A holistic approach to achieving physical and emotional equilibrium has become a key motivator of consumer behavior, according to a report by Mintel.
In its Global Beauty and Personal Care Trends 2021 report, Mintel predicts consumers will continue to optimise their beauty routines to focus on self-care principles.
Dr Yasmin Pilgrim, a highly credentialed obstetrician and gynaecologist based on the Gold Coast, says there has been a real convergence of health, beauty and wellness, especially since the pandemic. Skin care has become linked with self care rituals and women are proactively looking to preserve skin health overtime, she says, as women are incorporating ingestibles as part of a well-rounded beauty routine.
“A small but growing fraction of female leaders are highlighting menstrual awareness as another aspect of wellness,” she said.
“Rather than attributing periods as a pitfall in our lives, people are taking the opportunity to be more in tune with themselves and take a moment for self-nurturing.”
Dr Pilgrim said there were times during the menstrual cycle that skin could flare up, and that it usually this correlated with the luteal phase (before the period) or during ovulation (midcycle).
“At the start of the period, when you start bleeding, oestrogen and progesterone tend to be low,” she explained. “When oestrogen is low, your skin can appear dryer and more sensitive. Research into the effects of oestrogen on the skin has provided evidence to suggest that oestrogen is associated with increases in skin thickness and dermal water content, making it appear plumper.
“When the period finishes, the body starts producing oestrogen again, which allows the skin to promote more collagen production, making skin appear healthier and strong. Midcycle, around ovulation skin tends to glow, this glow is associated with higher collagen levels and some may experience oilier appearance which leads to break outs. Progesterone increases at this stage which also increases production of sebum which can cause pores to clog.”
Dr Pilgrim has partnered with U by Kotex (UbK) and Thinx on their new, Reusable Period Undies. It’s about time we reduced the stigma around periods, she said. They are a universal fact of life, but one in five women still feel embarrassed, ashamed or judged when talking about their period, and half of women don’t feel well versed on their cycle.
UbK, the feminine care brand in Australia owned by Kimberly-Clark, formed the partnership with Thinx, a New York-based company that makes periodcare products, to create a range of underwear that can be worn during menstruation as a substitute or a supplement to traditional feminine hygiene products.
UbK x Think Reusable Period Undies come in various sizes and two absorbencies in a full brief and bikini style. They are made from breathable organic cotton. They are available now from $19.99 at Woolworths, Priceline, independent grocery and Chemist Warehouse stores.