A mum-of-one has shared how she uses her menstrual blood as a face mask, paints with it, and even drinks it while she’s on the loo.
Jasmine Alicia Carter says that doing things like applying fresh menstrual blood to her face and creating ‘period paintings’ has improved her spiritual and physical health.
The 30-year-old is a mentor who coaches women ‘to understand and reclaim the inherent sacredness that lies within their entire menstrual cycle.’
She’s also the creator of the Sacress Menstrual Cup, and founder of the Menstrual Art Movement, and says in no uncertain terms that periods are her life.
Jasmine – who lives in Barcelona, Spain – explains: ‘Understanding and reclaiming my period has given me a whole new appreciation for myself and for women.
‘We are here because of our vaginas and our blood and women don’t take enough credit for that.
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‘Instead throughout time, women have been taught to feel ashamed of our periods.
‘If you look at tampons and sanitary pads, they’re floral scented and full of chemicals to hide our blood and compromise the natural functioning of our periods.’
Jasmine says that period blood is ‘highly-packed with nutrients’ such as protein, iron and stem cells – and adds there are so many ways you can use it if you choose to collect it.
‘When I drink my period blood,’ she explains, ‘I will usually squat on the toilet, remove my menstrual cup and take a sip. I’m so connected to my body that I know exactly how much blood to drink.
‘Sometimes it’s just a sip, and sometimes it’s a whole menstrual cup because I need more nutrients.
‘Regarding drinking your period blood, there is a disclaimer that you need to be in good health to drink it.
‘Your period blood won’t as good if you’re eating junk food every day, for example, because your nutrients will be poor. But when you’re in tune with your period, then you know how much you need to drink and can feel the benefits.’
Jasmine, who lives with her husband Suriya and their two-year-old son Rav, also incorporates ‘period face masks’ into her beauty routine.
She says: ‘I love period face masks. When I first put my fresh menstrual blood on my face, it felt so natural. The feeling is very refreshing and cooling on the skin.
‘Now I just go around our house with my period face mask on and my husband is so used to it. Although I’ve never had major skin issues, I can definitely feel that my skin looks at its best now because of these face masks.’
Jasmine understands that not everyone who has periods will be comfortable putting blood on their face – or with drinking it.
However, she stresses there are other ways to embrace your period, like by using the blood to paint with or using it as a natural fertiliser.
‘I don’t expect everyone to be obsessed with their period blood the way I am,’ she explains.
‘But I do encourage women to collect and observe their menstrual blood to see what it can tell them about their health.
‘You can get a real sense of your wellbeing through the colour and consistency of your blood.
‘I also encourage women to give their period back to nature and feel that connection with the earth. Your menstrual blood is an incredible fertiliser to give back to plants.
‘In the past, women would squat down and give their period blood to the earth to connect themselves to nature. Before women were taught to feel ashamed of our periods, ancient cultures were aware of the womb’s wisdom.
‘I also love creating paintings with my period blood. It’s a really beautiful practice.
‘I used to have to strain my menstrual blood beforehand or mix it with a blender to make it into something to paint.
‘But after becoming attuned with my periods, my blood is so clean now that I can paint with it immediately and just dilute it with water for different tones.’
Jasmine, who used to work as a waitress before she became a menstrual mentor, says she’s faced a fair amount of trolls in her time.
‘My passion and love for my period became a business, and I’m so proud of that,’ she continues. ‘Periods are my life.’
‘I put myself out there because I want other women to find peace with their menstrual cycle and their bodies too.
‘I used to get a lot of hateful comments for my work and trolls have told me that what I do is gory. I find this suggestion crazy as it’s just my period blood.
‘But since then, I have found the most amazing community of women who understand and support my message.’
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