Founder Q&A: Meet Rebekah Brown, Founder of MPowder

Meet Rebekah Brown, the passionate Founder of the empowering supplement brand MPowder. Rebekah was turned away by her GP because she was ‘too young’ to have symptoms of menopause. As a researcher and planner by trade, Rebekah did what she does best when she wants to solve something – she went deep. Armed with insight, and a growing sense of frustration that women were under-served with honest information and better options, MPowder was born.

What motivated you to start MPowder?

It began as a very personal journey and has become a public mission! I got very unwell in my early 40s with what I now know were symptoms of Perimenopause. But at the time I had no idea. I found myself slowly losing confidence. My anxiety became crippling. I had persistent brain fog. I couldn't sleep. My hair was falling out and my skin would break out with most painful hormonal spots. Like around 65% of women at the time, I was told by my GP that I was 'too young' for Menopause, and I was left to navigate my journey back to health alone.

My research (I'm a planner by trade, so research is my favourite thing!) took me into the world of medical trials, functional food research, acupuncture, cold water therapy, nutrition, naturopathy and more. I learned about this life stage that we all go through and no one talks properly about. And I learned that, armed with the right tools and support, midlife can be our superpower! That is what our co-creation community is designed to facilitate. It's a place for all of us to learn about our phenomenal bodies and minds, to work out how to harness our hormones - and it is supported by products and programmes, crafted by experts, that work.

What is your number one skin health tip?

I have two! The first is to pair back and seek out the best ingredients in midlife. Too often we're actually doing too much. I now look for ethical brands that prioritise potency without damaging the planet. I am a new convert to your amazing cleanser! My second is a rarely utilised herb from the mint family called Moldavian Dragonhead that we include in our Peri-Boost blend. Research shows it has the potential to stimulate Collagen production, improve elasticity and firmness. Many in our community comment on a change to their skin after just a few weeks of taking our powders every day.

What are your desert island wellness must-haves?

Headspace. I can't live without Andy's voice! Peanut butter - I'm literally half woman, half nut butter...but old school remains my favourite. And a journal. Gratitude journalling and the practice of sweeping out my mind at the end of the day has had a significant impact on my anxiety during menopause.

What do you wish your younger self had known about?

I wish I had been taught about the power of my hormones at school. They hold so much influence over our lives right from menstruation and we tend to battle them rather than work with them. If we understood their brilliance, and could tap into our cycle to plan for the times in the month when we're creative, or the times when we have the resilience to endure, when we need to be quiet and do deep thinking...and when we can juggle 100s of things at once, our own lives - but also the world - would be very different.

How do you unwind and manage stress levels?

I meditate for 10 minutes every morning. I journal every night and I take a cold shower for 2 minutes to blast away doubt and remind myself of the joy of simply feeling.

How do you hope to impact people with your brand?

MPowder is more than a product range, we're a community. Together we're navigating midlife, exploring the tools and practices that can help and actively making the stuff we want but can't find.

Dead or alive: Who would you most like to meet and why?

The artist and poet Dave because he gives me hope that tomorrow will be better. And Jo Malone, for building two brands and remaining grounded and generous throughout.

What is the hardest challenge you've faced on your MPowder journey?

Well, launching in a pandemic with the backdrop of Brexit was quite a challenge! But I think the hardest thing is cutting through the confusion and noise to provide robust, researched information on the choices we have in menopause without judgement or bias, so each of us are empowered to take agency for our own health.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Rebekah as much as we did, to find out more about MPowder click here.