MAKING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR MENSTRUAL PHASE

Today, I want to share with you 5 ways you can make the best out of your menstrual phase. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you concrete tips to guide you through your menstrual journey. Specifically, during your menstruation and luteal phase as both can be emotionally overwhelming, tiring, and uncomfortable. You also might experience PMS symptoms during those phases which make us go through a festival of emotions. Menstruation is not fun and I want to share with you how you can make the best out of it!

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Physical activities 🧘‍♀️

The first way you can make the best out of your menstrual phase is through physical activity. By that, I don’t necessarily mean an intense cardio workout, I mean more a physical activity like walking or yoga. Body movement is a wonderful way to soothe premenstrual symptoms. It notably improves blood circulation, regulates your mood, and calms painful cramps. Plus, I always feel like shit and bloated during my periods, and body movement helps with that.

Taking time off 🍸!

In general, your menstruation phase calls for relaxation. It’s the moment your body asks for you to take it slow and rest. So, a second way you can make the best out of your menstrual phase is by taking some time off. I take my menstruation phase as an opportunity to rewind and make time for myself. It’s my self-care moment of the month. This is when I usually paint or read a book on my very comfortable couch. It’s not the best time for me to socialize or go partying, but I love having solo dates and just chilling at coffee places!

Hot infusions 🫖

The third way you can make the best out of your menstruation is through tea! Herbal infusions are another way you can relieve emotional and physical PMS symptoms. Here are some of my recommendations:

🌼Chamomile to relieve cramps and reduce stress

🌱Raspberry leaves to soothe cramps

🌸Valerian to relieve cramps, soothe anxiety and help with sleep

🤍Ginger to relieve back and stomach pain and soothe digestion

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Food during your menstrual phase🥑

A healthy diet is an important aspect of everyone’s life and for each phase of our cycle. Some of the general rules you can follow are to try to favor fruits, legumes, and vegetables, keep yourself hydrated, avoid eating transformed food in big quantities, and eat diverse sources of proteins. During your menstrual and luteal phase, you can opt for food rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin E such as bananas, sweet potatoes, raw spinach, or dried tomatoes. During that phase, I love to eat warm food that feels comforting and that doesn’t make me feel bloated. I’ve also read that caffeine can make your cramps worse, it’s something I’ve also noticed, so opt for herbal tea instead which has a lot of benefits.

S*xu*l activities 🍑

Finally, one way you can make the best way out of your menstrual phase is through sexual activity. This is definitely personal and more of a preference, but I find that it’s a great way to soothe cramps, strengthen your relationship with yourself and your partner, and just feel good in general. This is of course something you should talk to your partner about ahead, keep an open mind and set boundaries if needed. You can also find comfortable ways to do it, like putting a towel on the bed or doing it in the shower. It’s really up to you and your partner!

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That’s it for today! I hope you enjoyed reading this post today and I will see you on my next blog post 🤍!

#PeriodPower! We’re Sharing All Your Period Stories…

Isn’t it strange to think that despite half of the planet experiencing periods at some point in their lives, we still feel a need to hide it as if it were some horrible, unnatural thing? It’s time for that to change! The reality is, that periods are natural. And more importantly, this isn’t just an issue for people who menstruate, those who don’t have periods also need to take part in the conversation and educate themselves on the menstrual cycle.

Fortunately, many amazing organizations are drawing attention to this issue and getting the conversation going – find out more about how you can get involved here. We wanted to support this movement and hear your #PeriodPower stories too, because the more we share, learn and destigmatize periods, the more empowered we are. Our bodies are powerful, and that is nothing to feel shameful about!

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We recently asked you guys to join us in this movement and send in your period stories via our @BeautyLeeBar Instagram DMs, and we were so overwhelmed with the response from you all! We’re sharing some of your incredible stories below – we’re sure there are so many here that you can all relate to and many others that will open your eyes to a bigger issue.

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Thank you so much to everyone who sent in their period stories – we heard some truly heartwarming and eye-opening stories. We also received so much support from you on continuing this story, so stay tuned!

One other important key issue some of these story’s highlight is just how much period poverty there is across the world. Period poverty affects people globally, and in some cases, many women are forced to use unsanitary and toxic substitutes or are restricted to their houses or bathroom for days. For many, missing school because of their period is all too common. Find out more about period poverty and how you can get involved here.

Let’s carry on this conversation… Leave your #PeriodPower Stories in the comments below (leave an anonymous comment by not writing your full name, or by writing ‘anonymous’ in the name section, and no other details will be published). Thank you for joining us!

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

Up next, be the first to know our weekly content and sign up for our BeautyLeeBar newsletter.

