Did you know that 80% of women suffer from hormonal imbalance and approximately 30% of women are affected by PMS either moderately or severely? The natural properties of a number of herbal ingredients can help support hormonal balance and bring harmony to the body. We spoke to award-winning British brand Ilapothecary to learn more about their hormone balance range and the properties and benefits of the ingredients in their unique blend.

Adaptogen Herbs

At Ilapothecary we have created the Feminine Happy Oil not only to deeply nourish the skin, but we have blended powerful remedial ingredients to balance the body and mind. It contains ‘adaptogen’ herbs such as Pfaffia Paniculata which is a Brazilian herb that for has been used for centuries by Brazilian Doctors and women to balance their hormones! Pfaffia Paniculata (also known as Suma or Brazilian ginseng) is known to help to balance hormonal levels, believed to reduce cortisol hormone, and improve hormonal disorders.

Moreover our glorious alchemical blend contains one more adaptogen herb: Maca which is known to balance the mood and to have multiple benefits for hormonal balance as it is believed to support the endocrine system. Providing a good source of vitamin B6, magnesium, and potassium it is ideal to help treat PMS discomfort. Maca is meant to help to increase the production of hormones such as progesterone, oestradiol, and luteinising hormone, whilst at the same time decreasing the level of stress-boosting hormones like cortisol.

The hormonal effects of Maca also extend to women who experience long, painful, and irregular menstrual cycles. Maca is known to help balance out the sudden drops and rises of oestrogen and progesterone, which are often to blame for the most common PMS symptoms such as cramps, mood swings, headaches, and breast tenderness. Today the root of the Maca plant is still being consumed by means of adding it into our foods, such as in smoothies or other meals. 

One of the most popular, and widely appreciated benefits of Maca is its potential ability to boost libido. Several scientific studies have supported this claim, including studies on erectile dysfunction in men and sexual dysfunction in menopausal women.

Another physical benefit of Maca is its capacity to increase energy levels. For this reason, Maca is used by many athletes as a natural way to supplement their athletic performance. Maca is also believed to enable a faster, more consistent production of natural antioxidant in the body and the skin. As you may know, antioxidants are incredibly powerful at fighting free radicals, which, in turn, can contribute to healing and protecting damaged and ageing skin cells.

Aromatherapy Oils

The healing properties of the Feminine Happy Oil blend do not stop here! The remedial flower Rose Damascene Otto, Sandalwood, and uplifting Jasmine combine to soothe the body and mind. 

Rose Damascene Otto is known to help treat mood swings, anxiety and depression. It is believed to soothe menstrual pain and improve acne. Uplifting Jasmine is known to help support fertility and balance the body postpartum. It is believed to help those who suffer from PCOS and endometriosis. While Geranium is known to help balance emotional symptoms of PMS and believed to uplift the mood during menopause.

As you can imagine this divine alchemical combination is useful for different times in our lives, and many of us choose to use it daily. What more does one need during those days of the month or during menopause, and it's ideal for some boosted libido or just when we want to pamper and nourish ourselves.

How to use

Gently massage this nourishing and balancing body oil all over the body, or focus around the lower abdomen and on the kidney area when experiencing cramps or feeling low. You may want to add a few drops to a warm bath for an extra soothing soak. 

Moody? Let’s not underestimate our hormones and our needs! Always keeping some precious time to yourself from the outside world, listen to your body and offer calming solutions that suit you. No need to force ones self to do something that may be calming for someone else. We often don’t realise how our choices affect our body and this can be vividly seen when we do a set of hormonal blood tests during a stressful period and the same ones during a calm period. Let’s listen to our own needs and make sure we make choices that respect our wellbeing; we have one body, one life, let's nourish and love ourselves, let's pause and listen.

Ilapothecary's Feminine Happy Oil is featured in the SheSpot x Zoella box: