Halle Berry is taking her passion for women’s health and wellness to the next level.
The star actress, producer, and director has been refreshingly frank about her harrowing personal experience with severe symptoms of perimenopause and her desire to break the stigma and taboo surrounding women’s midlife experiences. Now, she’s reframing her wellness platform, RESPIN, to focus on creating a community of support and resources, including products, for women going through “the change” and those who want to be prepared for what’s on the horizon.
“I know my responsibility is to use my voice and my platform to talk about these issues,” Berry tells ESSENCE exclusively. “It’s important that I create a safe place of community for women to share, learn and empower themselves.”
“That, along with state-of-the-art products for women, is exactly the kind of support I wish I had,” she continues. “Products that are scientifically backed and created by experts—those make all the difference.”
Berry’s first foray into support products comes via her platform’s newly announced partnership with Joylux, the global leader in intimate wellness. Together, RESPIN and Joylux have launched a multi-faceted partnership to serve menopausal and peri/post-menopausal women suffering from common intimate health issues. Their first collaboration comes via two innovative products – a new intimacy gel and a special edition award-winning vFit+ device.
“What excites me most is the chance to really change the conversation around menopause and midlife health for women. It’s been an overlooked subject for far too long,” she says. “Being able to partner with a company like Joylux to create products that actually work and help women regain their confidence.”
RESPIN’s partnership with Joylux was built organically, as Berry turned to the brand herself in her own time of need. Hit with vaginal dryness that resulted in painful intercourse as a side effect of perimenopause – which was initially misdiagnosed as a symptom of Herpes – the Academy Award-winner sought out answers and soon found Joylux’s Ob-Gyn-designed solutions. Her experience was so positive that she decided to invest in and eventually partner with Joylux through her RESPIN platform to collaborate on products that enhance intimacy during an incredibly impactful time in a woman’s life.
The LET’S SPIN Intimacy Gel boasts unparalleled hydration, comfort, and pleasure. Packaged in a sleekly designed recyclable glass bottle with a deep red luxe matte finish, the product looks more like an expensive face cream that belongs on the nightstand rather than the typical gels one would typically discretely grab from the drug store and tuck away in the medicine cabinet.
RESPIN worked closely with Joylux Ob-Gyn Sarah de la Torre, MD, developing and testing the product for over a year. They finally came up with a formula infused with hyaluronic acid and aloe vera, pH-balanced for delicate skin and formulated with clean ingredients free of parabens, PEGs, and glycerin, which Berry personally boasts have “changed her life.” Though it was formulated with the needs of women in varying stages of menopause in mind, LET’S SPIN elevates intimacy for everyone, no matter their age, gender, or stage of life.
“After years of dedication to developing products that enhance women’s lives, receiving the call from Halle and RESPIN was very validating,” Colette Courtion, Founder and CEO of Joylux shared in a statement. “With Halle’s powerful voice, advocacy, and RESPIN platform we’re positioned to amplify our message and reach millions more women who want to advance their health and wellbeing. LET’S SPIN is a product for everyone.”
In addition to the gel, Berry also gave her personal input to help develop the RESPIN x Joylux vFit+ Red Light Intimate Wellness Device, a special edition menopause kit with a custom chrome finish and distinctive silver storage bag. With the use of advanced red‑light technology and thermal energy, the device allows users to promote hydration, improve sensation, and better pelvic floor health from the comfort of their own homes. Previously available only through doctors, this luxe at-home device boasts noticeable improvements within just a few weeks of routine use, boosting confidence and enhancing intimacy.
The RESPIN X JOYLUX LET’S SPIN intimacy gel ($45) and vFit+ Red Light Intimate Wellness Device ($495) will be available for purchase starting September 24, 2024 on joylux.com and through more online retailers this fall, including RESPIN, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Ulta, Neiman Marcus, Goop, Amazon, and select physician’s offices. It will also be available internationally in Canada and the United Kingdom with select partners.
Of course, this product launch is just the first of many exciting developments for Berry and RESPIN. With the goal of empowering women to embrace this natural transition and shed any shame of aging in womanhood at the center of her mission, the actress hopes for women to be inspired by the eternal beauty that comes with this stage of life.
“As the RESPIN community grows, I’m looking forward to connecting with more women, helping them feel empowered to talk about their experiences, and providing them with the tools they need to feel confident, healthy, and celebrated,” she says.
