Products and complementary programs to nourish the body and mind in perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.

It all happened so quickly: first, no one was really talking about perimenopause and menopause outside the dusty corners of health food stores. Then, all of a sudden, that talk was absolutely everywhere — and shortly thereafter came the avalanche of “menowashing” products.

Was it refreshing to finally hear more discussions about women’s health? Sure. But it was still annoying to watch the menopause gold rush unfold: nowhere, among the heaps of products claiming to solve all the issues ranging from hair loss to skin laxity to weight gain to night sweats to anxiety, was the much-needed acknowledgment that the perimenopausal/menopausal journey is an individual one. It is truly different for each person.

Then, our friend Annee de Mamiel told us about MPOWDER, a fellow London-based brand, and we were intrigued. Their thoughtful supplements were just broad-ranging enough, but they were wrapped in individualized support that included individual consultations with naturopaths, a free Health Concierge, and a community of women providing recipes and feedback to keep making the products better and better. (They were already great, having won multiple awards.) 

Plus, the UK tends to be 4-5 years ahead of us where menopause habits are concerned, and it's always helpful to skip the line when you can.

We’re thrilled to be MPOWDER’s first official retailer in the US, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Read on for Dara’s interview with the brand’s founder, Rebekah, a researcher who’s thought of absolutely everything.

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Dara: Like many founders, you started MPowder after going through a frustrating experience yourself and wanting to make it better for others. Two things that are a little different about your journey are that a) you’re a researcher by trade, and b) you co-create products with your community. Can you tell us more about your background and how that led to the way you’ve developed your product line?

REBEKAH: I was 45 when I noticed some changes — night sweats, skin breakouts, a short fuse over things that wouldn’t have fazed me before, a creeping anxiety that didn’t seem to match the moment.

I went to my doctor and was told I was too young to be in menopause and that what I was feeling was probably stress, burnout, or depression. But I knew myself; I wasn’t depressed. And while life was full (when isn’t it?!), this felt different. Something was shifting in my body and mind; I just didn’t feel like me anymore.

I’m a researcher and strategist by trade. So, I did what I’ve always done when something doesn’t make sense: I went deep. What I discovered was both eye-opening and frustrating. Perimenopause often starts in our early 40s (for some, it starts even earlier). And yet, support is patchy at best — symptoms are misunderstood, often dismissed, and rarely treated as part of a bigger picture.

I read everything I could on hormone health, functional nutrition, and lifestyle interventions. I looked at what worked, both clinically and culturally. And then I headed to my local health store.

What I found there was… underwhelming. The shelves were full of products that felt like they’d been designed for someone else. Frail, tired faces on the packaging. One-size-fits-all blends that didn’t reflect the complexity — or individuality — of what our bodies are going through. Some used ingredients proven to be ineffective. Others included such low doses that they were unlikely to do anything at all.

So, I began building a brand rooted in co-creation with medical experts; my amazing naturopathic team, led by Dr Martins, who continues to formulate our blends today; and most importantly, with real women going through the same transition. We developed blends for different stages of menopause. We asked our community to track their symptoms with us and explored what else worked — from breathwork to coaching to HRT, when needed.

We're built on evidence, powered by community, and grounded in the belief that midlife isn’t something to be "fixed" — it’s a new foundation to grow from.

Dara: You’ve spent some time in the US working with a few medical clinics that carry MPowder. What differences have you noticed between peri/menopause treatment in the US and the UK?

REBEKAH: I am full of admiration at the conversation that is taking place in the US right now. Menopause is officially hot!

In the UK, our movement — because on many levels, it is a movement for systemic change and equality — differed in that it bubbled up at grassroots level. We’ve now seen changes to our education system — the next generation of young people will learn about menopause at school! — and to workplace rights, too.

In both the UK and the US, we have to work hard to reframe hormone therapy, which has been misrepresented for far too long. But I think what the US has managed to do more swiftly than we did is recognize the value of complementary therapy, too. From how we digest stress to what we put on our plates, it all matters in midlife. This is our chance to lay the foundations for Part 2.

Dara: Another thing that makes your products special is the fact that they come with a lot of support, including 1-on-1 consultations with your team of naturopaths in London. Can you tell us what to expect from one of these consultations?

REBEKAH: Menopause is a whole body and mind experience, which is why wrap-around-support is key. Our Health Concierge team is on hand whenever you need. But, exclusively to Ayla, the first time you purchase from the MPOWDER range, we gift you time with our naturopathic team, too. This consultation is an opportunity to explore what else may help, from looking at how we digest stress to the foods that nourish us. And, although we are not able to provide medical advice, the objective of these sessions is to signpost to other tools, protocols, and practices that could be valuable additions to your midlife toolkit.

