Maxwellia launches unexpected menstrual health campaign following concerning survey results

• New survey released today reveals 56% of people feel unsure about the phases of the menstrual cycle
• 66% of participants said they lacked confidence in explaining the hormonal changes that occur during the different phases of the cycle
• Heavy period brand, Evana® creates ‘Period Red’ lipstick campaign to tackle widespread knowledge gap 

Alderley Park, Cheshire, UK – 25th November 2024 –In response to eye-opening gaps in menstrual health knowledge, the heavy period medicine brand Evana® has taken cues from the beauty industry to tackle period education. In a survey of 228 people across different ages and genders, that was published today, it was found that 56% couldn’t confidently name the phases of the menstrual cycle, and only 18% could correctly order them.  Even more concerning, 44% of women who took the survey reported feeling confused about their hormones on a regular basis.  

Women who reported greater confusion about their hormones also tended to have lower self-reported knowledge of the phases of the menstrual cycle. This suggests that greater awareness and understanding of menstrual health might play a role in helping individuals better navigate related physical and emotional experiences, though more research is needed to clarify these impacts on overall well-being.

These findings underscore an urgent need for greater public awareness and education about menstrual health, and Evana® is committed to driving this change. Its latest campaign aims to address these gaps by making menstrual health education engaging and accessible by tapping into one of the UK’s biggest industries – beauty.

Maxwellia, the Cheshire based consumer healthcare company who launched Evana® earlier this year, was troubled but not surprised by the survey results. “Through the launch of our period medicine brands we have become hyper aware of the lack of understanding when it comes to menstrual health” said Maxwellia’s Head of Marketing, Kim Wathall. “Our latest survey confirmed to us that the menstrual cycle is a bit of a black hole for many, and it got us thinking, what if people knew as much about their cycle as they do about make-up?”  

The health and beauty market in the UK was valued at £43.56 billion in 2023, making it a huge part of everyday life for many people.  The beauty industry is not only economically powerful but also heavily integrated into social media, where people are constantly learning about the latest trends, techniques, and products. 

“Conveying what can be complex health information in an easy-to-digest way can be a challenge, particularly in a regulated industry like ours, so we had to think outside the box. Through our creative process, we came up with the idea of matching the phases of the menstrual cycle to shades of lipstick. At Maxwellia, we’re part of a female founder community, called Buy Women Built, so we reached out to the community and found a cosmetics manufacturer that was game for helping us create a limited-edition lipstick” continued Ms Wathall.

The Evana® team identified the prestigious Beauty Awards, with its gathering of influential figures from the beauty industry, as the perfect platform to launch the campaign and make a bold statement. Determined to position the brand at the forefront of innovation and conversation, Evana® sought out the opportunity to contribute to the event’s exclusive goodie bags. With a clear vision in mind, the brand crafted a strategic and meaningful offering: a limited-edition run of lipsticks in the empowering shade ‘Period Red.’ This move not only embodied Evana’s values but also reinforced the brand's commitment to pushing boundaries and sparking dialogue in the industry.

The concept was simple but powerful. Each lipstick was packaged with a QR code that read, ‘Scan to find your phase and shade,’ and hinted that a unique shade existed not just for menstruation, but for all four phases of the menstrual cycle. While it appeared to be a standard beauty product giveaway, and possibly an advertisement for further products, the QR code instead directed users to a wealth of educational resources. This included a calculator to help individuals understand which phase of their menstrual cycle they were currently in, along with blog posts offering in-depth information on the different phases. 

In addition to the lipstick giveaway, Evana® has also launched a series of TikTok videos that break down the phases of the menstrual cycle into fun, bite-sized content under the same gimmick of lipstick shades for each phase. Issy Parry, Evana’s Brand Manager commented “These videos are designed to tap into the same social media space that drives beauty culture, turning platforms like TikTok into hubs for menstrual health education. The goal is to make information about periods as shareable and widespread as makeup tutorials, helping to normalise and destigmatise these conversations”.

The educational content Evana® is promoting through this campaign addresses some of the most common gaps in menstrual knowledge. Only 26% of the survey’s respondents, for example, knew that menstruation marks the start of the menstrual cycle.  Meanwhile, 66% of participants said they lacked confidence in explaining the hormonal changes that occur during the different phases of the cycle. By providing clear, accessible information on what’s happening inside the body during the menstrual cycle, Evana® hopes to demystify the process.

The campaign also offers practical advice on how to manage common menstrual symptoms, which was a key area of interest for many survey participants. For instance, 58% wanted to know more about the impact of diet and exercise on the menstrual cycle, while 38% wanted advice on managing cramps and bloating. Evana’s educational resources cover these topics in detail, helping people who menstruate better understand their bodies and make informed decisions about their health.

While education is at the heart of this campaign, it’s grounded in the practical solutions that Evana® and its sister brand Ultravana® (for painful periods) already provide for those who menstruate. A recent survey shows that over 9 in 10 women (91%) have experienced heavy periods, with nearly half (49%) reporting their bleeding as severe. Despite this, fewer than 14% of women have tried medication to manage their symptoms.  Evana® Heavy Period Relief, which contains 500 mg of tranexamic acid, can reduce period blood loss by up to 60% and is the only over-the-counter treatment of its kind available in the UK without a prescription.

For those suffering from period pain, Ultravana® Period Pain Relief, which contains the NSAID naproxen, offers up to 12 hours of relief from primary dysmenorrhoea. Together, these products provide women with effective and accessible solutions for two of the most common and disruptive menstrual symptoms.

At its core, Evana’s campaign is about empowerment. By normalising conversations about menstrual health and bringing it into the mainstream, the brand is working to break down the taboos that have kept people in the dark for too long and encourage people to talk about their periods as openly as they do their beauty routines. From heavy periods to painful cramps, the experiences of menstruation vary widely, but the need for understanding is universal. With Evana® driving momentum, menstrual health is finally getting the attention it deserves – one lipstick at a time.