Patented is a tampon applicator comprising a barrel adapted to house a pledget and receive a plunger. The barrel has an outer surface and a fingergrip area disposed on a portion of the outer surface. The fingergrip area has two multidirectional gripping structures disposed on or in the fingergrip area. One of the two multidirectional gripping structures is directed in a first direction and the other two structures are directed in a second direction opposite the first direction.