FEMNA

All women will know the many realities of being a female. Body hair, stretch marks, cat calling and an equally voiced opinion.

Fortunately, two women are pursuing the company FEMNA to make one element of womanhood that little bit easier to live with.

FEMNA focuses on creating natural products designed for menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, menopause and all round well-being. In the magical forms of herbal tea, roll ons, bath and body oils, the founders have reinvented the application of old recipes into one that suits the lifestyles of 21st century women.

Maxie and Emily met in Berlin and noticed a shared love for both natural products and agreeing that the perception of natural medicine had been distorted by an esoteric, hippie stigma. Together they combined their own personal experiences and knowledge to birth the idea. The name? From the French meaning natural women: femme naturalle.

The pair work in-house, with a pharmacist, herbalist, nutritionist and midwife to aid the development of their products. They use a very hands-on approach that enables an optimised taste and scent without compromising the quality of the product.

The importance of their brand expands beyond the physical product itself. FEMNA also aims to create a safe platform for women to vent and express their raw experiences as a woman and provide honest product feedback.- ‘I admire women that don’t hold back- women who speak their mind.’

‘I think we are living through a time where (especially in the last couple of years) we are starting to talk more and more about menstrual health issues. Women and men are becoming more comfortable talking openly about what it means to menstruate (which really, is just as natural and healthy and necessary as breathing – why has it taken so long for us to be able to talk about it without fear?). We’re also becoming more comfortable with talking about various other hormonal issues or things that can go ‘wrong’ – conditions like Endo and (PCOS which I have myself) can leave women feeling totally lost and helpless in managing their symptoms.’

Essentially, Maxie and Emily aim to reach as many women as they can, allowing them to share similar experiences which they hope will eliminate the common feelings of isolation and fear.

Similarly, behaving with discretion is high on FEMNA’s ‘To Remove’ list.- ‘It’s so important it happens. Brands like THINX are inspiring to me- they are bold in their messaging and imagery, and most of all clever and provocative. There’s so many brands and organisations working to remove the negative stigma around menstrual health, all doing incredible work. I hope we are able to contribute just a little but to that movement by what we do!’

You can find the full range of FEMNA products here and a beautifully curated gram here