It’s a revolution! (And a new brand launch)...

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​13 Million women are going through the menopause right now. Symptoms of peri-menopause can start up to 10 years before menopause, so this is something that affects a lot of women on a daily basis and yet so many women are left uneducated, ill-informed and suffering through symptoms without support, which I find terrible. Why does the stigma around menopause still exist in this day and age and what can we do to help break it down?

Perimenopause is the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, and menopause is when a woman stops having periods. This is a natural process which happens as part of existing as female human beings, much like menstruation. And yet, although conversation and education around menstruation, in the western world at least, has improved considerably over the decades,* the menopause is still seen by many as shameful and simply not to be discussed. But why?

Why? Well, to put it simply, we are obsessed with youth. Rather than accept the transition from one stage of life to the next as a beautiful part of the design, we say ‘Old’ and shut the door. Well not on my watch! I would like to quote the brilliant and absolutely stunning Selma Hayek (54) ‘People have the wrong assumption that the menopause is when a woman stops being sexy.’’For so long the concept of beauty in a woman was leaning completely to youth, and I think “F*** that Shit!” And I couldn’t agree more. 

The impact this wall of silence has on women's health, both mentally and physically, and to the economy is shocking. A recent Bloomberg article stated that the findings of a 2019 survey found that around 900,000 in the UK women quit their jobs due to menopause, 900,000 women. And a new report by the Government Equalities Office warns that ‘menopausal employees feel at risk of ridicule and gendered ageism, causing some female employees in their early 50s to call in sick for fear of experiencing symptoms at work. The report estimates that this is costing the economy £7.3m a year in absence-related costs!’ A separate study commissioned for ITV’s Tonight programme found that ‘1 in 4 menopausal women consider quitting their jobs due to their experiences.’

So, what’s being done to help make real change? Naturally Andrew Baily, Governor of the Bank of England ears pricked up when he heard these statistics, and in April this year said that menopause can no longer be ignored. And thankfully, more smart, forward thinking humans are beginning to take a stand against this injustice - The Menopause Charity, of which a number of high-profile women are ambassadors, has called for better education for GPs. The fabulous Labour lawmaker Carolyn Harris has called for a “menopause revolution” with an all-party parliamentary group set up to overhaul “menopause rights, entitlements and education.” Go Carolyn! 

And the team at Angel Oil Ltd HQ also want to be part of this ‘menopause revolution’ too! We have created a new brand called The Blend, which will focus on the development of pure essential oil products designed to help relieve symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. 

Made by women, for women, our launch product is a gorgeous rollerball trio formulated to help you find balance, calm and better sleep. And we will give a percentage of profits from the sale of our products each month to The Menopause Charity. We aim to launch mid-July, so watch this space! You can also follow us on instagram to keep up to date on how the launch is coming along @theblend_essentialoils

We are very excited about this new brand and hope you’ll support us and be part of the revolution!

Wishing you a wonderful day and thank you.
Lots of love, Zoë xx

*The wonderful Emma Barnett has launched a new book ‘It’s About Bloody Time Period’ where she makes a `...bracing common sense case for full and frank honesty.’
Source: peoplemanagment.co.uk |  Bloomberg.com | Style Magazine
Photo credit: Ian Schneider @unsplash