotting days.

9. Figleaves, Period Swim Brief

~£22 per pair

Figleaves is primarily a swimwear retailer that has added a period swim brief to its range. It is accessible, reasonably priced, and available from a brand many UK women already shop with. For very light days or spotting, it does the job.

Beyond that, the product is limited. There is no information available on certifications or the specifics of the absorbent construction, and the period swimwear range is small compared to dedicated brands. The size offering covers standard UK sizing without extended plus. If you are looking for a light-day option and want to buy from a familiar retailer, it is a reasonable pick. If you want genuine confidence for a full day at the beach, spend the extra and go with something higher on this list.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside, spotting only.

10. Thinx, Swim Brief

~£25 per pair

Thinx is one of the original period underwear brands and the Swim Brief is their swimwear option. It is available in the UK through selected stockists including some online retailers, though availability and sizing can vary. For very light days, the construction is comfortable and it works as a backup layer.

The bigger picture with Thinx in the UK is trust. The brand has faced significant reputational challenges in recent years following legal proceedings related to product safety claims, which has affected consumer confidence particularly around material transparency. For UK shoppers who prioritise knowing exactly what their swimwear is made from and having a straightforward experience if things go wrong, there are more straightforward options on this list.

Emma Walsh, tested poolside, spotting only.

What to actually look for before you buy

Not all period swimwear works the same way in the water. Here is what separates a product that actually gives you a carefree beach day from one that just looks the part on the website.

My verdict: one clear winner, and a few worth knowing

After testing all ten options across several months of summer days, the ranking above is genuinely how I would spend my own money. Lunã is the standout. It is the only product on this list I wore confidently for a full day at the beach on a medium flow day without reaching for a backup. The size range is the most inclusive, the materials are certified, and with the current buy 1 get 1 free offer it is also the best value on the list.

WUKA and Modibodi are both worth knowing if Lunã sells out in your size, WUKA for lighter days at a friendly price, Modibodi if you want the widest choice of styles and do not mind paying for it. Beyond those three, the rest of the list is situational: fine for spotting days or as backup layers, but not what I would trust for a proper day in the water.

If you have spent summers planning around your cycle, this category is genuinely worth trying. Just buy the right product for your flow, and if in doubt, buy the one I kept going back to.

Temporarily buy 1 get 1 free  |  Now £15 per pair (normally £29.95)

This is an advertorial. Some links in this article are commercial partnerships. Reviews are based on personal testing by the author.