In absorbent products, such as sanitary napkins, discreet areas of dry fibrous materials such as fluid-repellent materials are precisely placed in various planes within the product so as to provide barriers to bodily fluid leakage from the product. In a preferred embodiment, hydrophobic fibers are placed around the periphery of a central absorbent area of an absorbent product to discourage and/or prevent side or end leakage from the product.