In the last couple of weeks I’ve been chatting to our customers about our work up in Harris and the direction of the business. We have so many customers who have been buying from us for many years and we really value their feedback. It’s always really fascinating to hear what people think about what we do and what else we might do – frequently we already have a product to meet a need but we haven’t communicated that effectively. So many of our products are designed to be multi-functional.
Our conversations really made me think about how women feel and perceive themselves and how life changes from our 40s onwards. There is now so much more of a conversation about the peri-Menopause and Menopause but still virtually nothing about the years that follow.
The Menopausal years are such a period of transition, on a purely physical level it’s the end of the possibility of childbearing to a life beyond that, but that is such a fraction of the change that takes place. It is often the mental and emotional shift that is most profound, most challenging. It is the point at which we move into a whole different realm. It’s where we become the jugglers of increasing amounts of responsibility when we are least emotionally able to cope with it. It’s often the point where women appraise their lives, look at the future and think “if this is it, I want a change.” This can be moving house, changing career or more dramatic change. Interestingly, over 60% of divorces initiated by women occur between 40 and 60 years of age.
For women who have had children later, or many children (I had 6), the menopause hits as children reach their teenage years and that is tough all round. When my oldest children were teenagers and I was in my mid 30s, I think I managed it much more easily, I had energy, I was able to navigate their highs and lows with equanimity, I enjoyed seeing their friends, I was settled, life was good. By the time my last two children were teenagers, I was menopausal, living in a house that was too small, in the middle of a town with a tiny overlooked garden. It was very different, I was certainly more volatile and I think that sets up a reaction – we pushed against each other constantly, with some sadness I remember my mother being the same, I hope my daughters are not. I couldn’t think clearly, I felt exhausted and stressed, it was hard. I should have helped myself, it’s my work, but somehow it’s much harder to see your own situation than other people’s. Eventually we all came through it.
The reason I mention this is because had I recognised what was happening earlier, had it been more talked about, had there been the discussion there now is, I might have been able to navigate this huge hormonal shift differently – been kinder to myself and more aware of how my state was affecting both myself and those around me.
Often at the same time that children are in their teenage years and we are menopausal, our parents are ageing and need more care than they did previously. Women seem often to be shuttling between ageing parents, demanding work and teenage kids. It can be overwhelming.
Beyond menopause, as I now am, life changes again. I think often the changes we need and make in our 50s are made for the better in the longterm. Life settles. What’s so interesting is that as you reach your 60s your role within the family is often more critically important, you are needed more than ever – parents are really in need of support and often chronically ill, bringing a host of worries, children are becoming parents themselves and so may need you to jump in and offer a bit (or a lot) of granny childminding. And yet at the same time women of this age and older simply disappear from view, are perceived by the media and business in particular as irrelevant.
It's a strange juxtaposition that as we become ever more needed we become less visible. How often do you hear about the many thousands of women in business long into their 60s? Bright, interesting and successful. How often do you see older women powerfully portrayed in film and drama? Where are all the older models, journalists, TV presenters? The women in print, the women celebrated, the wise women. Where are the women who speak to us? Who is representing us? At a time when misogyny is on the rise and women’s rights are becoming so undermined, we need a voice.
We are the women who have lived lives, who can speak with authority. The most interesting part of talking to our customers has been this. What an incredible group of women who have helped me to really think about what we need and where A.S Apothecary fits into women’s lives best.
In terms of skincare, what is for sure is that skin changes as we age, old regimes no longer work, harsh treatments undermine the skin – there is no quick fix. During the menopausal years, the skin is often more reactive, more sensitive to non-natural ingredients and prone to redness. Beyond that the skin can lose its brightness and glow.
The really good news is that our products are specifically designed for you. The Harris Edition is formulated with the most incredible ingredients, every single one is selected to strengthen, condition, tone, soothe and really get your skin glowing. Every product can be mixed and matched so you can create a ritual that works for you. I’m always really happy to offer advice on this if you email me at, amanda@asapoth.com
All our products are intended to act on both the mind and the body. Especially as we mature, we need products that not only work hard for our skin but also make us feel really uplifted. I spend a lot of time thinking about this when I’m formulating. Some products like the Isle Mist do even more, I made it with Bush and Findhorn Essences and some of my favourite remedies specifically to inspire confidence and make you feel valued. It’s a powerful Mist, I use it every single day and feel it working as I stride out to face the day.
In addition to the skincare, I made the First Aid Balms – these are great for everyday life – the Calm & Tranquil is especially brilliant for taking all the heat out of anxiety. It is a wonderful little pot to keep at hand.
Specifically for peri-Menopause and Menopause I made the Menopause Tincture to help with physical and emotional symptoms and the Heartease Tincture which opens the heart and really makes you feel loved. I’ve decided to bring all those decades of therapeutic work to the fore of what we do in Harris with mature women in mind.
We also make Wild Eve, our non-alcoholic spirit with adaptogenic and nervine herbs to help with resilience to stress, to nourish the nervous system and to invite a little calm. Having a really good, adult drink makes all the difference to boozeless socialising – it’s hangover free, good for you and it tastes great and you literally don’t miss the alcohol.
Our Wellbeing Teas are also a treat – the Wildflower is so delicate and delicious and full of plants to ease hot flushes and calm the mind.
So after much thought, here we are, we know what we’re doing. This is a woman led, purpose driven business and our purpose is you. Where others might not, we see you, and we are full of admiration for everything you achieve every day, because whether you’re 45 and peri-menopausal, 50 and ploughing through it or 60 and finding your path, none of it is easy but, with a bit of thought, we can help you navigate with the right skincare, teas, tinctures, first aid balms and Wild Eve formulated just for you.