Flo Vitamins Review

About Flo Vitamins

Flo Vitamins help fight the common assumption that a woman’s uterus is the sole reason for those dark clouds hanging over her. But there’s a silver lining: donut-shaped gummy vitamins to ward off those PMS blues.    

Flo claims their PMS Gummy Vitamins are formulated with ingredients that have been traditionally used to alleviate cramps, bloating, hormonal acne, and mood swings. Flo Vitamins is featured in notable publications like Forbes and Town & Country.

Flo struck a chord among women with its plain-speak marketing and pink banners. The Flo Vitamins Instagram has over 75.6k followers, while its Facebook page has nearly 37k followers.      

This Flo Vitamins review will trace the story of the brand, how period vitamins work, what customers think, promotions, and more, to help you decide if these gummies are for you.  

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Overview of Flo Vitamins

Flo Vitamins was founded in 2018 by siblings Brianna and Bobby Bitton. Why? Because “PMS f*cking sucks,” says Brianna. “It’s a widely known medical condition that the majority of women suffer from the month in and month out and no one talks about it.” The Bitton siblings wanted to start the conversation, and so began Flo.  

Flo operates from its headquarters in Los Angeles, CA. Their PMS gummies contain all-natural ingredients and are produced in the USA. The ingredients in Flo gummies were selected based on established research on their benefits.

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Flo founders say that taking two gummies daily will nix your PMS symptoms right away, but it takes at least 2 cycles to achieve the full effect. The company relies on its Happiness Guarantee, which lets you try Flo risk-free for 2 months to make sure these vitamins are right for you.

If you are not feeling Flo, you’ll be fully refunded for your first two bottles within 60 days of your first order. The only downside is that shipping is not refundable.

Flo Vitamins reiterates its philosophy, working style, and ethos on multiple platforms. Their mission is to empower women, adopt a proactive approach to health, advocate self-care, and create a community to support women with premenstrual pain. Amen!

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Flo Vitamins are no magical cure, but they may just ease your PMS and period pains. This Flo Vitamins review will highlight some of the pros and cons of the brand. 

Pros

  • Flo gummies contain ingredients proven to alleviate cramps, bloating, hormonal acne, and mood swings
  • The supplements are all-natural, vegan, and gluten-free
  • Thousands of positive customer reviews indicating that the gummies are effective
  • Customers say the gummies are very tasty
  • One-time purchase and subscription options are available
  • Made in the USA
  • Offers a more affordable substitute for other skincare products 

Cons

  • International shipping unavailable

Flo PMS vitamins come in bottles containing 60 gummieswith each bottle lasting 30 days (2 little donuts taken daily). In this Flo Vitamins review, we’ll dive into the bottles and examine what’s actually in these supplements.

These PMS supplements contain plant-based ingredients that customers claim are quite tasty. The ingredients are backed up by research that demonstrates an effective ability to alleviate cramps, hormonal acne, mood swings, bloating, and even ease indigestion.

Flo gummies are vegan, gluten-free, and contain no genetically modified ingredients, priced at $30 per bottle. Customers can save more by signing up for the Flo subscription (more on this later).

Next up, we’ll take a look at Flo Vitamins ingredients to understand what goes into these gummies and why.

Flo Vitamins Ingredients

Flo gummies contain three botanicals, chaste berryDong Quai, and lemon balm, as well as Vitamin B6. While some health supplements contain numerous obscure ingredients in small quantities, Flo keeps it simple with just four.

Chasteberry

Flo Vitamins Review
Chasteberry Plant

Chasteberry isn’t a berry at all. Historically, this flowering plant was used by Mediterranean monks in the Middle Ages to decrease sexual desire. Kind of weird. Today, research has established the efficacy of these herbs in treating various gynecological disorders and skin conditions that revolve around hormonal imbalances.

Studies indicate that Chasteberry extract can help clear premenstrual acne while reducing mood swings and breast tenderness. These symptoms are the result of hormone fluctuations associated with PMS.

For this Flo Vitamins review, I did some research myself. A study in the Journal of Women’s Health & Gender-Based Medicine found that of the 1,634 women who took Chasteberry extract, 93% of participants reported a decrease in PMS symptoms after three menstrual cycles. This magic uterus herb is effective, but science and Flo both say it will take some time to experience the effects.

Dong Quai

Flo Vitamins Review
Dong Quai Plant

Angelica Sinensis commonly known as Dong Quai (pronounced dong qwhy), is a herb native to Asia used in traditional Chinese medicine. Now commonly referred to as ‘female ginseng,’ this plant has been used for centuries to treat menstrual cramps and symptoms of menopause.

Extensive research indicates that dong Quai can relax smooth muscles within the uterus to reduce pelvic pain and aid recovery from childbirth. The herb contains ferulic acid, a powerful antioxidant known for its antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate bloating and muscle pain.

