Naomi Watts Wants to Talk About Menopause
“First we get a little mad and then we get the job done.”
When you look at Naomi Watts’ face, there are visible lines. Not just around her eyes, but from her cheekbones down to her jawline and above her upper lip. Sure, she is 56, but most actresses of her stature choose to minimize any signs of age, so it’s an incredibly refreshing thing to see. In fact, it’s something, you could argue, we need to see.
“I’ve certainly tried things over the years,” says Watts during a recent appearance in at Hudson’s Bay in Toronto. “But [as an actress] I’m drawn to stories of women who are going through some kind of emotional turmoil so I need to [be able to] express that. It would be irresponsible for me to not be able to do my job at full capacity, which is, you know, being able to look horrified when something terrible happens.” Having said that, she reserves judgment for anyone that does partake in cosmetic fixes. “I may be on that list myself one day. Let’s see.”
While she holds out on allowing any knives or needles near her face, these days Watts is focusing on increasing awareness of her beauty and wellness brand Stripes. Launched in 2022 and now finally in Canada at Hudson’s Bay, the line of products for women experiencing the effects of perimenopause and menopause was Watts’ response to the inadequate information and support for this phase of life, which for her, began in her ‘30s.
“I was having irregular periods and shorter cycles,” she says. “I was having night sweats that I thought were [due] allergies to something I’d eaten. I had migraines. Those were the things I remember vividly.” It wasn’t until Watts went to the doctor and received the news she was close to menopause that she sort of freaked out. “I didn’t know there were a multitude of years of symptoms leading up to that. So yeah, I was pretty much panicked.”
As she learned more about menopause, Watts felt strongly enough about helping other women to launch Stripes. “I didn’t want it to be just another beauty brand,” she says. “I wanted women to feel seen. They have been let down, especially by the beauty industry.” Knowing that the decline of estrogen results in dehydration, the line addresses it on the face, body and hair. But it’s Vag of Honour, an “intimate hydrating treatment” that Watts seems most proud of. “We want [the line] to be a one-stop shop so that you can have voluminous, bouncy, strong hair and plump up your parts down there, too,” she says. It’s obvious she doesn’t want women to miss out on sex due to pain caused by dryness. “They don’t realize that with just a little more organization and effort, you can solve that,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.
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With vocal voices like hers, menopause can cease to be the “the adult puberty” — as she calls it.
Watts agrees that it’s the patriarchy that has failed women in preparing them for this major change. The medical field is also responsible; doctors are given minimal training in it, save for a handful of hours. But a shift is definitely in progress. “It’s really hard to rewire the narrative. It takes a long time, but I believe it’s happening,” she says. “The door has been cracked a tiny bit and everybody’s just barging out saying, ‘I need to talk about this’.”
Watts did just that in January, when she released “Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I Knew About Menopause.” The book recounts her own experience with menopause “with gory details.” She also includes conversations with friends as well as experts, and promises it isn’t as dense and overwhelming as other books on the topic. “Hopefully it’s the kind of book that feels like a cozy conversation that you want to have with your girlfriend at home on the couch,” she says. And it’s the kind of book that feels vital right now. “If a conversation isn’t available, that’s a big problem,” says Watts. “And a lot of work needs to take place in order to change that. First we get a little mad and then we get the job done.”
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Lesa Hannah was on staff at FASHION for 18 years (2001-2019) working in the beauty department. She's also written for Elle Canada, The Kit, The Toronto Star, The Globe & Mail, Forbes Vetted, Canadian Business, NUVO, Stereogum, GQ and Vanity Fair.
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