Naomi Watts talks about her menopause brand Stripes

Hours spent in a car driving under the sun will pass unnoticed from one audition to another. For Naomi Watts Los Angeles did not immediately establish itself as a city of a thousand possibilities. “I came to California from Australia because I was promised a lot of work. Then, when I moved, nothing materialized. I ended up in America without health insurance and in a difficult financial situation. I knew Nicole (Kidman, ed.), with whom we became friends in Australia, working in theater and television. But she, of course, was not famous at that time either and tried to help me as much as she could. Of course, it was not easy, ”he admits.

Given that Naomi WattsSince then, he hates false promises, his life has always been built on honesty and concreteness. He founded his business on these principles. stripesline comprehensive products for menopause it is a promise to work as a community of women who advise and support each other to better get through this period.

Naomi was born in Shoreham in Kent, England, to Myfanwy Edwards, an antique dealer, costume and set designer, and Peter Watts, road manager and sound engineer for Pink Floyd. After her parents divorced, she grew up with her mother and brother, photographer Ben Watts. when she was only four years old. His father was found dead in 1976 in a Notting Hill flat from a possible heroin overdose. Naomi moved with her mother and brother to the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales to live with her maternal grandparents.

“We were in the middle of nowhere, I picked up a Welsh accent when I was in school and that experience had a big impact on my acting career as I learned to reinvent myself, adapt to any situation, temper my voice and change it,” he says. about my character … I am convinced that childhood experiences affect us for the rest of our lives, ”she reflects.

In 1978 her mother remarried and Naomi moved with her brother to Suffolk. In 1982, the whole family emigrated to Sydney, Australia, where her mother began working as a television stylist. “Seeing her on the set and learning about this world, I was convinced that I could become a good actress,” recalls Naomi. “I consider myself British and Australian at the same time: I have different personal and professional experiences and memories with both countries. And now, of course, I am also an American, having lived for some time in the United States.

Naomi lives in New York, where she married an actor this year. Billy Crudupwhom he started dating on the set of the Netflix series Gypsyproduced by her. Among her other business interests besides film production, in 2016 she became honorary president of Glantraeth FC, a small football club in Maltreth, on the island of Anglesey, Wales, not far from her grandparents’ farm.

The second season is on now enmityseries about the rivalry of actresses Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, as well as in the Netflix series Observer. Among some of his most famous films instead Mulhollad Drivewhich led her to her big international success, 21 Grams. King Kong Peter Jackson, Painted veil, Impossiblemovies Divergent Seriesinspired by Veronica Roth’s bestselling books.

How did you get the idea to start a menopause brand?

The signs of perimenopause appeared early, at just thirty-six years old, when I was trying to get pregnant. I was finally trying to start my own family and felt overwhelmed and alone because, unfortunately, talking about it is still too often taboo. Through various therapies, even experimental ones, I was able to give birth to my children Sasha and Kai (from her previous relationship with actor Liev Schreiber, ed.) at 39 and 40 years old, but it was not easy both physically and mentally, because my hormones, seemed to be out of control.

So, since then, I knew that I wanted to do something, because this period just marks the stage after which you can feel even more attractive and sensual. I launched Stripes in October 2022, after years of research and finding the right partners, with the specific goal of: fight the stigma of menopause.

What does Stripes offer?

I offer a range of comprehensive products for all menopausal issues, from hair to skin, to sexual discomforts and mood swings. But Stripes is also a meeting place for women, where they can talk, open up their problems and find solutions. It is a very innovative brand based on sustainability. I founded The Hot Spot, an online forum where women can speak freely and tell their stories without shame, never feeling alone like me.

What products are the most popular?

One of the biggest challenges of menopause is hydration. That’s why products like Power Move Volumizing Serum, Women’s Pleasure Devoted Oh My Glide Play Oil, Probiotic Hair Mask, Crown Pleaser Hair Mask, … And then Power Move Facial Volumizing Serum and Fully Monty Body Butter.

He turns 55 on September 28 and despite being at the peak of his career, he still has many projects in the works.

Now I am much more conscious, I have accumulated experience. I also learned not to be afraid of problems. My role model is Meryl Streep who continues to work hard. Security is another strength that allows you to succeed in both work and personal life.

She is also an acclaimed producer…

I decided to get into producing very early in my career when the producer told me to take advantage of the moment because after forty years I wouldn’t be working anymore. I was 33 at the time, and after many sacrifices, I had just made my breakthrough in film. Mulholland Drivethanks to director David Lynch for choosing me and believing in me. However, I soon realized that if I wanted to survive long in the environment, I needed to start manufacturing myself.

Have you ever been afraid of getting old?

Of course, I had many worries. I have learned to appreciate only those who truly love me and for this reason accept me for who I am. My profession is acting, and I need to work, I need to raise two children, and I want to be financially independent. This was one of my priorities, since I came from a family of artists, so not rich.

I also like to be as natural as possible because that’s how I feel about myself. For me, beauty should come from within, just like wrinkles are a way that marks our expressiveness, a mirror of our experiences and memories. In my opinion, an actress must also have them to be authentic, because aging is normal.

But equality with men – let’s face it – from this point of view, it has not yet been fully achieved: there is no mention of their gray hair, wrinkles, weight gain … On the contrary, aging men are often considered even more attractive. With women it is different, even if the situation has improved significantly.

Personally, you had a hard time. How did you manage to maintain balance and find the strength to start a new business?

I owe my balance to transcendental meditation, which I practice every day, at least 10-15 minutes. It helps me to stay calm and rational because I am basically a very emotional and sensitive person, empathetic, involved and tend to take things personally. The director David Lynch introduced me to this practice (he also has a fund dedicated to this – the David Lynch Foundation).

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