Nat Buchanan, model, actress, and founder of FLIPKIP, candidly shares her menstrual cycle routine and insights.
Name: Nat Buchanan
Day job: Model, Actress and Founder of FLIPKIP
Location: Sydney
Flow: Light to moderate
Length: 3-4 days
Do you remember the first time you got your period?🩸
I got my period at 14. I watched TV with my mum and sister, and then I went to the bathroom and saw a brown smear on my undies. I simultaneously thought I was dying and had somehow crapped myself. I whispered importantly in my mother's ear that “I needed to talk to her”. I had a deep, dramatic knowing that life as I knew it was over. I was very resentful of the whole puberty process already, and this was just the cherry on top. I remember thinking, “What do you mean women bleed for 5 days and don’t die”? It was unthinkable. My mother handed me a pad, and I felt like I was wearing a giant nappy that rustled when I walked. I sulked for the rest of the day.
What's your period routine in a nutshell?
Light to moderate and usually lasts about 3.5 days. The week leading up to my period, I’m prone to being grumpy, emotional, and unmotivated. I’ll want to move at a slower pace and be less social. I’ll feel more bloated everywhere, but my stomach will be especially bloated. My boobs will look and feel like planets. I’ll have night sweats 1-2 days before my period arrives. I’ll sometimes gain a new hormonal friend on my jawline that can’t be popped. I know it’s very close when I get cramps low in my pelvis. On day 1, I will use period undies if I’m at home. Cramps usually wake me up I feel in my uterus and back, and I will need to take painkillers quickly, or it will escalate. It’s generally the only time I experience any real discomfort. I use organic tampons when I’m working or exercising and period undies at home and overnight.
What does self-care look like throughout your cycle?
I love showering, washing my hair, putting on a face mask, a fresh pair of period briefs, and loose pj’s before watching some satisfyingly predictable show. I forgot snacks. Must have snacks. Not necessarily junk, but an endless supply. I tend to go easy on exercise and lie in bed longer. I don’t come up with any good ideas. I don't reply to texts. I forage for more cuddles and kisses than usual. I drink lots of herbal tea.
Tell us about your relationship with your period.
When I was younger, my periods were heavier and painful. It was a time of the month I resented and didn’t understand. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to draw a stronger tie between my emotional energy and my cycle. I can tune in more with how I’m feeling and why. I’ve always felt connected to my period, whether it’s to the flow, pain, or time. I was at one point so regular, it would arrive down to the hour. I think it’s about listening to your body, as cliche as that sounds. I don’t push myself to work out now during that time. I try to give it the food it needs. I’m more grateful to experience my period, but they still suck.
What about beauty? Does it change with your cycle?
I usually apply the same products throughout the month. In recent times, I’ve started getting the odd hormonal spot on my jaw/chin, so I might use a blemish treatment at night and do more face masks.
My morning skincare is pretty simple these days. I’ll use a scrub cleanser, hydration or Vitamin C serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen. I always aim for fresh no-makeup makeup, so I use many cream products that layer well. My night routine involves an oil cleanser, retinol or exfoliant serum and moisturiser. I’ll tie my hair back so it doesn’t get tangled and sleep on the silk side of my FLIPKIP pillowcase. Sometimes, when I run hotter leading up to my period, I sleep on the linen side, but both sides are heat regulating.
Is there a product you turn to mid-breakout or a supplement or remedy you take to get that glow?
I believe in Vitamin C serums, chemical exfoliants, and Marine Collagen for a healthy glow. I’m terrible at drinking water, but I see a big difference when I do. For the odd breakout, I’ll usually try a detox mask or spot treatment more for the ritual of doing something than for results. I find my spots usually go away by themselves (if I can stop picking them first). Sleeping on silk is also great for fighting congestion, is antibacterial, and doesn’t absorb my whole skincare routine.
How important is sleep to your period?
When I don’t get enough z’s, my brain doesn’t perform like I need it too, which impacts my work. I’m very much a morning person and a grandma at heart. I usually get my period overnight and have the worst sleep when it’s coming. I’m unsettled, have night sweats (a new thing, yay), and have really weird dreams. I’ll almost find it impossible to sleep in. On Day 2, my sleep will return to normal.
Does your cycle get in the way of your relationships?
I usually feel like a failure, convince myself I’ve put on 10 kgs, cry at something minor — and then I get my period the next day, and everything makes sense again. I wish I weren’t so textbook PMS. My partner often goes, ‘Ah…it’s period week’ and knows what to do/where to hide. He also knows I’m more needy for attention and love once my period hits, so he gives me extra TLC (the saint).
Period sex - yes or no?
Typically, no, but I am more inclined to enjoy other sensual activities. It’s such a pleasurable time of the month, and your sensations are heightened, so why not enjoy it?
Does your period get in the way of your work?
It used to be when I was younger. I would get really intense cramps and nausea on day 1, which would sometimes make me throw up or prevent me from standing. I would worry that my period would land on a work day and would take preemptive pain killers which usually worked if I took them early enough. Now, my period is much more forgiving pain-wise. But I will be bloated as anything the week leading up to and on, which when you’re modeling is not ideal. Somehow, all my swimwear jobs have fallen on Day 1 (so fun), but I find drinking water, avoiding salt & dairy, exercising, and taking ibuprofen helps.
Are there times in your cycle when you feel more creative than others?
I feel a bit sluggish the week leading up to my period. If possible, I adjust my exercise, diet, social calendar, and work. On day 3 and onwards, I had a burst of energy. I feel like doing vigorous exercise and have so much mental clarity. There really is such a link between shedding our lining and shedding our past selves. I feel each month is a kind of rebirth that invites my creativity and confidence back.
What 3 tips would you give your teenager self?
- I remember being so embarrassed to buy pads as a teenager that I would hide them under a stack of other items I didn’t need. Find someone, friends, fam, that you feel comfortable talking about your period to help normalise a very normal thing.
- Discomfort doesn’t need to be something you ride out. If you're experiencing painful periods, see a doctor you trust. I have too many friends that sucked up period pain as teens because ‘that’s what women do’ and were diagnosed much later with endometriosis.
- Explore what period care (undies, cups) feels best for you, not what your friends might use. Also, if a partner is too immature to talk about periods, they're too immature to have sex.
Finally, your advice for...
- TV series or Podcasts: I just finished watching The Boys. It's very weird but very entertaining. I often drive listening to On Purpose with Jay Shetty or Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett for inspiration on business and mindfulness.
- Favourite style of period underwear: I love the brief. I wear them at night on my period and love the secure feeling they give me.
- Top 3 beauty products of all-time: I need about 50 hair products to walk out the door so this is hard. Let’s say…SPF 50+ Sunscreen, Concealer and my hair brush! 💖
