Pantone's New 'Period red'

Remember when the period emoji was launched, a drop of blood? It felt like the first time menstruation had been normalised in 'popular culture.' It sometimes makes the news (usually this is to do with lack of education and access to adequate sanitary, something that Binti Period is very vocal about, there's been a Bollywood film made, Padman, based on a real-life Indian villager who invented low cost towels so his wife no longer had to use dirty rags, and then there's that TV scene that comes to mind, a certain 'horrifying moment' in Amazon Prime series I Love Dick. I shudder just thinking about it.

There's still a long way to go to 'normalise' the existence of periods. We should feel comfortable talking about them as openly as we want. It's rather unexpected, but perhaps Colour has come to our rescue on that front?

Pantone have launched a new colour called Period, recognising this very significant and special time of the month. It's a collaboration with menstrual cup brand Intimina and while it may not actually depict the red of real periods, it's a gorgeous, bold shade, one I'd love in a lipstick.

My own periods are much darker, on the maroon end of the scale but every now and then I will get a red that's this vibrant. It's also dependent on the sanitary method you use as to how much colour you can actually appreciate, different brands of sanitary towel show up the blood and discharge differently.

But regardless of questions around the accuracy of the shade, it's a very positive move, and I am here for it.