The ancients were really onto something with these natural remedies. In the days before pharmaceuticals, healers only had nature to fight the symptoms experienced by women throughout humankind—and now we’ve come full circle back to these earth-based ingredients.

Lemon Balm

Flo Vitamins Review 1
Lemon Balm Plant

The Mediterranean lemon balm plant has been used medicinally for more than 2000 years. In the 16th century, a renowned physician and alchemist of the German Renaissance, Paracelsus, called it the “Elixir of Life.” For centuries, traditional Persian medicine has used lemon balm to treat depression and reduce stress naturally. This Flo Vitamins review found studies to back this up.

A 2020 study published in the journal of BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies treated 45 adults diagnosed with major depression using either lemon balm, lavender, or fluoxetine (a pharmaceutical more commonly known as Prozac). The results are shocking: researchers found that lemon balm produced effects similar to the pharmaceutical in treating mild to moderate depression.

The Journal of Herbal Medicine published a 2015 study that contained a group of 93 female participants, and those that were given lemon balm reported a significant reduction in PMS cramps. Separate studies published in 2004 and 2014 in the journals of Psychosomatic Medicine and Nutrients both reported the stress-reducing properties of the plant.

Initially, I thought that Paracelsus was exaggerating about lemon balm, but now I’m not so sure. Maybe it is the Elixir of Life.

Vitamin B6

Flo Vitamins Review

Vitamin B6, found naturally in foods like banana and avocado, is another all-star in the Flo lineup. Aside from relieving multiple premenstrual symptoms, B6 boosts brain health, speeds up metabolism, improves immune system functioning, and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Vitamin B6 can help address vitamin deficiency and PMS. Flo includes B6 in the gummies to fight moodiness, irritability, increased appetite, bloating, breast tenderness, and sugar cravings. If you often find yourself halfway through a tub of ice cream when your period hits, this vitamin can help manage that urge to eat everything sweet insight.

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Flo Vitamins Subscription

Flo Vitamins offers one-off purchases and subscription plans. While a regular bottle of Flo gummies costs $30, subscribers get a discounted rate of $25, and never have to worry about stocking up.

You can choose to get your Flo gummies every 30 or 60 days. The subscription is flexible and can be canceled at any point.

Flo GTFO Immunity Gummy Review

As the name suggests, these daily gummies are designed to increase your immune system thanks to the specially formulated ingredients.

The GTFO Immunity Gummy Vitamins are made with elderberryzinc, and contain 50% more vitamin C than your average orange, with just a third of the sugar content.

These ingredients are specifically designed to help provide strong antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and general wellbeing. Not to mention, the gummies also taste like a refreshing, delicious berry lemonade.

The GTFO Immunity Gummy Vitamins come in the following quantities:

  • 1 Month Supply: $30
  • 2 Month Supply: $60
  • Subscription: $25 

All GTFO Immunity Gummy Vitamins are non-GMO, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and vegan consumers alike. Ready to give them a try?

Are Flo Vitamins Worth It?

Flo Vitamins Review

If you’re forced to deal with nagging pain, heavy periods, depressed mood, and other PMS symptoms, Flo Vitamins is worth a shot. While Flo isn’t a cure-all for every symptom, most customers noted a significant reduction in cramps and more stable moods.

We shouldn’t dismiss the reports on unpleasant side effects and ineffectual results, but the relatively few negative comments are outweighed by the thousands of happy customers who vouch for Flo gummies. To sum up this Flow Vitamins review:

  • Many customers notice results in less than 2 months, with multiple reviews describing the vitamins as life-changing
  • Flo gummies are all-natural, vegan, and gluten-free
  • Valid research indicates the efficacy of the ingredients—some of which have been used for centuries (maybe even by one of your female ancestors)
  • Flo’s generous 2-month return policy lets you wait and see if the gummies have a positive effect on your body

It’s important to note in this Flo Vitamins review that excruciating menstrual cramps can be a symptom of an underlying health condition. If this is an issue for you, consult your gynecologist, whether or not you decide to jump on the Flo bandwagon.

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Flo Vitamins Promotions & Discounts 

At the time of this Flo Vitamins review, the company is offering a Subscribe and Save option with $5 off on a 2- month supply offer with $10 off

Be sure to use our Flo discount code IAMCRYSTALEE10 to receive 10% off your first bottle. 

Where to Buy Flo Vitamins

Flo Vitamins Review

Flo Vitamins are available exclusively on the company’s official website, FloVitamins.com

KALI | REVOLUTIONIZING PERIODS

I am the biggest fan of subscription boxes. The subscription boxes are usually filled with stuff that I’ve never tried before or what I have tried before and loved. Since discovering Knours, I have also came across Kali Box. A company that specialises in delivering chic, organic, and toxin-free tampons, pads and sanitary wipes right to your door. Revolutionary!!

