Shortly after her daughter was born nine months ago, Ms Phillimore launched Maebl, New Zealand’s first intimate care brand offering certified microbiome friendly products.
The range was designed to help women take control of their intimate wellbeing through science-backed, sustainable and stigma-free care, something she initially struggled to find for her own use.
Originally from Auckland, Ms Phillimore’s background was in media and advertising. She moved to Wānaka about eight and a-half years ago and works as a hairstylist and makeup artist, particularly in the wedding industry.
Wanting a change in pace, she said she had “definitely” found her home in Upper Clutha. With a strong affinity to nature, she enjoyed the beauty surrounding the area.
Ms Phillimore had personally struggled with intimate health issues for more than 15 years, in particular recurrent bacterial vaginosis which was “not pleasant”.
Maebl was borne out of her inability to find intimate care products in New Zealand that aligned with her values — gentle, evidence-backed, microbiome friendly and free of shame.
Her condition was something that was very common among women but yet she felt like initially she was the only one dealing with it.
Being a very open person, she started talking about it with her friends and later felt comfortable enough to talk about it with partners. “I can’t control it, why should I be embarrassed?” she said.
Maebl started with the conception of the idea four years ago through to the launch not long after the birth of her daughter. Maebl’s products were the first in New Zealand to receive the MyMicrobiome certification under the Vulvo-Vaginal Standard 25.10.
From cold calling — having such blatant honesty meant people were very willing to help her — she got connected with people throughout the supply chain from scientists through to manufacturers. Maebl products were all manufactured, developed and packaged in New Zealand.
Ms Phillimore acknowledged there was some imposter syndrome during the development of Maebl. “Self doubt would often creep in . . . and was often a barrier to progress. Talking about this with other female business owners has been incredibly helpful, as well as reframing my internal narrative,” she said.
There had also been the challenge of finding balance since coming back from maternity leave. It had been a “bit of a juggling act” with two significant life changes happening close together.
“There have been times when it’s been hard to dedicate time to Maebl and work on the business. But I feel like I’m getting closer to finding a happy balance between existing business, new business, and family,” she said.
Not only did Ms Phillimore want to offer solutions but also provide accessible information aimed at transforming the way thought about, talked about and cared for the vulvovaginal area.
“Throughout history, women’s health has been neglected, underfunded, and misunderstood. Today, we still suffer from centuries of misinformation, shame, and sexism. With Maebl as my platform, I hope to provide solutions to the daily challenges we face and change the perceptions around intimate care and connection,” she said.
The global women’s intimate care products market was valued at about $US40.3 billion in 2023 and was projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 4.5% between 2024 and 2032.
