Honouring the Luteal Phase: Rituals, Self-Care, and the Importance of Normalizing Menstruation

Why listening to our hormonal cycles is essential for women's health, healing, and equality.

A Personal Note

Before beginning this post, I want to offer a sincere apology for the quiet period on this blog recently.

Over the past little while, I've been navigating an intense endometriosis flare-up, along with some very heavy emotional milestones.

This season marked the one-year anniversary of my father's passing. It was also the first birthdays for both my father and sister since their deaths.

Grief moves in waves. Sometimes quietly.

Sometimes all at once.

Between physical pain and emotional processing, I needed to step back and give myself something many of us struggle to allow:

Grace.

Grace to rest.

Grace to slow down.

Grace to let my body and heart move at their own pace.

As women, we're often taught to push through pain, exhaustion, and grief as if our bodies are inconveniences.

But healing - both physical and emotional - doesn't work that way.

This experience reminded me of something deeply important:

Our bodies are cyclical. They ask for care. They ask for our attention. And sometimes they ask us to pause.

Which brings us to today's topic: normalizing menstruation and honouring the rhythms of the body.

Let's begin.

For centuries, menstruation has been treated as something shameful. Something hidden. Something whispered about.

But what if the problem isn't menstruation?

What if the problem is the silence around it.

Marian Baird, a professor of gender and employment relations at the University of Sydney, argues that normalizing menstruation is a key step toward achieving gender equality.

And she's right.

Menstruation affects roughly half the population for decades of their lives. Yet workplaces, schools, and social norms often pretend it doesn't exist.

Many women work through severe pain.

Many girls miss school during their cycle.

Many people feel embarrassed simply buying menstrual products.

This isn't equality.

Normalization means acknowledging that menstruation is a natural biological process. Not a weakness. Not an inconvenience. Not something to hide.

When menstruation becomes openly discussed and supported:

• Workplaces can provide flexible policies

• Schools can provide education and free products

• Healthcare providers can better address menstrual health issues

• Individuals can understand their bodies instead of feeling ashamed of them

Breaking the stigma allows people to advocate for their needs without fear.

But normalization doesn't only happen in policy.

It also happens in how we care for ourselves.

Understanding our menstrual cycle can help us work with our bodies instead of against them.

One phase that deserves more compassion is the luteal phase.

Understanding the Luteal Phase

The luteal phase begins after ovulation and lasts until menstruation begins. Usually around 10-14 days.

During this phase, progesterone rises. The body prepares for a possible pregnancy.

Common experiences during this time include:

• fatigue

• irritability

• breast tenderness

• cravings

• bloating

• emotional sensitivity

• brain fog

Many people label this as simply "PMS".

But it's actually a hormonal transition period.

Instead of forcing constant productivity, the luteal phase is a powerful time to slow down, nourish the body, and practice deeper self-care.

Luteal Phase Ritual Drink: Hormone-Supporting Moon Milk

This warm evening drink supports relaxation, minerals, and blood sugar stability.

Ingredients

1 cup warm milk (dairy or alternative)

1 tsp raw cacao powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup

1 tsp collagen powder (optional)

Pinch of sea salt

Tiny pinch of black pepper

Instructions

Warm the milk gently on the stove.

Whisk in the cacao, cinnamon, turmeric, and collagen.

Add honey and sea salt.

Finish with black pepper to activate the turmeric.

Sip slowly in the evening.

This drink supports magnesium intake, relaxation, and blood sugar balance.

Perfect before bed during the luteal phase.

Luteal Phase Skincare Ritual

Hormonal shifts during this phase can make skin more sensitive, reactive, and prone to breakouts. A gentle ritual can help support your skin barrier and overall comfort.

Step 1: Gentle Cleanse

Use a mild cleanser or honey cleanse.

Avoid harsh exfoliants or aggressive treatments during the luteal phase.

Step 2: Antioxidant Support

Apply a Vitamin C serum in the morning to support collagen production and brighten the skin.

Follow with niacinamide, which can help regulate oil production and calm inflammation.

Products containing green tea extract are also wonderful during this phase. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants that can help soothe hormonal redness and irritation.

Step 3: Deep Moisture + Lymphatic Support

Massage a nourishing moisturizer into the skin.

Options like beef tallow, shea butter, or botanical oils provide essential fatty acids that help maintain the skin barrier during hormonal shifts.

Take your time with this step. Slow facial massage improves circulation and encourages relaxation.

You can also incorporate gua sha during this stage.

Using a gua sha stone along he jawline, cheekbones, neck, and lymphatic pathways can help stimulate lymphatic drainage in the face and neck.

Benefits may include:

• reduced puffiness

• improved circulation

• support for lymphatic drainage

• relaxation of facial tension

• a more sculpted appearance over time

Always apply gua sha after applying oil or moisturizer so the stone glides smoothly across the skin.

Work gently and move down the sides of the neck first to open lymphatic pathways, then move upward along the jaw and cheekbones.

