Meg Mathews is a pioneer of the modern menopause movement: One of the first high profile women in the UK to talk about her symptoms openly.
Via her website, Meg’s Menopause, she is dedicated to ensuring women have the support and understanding they need at midlife. Meg has always been totally frank about the issues she faces as a menopausal woman, and in classic Meg style, her survival kit is both useful and inspiring.
Tweezers, £22, Tweezerman
I get terrible little whiskers now and they drive me mad. In perimenopause and menopause, oestrogen diminishes, but the small amount of testosterone women’s bodies produces may not. Testosterone converts to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which results in the coarser, darker hairs many women see suddenly sprouting on their upper lip, chin, and jawline. I can’t stand this so I have various tweezers dotted around the house and in my bag. I even have a personalised pair with my name on them from Tweezer Man. This is an essential item that I can’t live without!
READ MORE: Rosie Green on facial hair in all the wrong places.
Chakra Spray, £30, Aveda
I’ve talked openly about my anxiety. I suffered badly at the start of the menopause and it’s something that has stuck with me, even when most of the other symptoms have eased. I now know how to control it and having moved from London (where I lived since I was 18) to Cornwall, I’m happier than ever.
My mornings are now packed with walks along the beach with my dog Ziggy and swimming in the sea. It’s a ritual that I have come to love and find it has helped my anxiety massively.
Something else I find helps is Aveda Chakra Sprays. I’m a big believer in natural products and being an ambassador for Peta [People For Ethical Treatment of Animals] I will never use anything that has been tested on animals. I use these sprays every day for each chakra. If I need to find balance, feel energised or simply get my head in the right place there is a spray for it. I have the full collection.
READ MORE: Dr Stephanie Goodwin on menopausal anxiety.
CBD gummy bears, £23.49, The M Blend
I developed a range of CBD oil products back in 2018. It took six months to make the vegan, stevia gummy bears without gelatine. I wanted to keep the products natural and I eat a plant based diet so didn’t want to use animal products in them.
I have a gummy bear every day and three drops of M Blend CBD oil in the morning and evening. It helps my anxiety. I always carry gummy bears in my bag! The oil is more potent. Dropping it under my tongue makes it easier for my body to digest. I swear by CBD oil. It’s natural and can help with sleep, mood, hot flashes, balancing hormones, skin flare ups such as adult acne and rosacea – you name it. I take it every day and swear by its healing benefits – I urge anyone struggling with the menopause to give it a go.
READ MORE: CBD beauty buys worth trying.
Super Peptide Firming Cream, $225, Kat Burki Skincare
I’ve never had amazing skin. I suffer from sun damage as I grew up in South Africa. When I was a kid we never really wore sunscreen, and looking back I’d spend hours playing out in the sun. If I’m honest I only properly started wearing SPF on my face when I was 34!
There was no way I was ever going to have English rose complexion like my daughter, as I’m covered in age spots and freckles. Over the years, I have tried every skincare brand and facial going… A few years ago, my best friend recommended Kat Burki and I’ve never looked back. I love the Super Peptide Firming Cream. I use it every day. Living in Cornwall, my skin is now exposed to the elements and can get quite dry. Kat Burki skincare is my saviour! That and drinking lots of water.
READ MORE: The best SPFs for menopausal skin.
The New Hot: Taking on the Menopause with Attitude and Style, £16.99
There is a huge stigma and taboo about menopause. Every time the word ‘menopause’ is mentioned it’s all very grim and whispered like it’s a bad word or not to be said in public. It puts women down, with negative phrases like ‘All dried up’, ‘Going through the change’, ‘She must be having a hot flash’, often used. I feel these words shame women and make us feel worthless. It makes it hard to admit publicly, or even to your family or partner that you’re experiencing symptoms, which can sometimes make you feel isolated and alone.
For so many years now, this has been the story the media pushed. I want to try to change the narrative and this is why I wrote my book. The New Hot came out just before the first lockdown and it’s already helped thousands of women navigate menopause. I get so many lovely messages and DMs from readers saying how it has transformed their lives and really helped them on their menopause journey. I want women to feel empowered and in control so writing this book was so important to me.
