The birth of Lunar & Mae

As a Mum to an 11-year-old, I was looking for information and products to prepare my daughter for her first period.

I was disappointed by the amount of plastic most gift packs contained: I wanted locally-sourced, natural and sustainable period products. But there was very little available in Australia. It was then I realised there was an opportunity to create a business to fulfill this market niche—and help mums and young girls Australia wide.

Creating Lunar & Mae

I wanted my daughter to approach periods with a sense of fun and normality. I wanted her to view her period as a chance to pamper herself, and take time for self-care. I wanted to empower her with knowledge and information so she felt confident at this crucial point in her development—and I wanted period products that were fun and joyful while still being discreet (as well as sustainable and environmentally friendly).

I chose ‘Lunar’ from my connection to both the lunar and menstrual cycles, and ‘Mae’ because it’s my daughter’s middle name. She’s the inspiration behind this business—so her name was always going to be a part of it.

And so Lunar & Mae was born.

Embracing a new business opportunity

I owned a restaurant for close to a decade, so I’m no stranger to working for myself. But it’s been an enormous challenge to start a completely new online business, on my own.

It’s definitely tested my problem solving, organisation and management skills. But it’s also so exciting to see something new come together, especially because I know there’s so many girls (and their families) we’ll be able to support.

A family-run business

My daughter is not just the motivation for this business, she’s also loving being chief product tester. Already she’s decided the bath bombs and hair accessories are pretty awesome. She’s prepared for her first period, and I suspect she’ll be a source of information for many of her friends as years go by. My son is also keen to be involved, taking interest in the website creating.

Small beginnings, big goals

At this early stage in my business, I’m focused on sourcing a carefully curated quality range of products. I’ll always try to source locally made products, including from where I live here in South Australia’s Barossa Valley. But where a suitable product is not available locally, I’ve focused on the best quality, affordable interstate or overseas options.

As my business grows, I’ll add new brands and expand my range. So if there’s a product or brand you think we should stock, please get in touch.