What is Kali?

In a time when everyone is concerned about health, Kali Boxes fits right in.  Their products are made of 100% organic cotton, free from fragrances, parabens, chlorine bleach, dyes, deodorants, and other ingredients that can be harmful to our bodies.  Kali Boxes’ products are vegan and cruelty-free and are also ICEA and GOTS certified. Their individually-wrapped wipettes are also free from harsh ingredients such as chlorine, sulfates, and parabens, and can be used to freshen up any part of your body.  In addition to tampons, pads, panty liners, and wipes, Kali Boxes also carries facial mist, menstrual cups, coconut body scrub, bath soaks, and a custom essential oil blend, all of which are also made of organic ingredients sans any harmful chemicals. Kali Boxes’ mission is to provide you with products that will make you feel good during that time of the month so that you can pamper yourself even when you’re not feeling your best.

Along with your monthly supply of pads, tampons, and wipes, Kali Boxes also includes a free facial mist in every order, as well as a couple of surprises from various brand partners.  These goodies can range from organic deodorants to clay face masks, allowing you to sample new products from the comfort of your own home. Past Kali Boxes brand partners have included HUM Nutrition, Only Hearts underwear, Little Seed Farm, Cocofloss, and many more.  Kali Boxes function as both a feminine product subscription service and a beauty and self-care sample deal, making it one of the best “bang for your buck” subscriptions out there.

Now, I’m usually good at keeping period supplies at home but sometimes I find myself rummaging around the house when that time of the month comes looking for that one pad to rescue me. I usually fail and end up having to send my beautiful mother to the nearest market to grab a box. Pads and tampons are filled with chemicals and harsh materials so it is important to educate yourself on which lady essential to use.

Kali products are exactly the feminine hygiene products I’ve so desperately been searching for. These pads are made with 100% hypoallergenic and certified organic cotton. Absolutely no chemicals!
The tampon and cardboard applicator are 100% biodegradable and ethically and sustainably sourced. They don’t shred fibre either. The liners are also 100% hypoallergenic and made from certified organic cotton. Both of their absorbency is terrific! The wipes come in handy too. It’s great for traveling and freshing up not only your V but also your face and underarm as well. They are 100% Sulfate & Paraben Free, and 99.98% organic and all natural.

The subscription costs roughly around $18 – $22.89 a month depending on the box options. It actually costs about the same as tampons and pads you purchase at the drug store or supermarket but much better quality and better for your body and health. It also saves you a trip to the store and you never have to worry about not having pads each month when your evil step sister flow arrives.

In addition to the regular feminine product subscription, Kali Boxes also offers a teen box catered towards younger girls who might be getting their periods for the first time.  The teen box includes 6 organic cotton teen day pads, 6 teen night pads, 6 teen panty liners, 4 organic tampons with cardboard applicators, and 4 organic tampons with plastic applicators, as well as 10 wipettes and some special product surprises.  The teen box is perfect for younger girls who are new to the world of feminine hygiene and aren’t sure what products they should use. The Kali Lux Teen Kit is a great place to start, as it allows girls to try out different menstrual products and find what works best for them.  The teen box makes a perfect gift for your daughter, younger sister, or niece who may be feeling worried and insecure about starting their period, as this can help them prepare for that time of the month and eliminate any additional stress. Younger girls will also appreciate the extra goodies that come with their Kali Boxes, and they’ll enjoy getting to sample new products.

In addition to offering subscription boxes full of quality organic feminine care products, Kali Boxes also runs Kaliperiodical.com, an informative blog brought to you by the Kali team.  Blog topics on the site include period talk, lifestyle, travel, health and wellness, and sex and relationship advice. The Kali Periodical is a great resource for women of all ages, as it provides insight on everything a modern girl would need to know.  The site is run by Kali CEO Jonna Piira, as well as several other team members, including writers, fitness gurus, and nutritionists. The Kali Periodical is one of the most informative blogs out there for women and definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for fun, educational content.

If all of this information still hasn’t convinced you that Kali Boxes is the best feminine subscription service out there, then I strongly suggest trying it for yourself! To get started, simply take the short quiz on the Kali Boxes website to create a customized box. Your box will ship within 2-3 business days, and then you can expect your boxes to arrive by the first day of every month. With the holidays right around the corner, a Kali Boxes subscription makes a great gift for the women in your life!

Kali Box is the greatest luxury for periods so go ahead and give it a try!

There is No Commitment and you can Pause or Cancel at any time.

KALIBOXES.COM

Have you purchased from them yet? Let me know what you think!

If you have any other subscription boxes suggestions, comment down below.