What if there was a line of lip gloss colors that represented different types of period blood…jk jk…unless?
No for real, this is a joke but one that hopes to spread education about period blood and what its different colors may mean.
We’ve got the medically-verified answers about what your period blood colors mean but we needed to find a brand to collab with on the makeup!
Queue Finding Ferdinand, an NYC-based beauty brand dedicated to finding the unique in each and every person.
- They create high-quality, cruelty-free, customizable makeup products (just like our period care subscription boxes!) that allows for their beauty lovers to create the product of their dreams.
After we polled our community for lip gloss name ideas, we got to visit their lab, watch the color mixing process and make the labels for the 6 lipgloss colors!
Disclaimer: we’re not ACTUALLY going to sell these but we did have so much fun getting to know their process and playing around with reactions to period blood content online…
FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE HASHTAG #AugustFerdinand
So, here’s what your period blood color could be signifying…
Bright red blood is mostly seen on the heaviest days of your period when it is the freshest and flows the quickest.
Notably, if your spotting between periods is bright red, this could mean infection (Chlamydia and Gonorrhea).
Lastly, bleeds during pregnancy, polyps, or uterine fibroids tend to be bright red.
Bright Red
Bright red blood is mostly seen on the heaviest days of your period when it is the freshest and flows the quickest.
Notably, if your spotting between periods is bright red, this could mean infection (Chlamydia and Gonorrhea).
Lastly, bleeds during pregnancy, polyps, or uterine fibroids tend to be bright red.
We named this lipgloss shade 'Clotty Valentine'.
Dark Red
This color of blood is typically associated with the end of your period, blood clots (which, by the way, are normal unless larger than the size of a quarter!), post-period and especially for those who have had a cesarean section in the last 24 hours.
When blood has been in the uterus for an extended amount of time, without being exposed to oxygen, its color can darken from red to a darker hue. This is common for the start of your period and especially after lying down or being in a position where gravity wasn’t encouraging your flow to leave your body.
We named this lip gloss shade 'Steve Lacy'.
Pink
Spotting or first periods tend to show up as pink-ish red.
The reason that it’s lighter is because it’s diluted (mixed together) with your cervical fluid that is also exiting the vaginal canal.
Sometimes pink blood can also indicate low estrogen levels, potentially caused by taking hormonal birth control, mid-cycle spotting (pregnancy), or nearing menopause.
We named this lip gloss shade 'Period Fairy'.
Orange
Similar to pink blood, the mixture of cervical fluid and menstrual blood could make the color a slightly orange-toned red.
Other moments of orange coloring could be around the time of suspected implantation (or 10-14 days after conception), or bacterial infections and certain STIs.
We named this lip gloss shade 'Clementine Cooch'.
Brown of all shades
You may find brown-ish blood at both the start & end of your period when the flow is slower and it takes longer to exit the vagina; it’s just old blood. Similar to the dark red coloring, the longer the blood sits in your body, the more time it has to oxidize, causing it to turn brown (or just a rrrreally dark red).
Another reason for brown blood is Lochia, aka the bleeding menstruators experience for the first four to six weeks after delivering a baby, also pregnancy in general and miscarriage.
We named this lip gloss shade 'Down to Brown'.
Black
PSA: Black period blood is NOT necessarily a reason to be alarmed. It likely just means that the blood has oxidized (the same process that turns an avocado brown when it is exposed to air).
On a more serious note, it could also be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. If you see recurring black blood or at a time when you weren’t expecting your period, go check in with your doctor!
Gray or Off-White
There’s a good chance that what you think is white blood is just discharge – which, by the way, is a totally normal collection of fluids and actually the vagina’s natural way of cleaning itself! Learn more about discharge HERE.
However, if it really is the blood that has a gray tint to it, that may be a sign of bacterial vaginosis or miscarriage. In that case, please go get advice from a healthcare provider!
We named this lip gloss shade 'Sticky Situation'.
Have more questions about texture, smell or the “normal” amount of menstrual blood?
Before you go, get to know the brand, Finding Ferdinand!
Keep reading to learn about this brand from their founder, Nhu Le (she/her)
How would you describe Finding Ferdinand in one sentence?
“Finding Ferdinand is a beauty tech company that produces custom color cosmetics on-demand.”
What inspired you to create your brand? What is it about your lipgloss brand that makes you stand out?
“I could not find an orange lipstick.
I had an image in my mind of a bright orange lip, and I could not find it anywhere in the stores. I checked in every Sephora, Bloomingdales, and Saks – but no one carried such an “extreme” color.
I didn’t like that experience, so I came up with the idea for Finding Ferdinand to create unlimited color options. Now you can have any color you want!”
Why did you want to collaborate with August?
“August represents ‘freedom’ from period shame for me. Same with Finding Ferdinand.
We love rule-breakers who push the boundaries on traditional norms. Just because we’ve been taught one thing growing up, doesn’t mean things have to be that way.
I love August because you all inspire us to walk around with a tampon and not have to hide it!”
We hope you got inspired to try bold lip colors and learned something from this collab with Finding Ferdinand!
If you have any other period-related questions, we’re here for you to #AskAugust.
And if you’re looking for ultra-soft, gender-inclusive, shame-free period products – Build Your Box HERE!