Dara: You also offer a masterclass ticket with every purchase. Can you tell us what masterclasses you’ve offered in the past, or plan to offer in the future?

REBEKAH: Our digital masterclasses are an opportunity to listen to leading experts in their fields on a range of practices and modalities that can support our bodies and minds. From HRT roundtables to immersive sessions on cold water therapy, from flow journaling to the early signs of burnout, we’ve got you.

Dara: You’ve won a lot of awards for your products! Can you tell us about some of them?

REBEKAH: The one I am most proud of, as a researcher, is the one we received this year for Mood-Food, which was awarded ‘Best Menopause Supplement 2025’ by the Good Housekeeping Institute. I love this because the GHI segment their consumer panels so that real women take every product they test. They try it for a valid timeframe - so in this case, 60 days. And they rate it based on efficacy. For me, that is everything. Plus, there was a little high-five moment when we were told by the judges that we scored higher than any supplement they’ve tested before, too!

Dara: Is there a signature entry product in the lineup, or do people typically start with more than one of them?

REBEKAH: My advice is to start with just one, simply because it allows you to measure impact and to have a perspective on what is working and where you may need help next. Mother Nature packs a powerful punch, so it’s also super important to ensure there are no contraindications to medication or underlying health conditions, too. It’s why your first purchase of MPOWDER from Ayla comes with an invitation to book time with our naturopaths. Whilst we can’t give medical advice, we can share what we know and help you work out what could be the best fit.

Dara: How do you suggest choosing between Peri-Boost and Meno-Boost?

REBEKAH: One of the beautiful things about our midlife journey is that each one will be different. We give an indication of life stage because our formulations target the symptoms that our community told us bothered them most at that stage in their transition. However, it may be that you’re 41 and really struggling with your libido. In which case, Meno-Boost may be a better fit for you. So, it’s always worth looking at what we target with each blend — and booking time with our health concierge team, too.

Dara: When do you suggest starting to use Peri-Boost?

REBEKAH: Peri-Boost is designed for when your perimenopause journey begins, which for many of us is our late 30s. But we do have clinic partners telling us they have much younger women using it for hormone balance more generally. If that sounds like you, do reach out to us and we can book a call.

Dara: Was Mood-Food originally designed to be taken with Peri-Boost or Meno-Boost, or on its own? What prompted you to develop it?

REBEKAH: Mood-Food was born out of 4 years of tracking our community’s symptoms in the UK. Over time, we began to notice what we now refer to as ‘cluster symptoms’: regardless of age or lifestage, these tend to show up together because of the way our hormones play together! Anxiety, low mood, and poor sleep have such an impact on our quality of life, we made it our first priority to address those issues.

Because these symptoms are often the first to show up as our perimenopause transition begins, we find many people actually try it first and then add the powdered formulations as they need. We also have a few guys on this one, too!

Dara: Gut-Instinct is my personal favorite! It seems to be one that can be used across a particularly broad age range. Can you tell us more about it?

REBEKAH: It’s the one we’re proudest of, too, as it is a perfect example of herbal synergy in action. We know that when our bodies are under increased stress, our gut microbiota can be impacted. But what many of us aren’t aware of is that menopause is a biochemical stressor — and research shows we’re very likely to experience reduced diversity in good bacteria as well as a shift in metabolic rate in midlife.

That, plus reduced ghrelin and leptin production, can mean we struggle to digest food, extract the nutrients that are on our plate, and find ourselves craving sweet things, too. We will feel bloated, our bowel movements may change, we could find ourselves experiencing new food intolerances, and we might see weight gain, too.

When our bodies are this sensitive, probiotics can often make things worse, because, unless you’re working with a naturopath or nutritionist, off-the-shelf solutions are unlikely to deliver the right strain of bacteria for your body’s unique needs. This entirely prebiotic capsule blend uses the best researched botanicals to gently encourage your body to do what it is designed to do, feeding your gut so it can replenish what it is missing.

Dara: You’ve mentioned that around 60% of the MPowder community take one or more of your products alongside HRT. What typically prompts people to try your products the first time?

REBEKAH: Menopause is a whole body and mind experience, and that means we need a whole body and mind approach. And the more we learn about our biochemistry, the more we listen in, the better able each of us are to take agency and explore what else may help at different points in our journey.

We’re really proud that so many more people in our community take HRT than in society more broadly — where it remains around 10% at best — because it shows people know more today about its potential. But, as exciting for me is the growing recognition that Western medicine can work with emerging science and Mother Nature.

Dara: Is there anything else you think we should know about MPowder?

REBEKAH: That we are, first and foremost, a community navigating midlife together. And that, together we have a potential to change how we experience Part 2. This lifestage should be a stepping up point, not a fading away. With the right support and connections, this is our time to shine.