A two piece compactly packaged application for a tampon which includes a discrete first member and a discrete second member, the first and the second members being of comparable length. The first and the second members are initially packaged in a side by side manner. The applicator also includes a plurality of spaced apart tabs on either the first member or the second member for retaining one of the first and the second members in the other of the first and the second members when the members are assembled together in their operative position. The method assembly of the applicator includes grasping one of the first and the second members, manually aligning the first and the second members and axially moving the first and the second members together so that the first and the second members slide relative to each other and are maintained telescopically in operative position.