This step not only supports skin health but also encourages the body to release tension that can build during the luteal phase.

Step 4: Magnesium Foot Ritual

Before bed, spray magnesium spray onto the soles of your feet.

Magnesium can support:

• relaxation

• improved sleep

• muscle tension relief

• hormonal balance

Many people also notice that magnesium supports reduced body odour due to its effect on skin bacteria and mineral balance.

Step 5: Witch Hazel Body Reset

After a shower or before bed, apply witch hazel to areas that tend to sweat more, such as:

• underarms

• inner thighs

• behind the knees

• feet

Witch hazel is naturally astringent and antimicrobial. It can help reduce body odour drastically without harsh chemicals.

Step 6: Nervous System Reset

Place your hands gently over your lower abdomen.

Take 10 slow breaths.

Allow the body to soften.

Thank your body for the work it does every single month.

Step 7: Castor Oil Belly Pack for Hormonal Support

Castor oil packs have been used in traditional wellness practices for generations to support circulation, lymphatic movement, and abdominal comfort.

During the luteal phase, many people experience bloating, pelvic heaviness, or hormonal tension. A gentle castor oil pack can help the body relax and encourage circulation in the abdominal area.

What You'll Need

• organic castor oil

• a soft cloth or flannel

• plastic wrap or a towel

• a heating pad or hot water bottle (optional)

Instructions

Apply a small amount of castor oil to the cloth until it is saturated but not dripping.

Place the cloth over the lower abdomen

Cover with plastic wrap or a towel to protect clothing and bedding.

You may place a warm heating pad or hot water bottle on top for additional comfort.

Relax for 20-45 minutes.

This is a perfect time for journaling, reading, meditation, or simply resting.

Many people find this ritual deeply calming before bed.

Potential Benefits

• supports circulation in the pelvic area

• may reduce bloating

• encourages lymphatic movement

• supports relaxation and nervous system regulation

Afterward, gently wipe off any remaining oil with a warm damp cloth.

Honouring the Luteal Phase

The luteal phase invites us to slow down.

To soften.

To listen more closely to our bodies.

Through simple rituals - nourishing drinks, supportive skincare, magnesium, herbal care, and gentle abdominal support - we can transform this phase from something we dread into something we respect and care for intentionally.

When we normalize menstruation and understand our hormonal rhythms, we step closer to a world where women's biology is supported rather than ignored.

And that is a powerful step toward true gender equality.

Closing Reflections: Cycles of the Body, Cycles of Life

One of the quiet lessons that the menstrual cycle teaches us is that life moves in cycles.

There are phases of energy.

Phases of rest.

Phases of growth.

And phases of release.

The same is true in life.

Grief, healing, and personal transformation rarely move in straight lines. They ebb and flow just like our hormones, our emotions, and the natural rhythms of our bodies.

This past year has reminded me that sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is slow down and honour where we are.

To allow ourselves compassion during the harder seasons.

To listen when the body asks for rest.

To nourish ourselves with care rather than criticism.

When we begin to understand and respect these rhythms - both physical and emotional - we step into a deeper relationship with ourselves.

And perhaps that is part of the real work behind normalizing menstruation.

Not just acknowledging a biological process.

But learning to honour the wisdom of the body.

Because within these cycles - monthly and lifelong - there is resilience, renewal, and the quiet strength to begin again.

Reader Reflection

Our bodies move through natural cycles every month, yet many of us were never taught how to listen to them or work with them.

Taking even a few moments to reflect on your own rhythms can be a powerful step toward deeper self-understanding.

Consider reflecting on these questions:

• How do you usually feel during your luteal phase?

Are there any physical or emotional patterns you notice each month?

• What signals does your body give you when it needs rest or extra care?

• Are there small rituals you could introduce during your luteal phase to support yourself more gently?

Examples might include nourishing foods, herbal teas, skincare rituals, journaling, or quiet time.

• How might your relationship with your cycle change is menstruation were something openly discussed and supported instead of hidden or stigmatized?

There is no single "correct" way to experience your cycle.

But learning to listen - to your body, your energy levels, and your emotional landscape - can be one of the most empowering forms of self-care.

Your cycle is not something to fight.

It is something to understand.

And when we begin to honour these rhythms, we create space for deeper balance, resilience, and self-compassion.

You're Not Alone

If this post resonated with you, please know that you are not alone in navigating your health, your hormones, or the emotional waves that sometimes come with them.

My goal with this space is to create an environment where conversations about women's health, cycles, and natural care can happen openly and without shame.

If you ever want to talk further, you are always welcome to reach out.

Whether you:

• have questions about something mentioned in an article

• want to discuss natural approaches to hormonal support

• are interested in a custom herbal blend or wellness product

• want to learn more about botanical skincare and ritual care

• or simply need a space to share your experience or vent

My door is always open.

Community, conversation, and shared knowledge are some of the most powerful tools we have for healing and groqth.

Thank you for being here and for taking the time to honour your body and its rhythms.

With care,

LibraScorpioAries