Female wellness has finally started shedding its taboo status, with topics including menopause, periods and vulva health much more openly discussed. Now, female founders like Katy Cottam are broadening their focus, to make the whole beauty industry a more empowered place. Here’s how.
Katy is the founder of Luna Daily, the microbiome-balancing bodycare brand that looks after all skin (including the most intimate). With the mantra “head, vulva, knees and toes,” the aim of the company is to help kick shame and confusion out of the skincare industry, which means Katy has created a brand that’s much more than just gentle (very good) formulations.
We sat down with Katy to discuss how she became not only a brand founder but a female health campaigner, and to hear more about the work she is doing to make a real difference to the industry.
On starting her founder journey
“I’ve spent most of my career in the beauty and wellness space; I started at L’Oreal and then became the global head of brand marketing at Charlotte Tilbury. But the idea for Luna Daily came to me well before my career – and the catalyst was something much more personal. When I was 19, a really intensive course of antibiotics completely messed up my microbiome and I had all sorts of health issues, including getting thrush for the first time. I still remember today how embarrassed, ashamed, and confused I felt.
From that moment on, I wasn’t able to use traditional bodycare products to care for my more intimate skin, and I really resented that the only solution available to me was this niche, stigmatised ‘feminine hygiene’ category that I felt was really underserving women and people with vulvas. Then, fast forward 15 years (and a career in the beauty industry) and I felt that not a lot had changed.”
On the questions that started a brand
“My own experiences had me questioning, why are we all so confused and embarrassed about our bodies? Why are we not taught anatomically correct language? And, why are we not taught how to care for intimate skin? For example, did you know that one in two women’s washing routines have caused them to have a gynaecological problem? Or that 87 per cent of people weren’t taught about intimate care at school and 80 per cent of women can’t actually label the vulva. That means one in three women are washing inside their vagina, despite that being the internal self cleaning part of a female anatomy. Or, they are not using any products in the area at all as they think the vulva is also self-cleaning, but that is external skin and it is recommended to give it a gentle clean.”
“At the same time, I was querying why there was this huge industry that was marketing specific products for intimate skin and thinking, do we even need separate products? So I looked at the biology of it and realised that our external, intimate skin is just that – skin. It’s actually very similar to the skin under our arms, which is why we grow hair in both regions. I believe that vulvas should be as normal as any other body part, and talked about and understood in the same way. That’s why I launched Luna Daily in 2022 – a microbiome-balancing bodycare brand for all skin, even your most intimate.”
On closing the education (and embarrassment) gap
“Launching Luna Daily wasn’t just about bringing out products, this is an education piece. There’s a huge education barrier that I’m trying to overcome, and there’s loads of confusion and misinformation out there too. For example, I was chatting to a friend at her house before the pandemic, and I was telling her about the idea I’d had. She stopped in her tracks and pulled me up to the bathroom, opened the cupboard and showed me where she had hidden a feminine wash through embarrassment. She said: ‘you have to do it. We’re literally living and breathing this insight’. I realised that it wasn’t just me that felt this way and when I conducted some research with 1000 women of all ages, life stages, and skin types, that confirmed it.”
“So, my first focus is definitely trying to break through those barriers of miseducation and that includes how we talk to women, especially on social channels, because, still, too often, words like vagina and vulva are censored by social platforms. I’ve also rejected retailers based on them wanting to put us in dusty, murky corners, hidden away. I passionately believe these products belong with bodycare. I think the biggest thing is leading with these conversations. Whether that is our social platforms, our influencer partners, our retail partnerships – we are really trying to normalise conversations at the forefront of everything we do.”
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On being a female founder
“The second big challenge I faced with Luna Daily was raising investment as a solo female founder. Less than two per cent of venture capital funding goes to women, and then less than two per cent of all funding into healthcare goes towards women’s needs. On top of that, many of the people you’re speaking to are not going to be your target audience, because they don’t have a vulva. So even using words like vulva and having your audience feel comfortable and understand the opportunity can be a challenge.
But, it’s not just a gender issue. As a white middle class female, I’m disproportionately advantaged versus other demographics [when it comes to investment]. I also think raising investment is like politics and mortgages – we’re not taught about them at school, so it’s something you have to learn on the job. Things are definitely changing in terms of raising awareness of the importance of investing in female-led and female health brands in general, but there’s a lot of work still to do. I’m really fortunate to say that we’ve successfully raised investment, including with our latest investment partner Onboard Ventures, but it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
On breaking down barriers in retail
“One of our big success stories is educating retailers on this category, as we are a retail-first model business. For example, we were the first ever bodycare brand that caters for intimate skin in a Sephora store, and when we launched a range for pregnancy, post-birth and beyond in 2024, we were the first ever motherhood range they’ve stocked. Just like vulvas, I believe that nipples, perineums, bellies, boobs, and butts should also all be normalised. Educating retailers on how to merchandise and speak to women about these products has been a big part of our success. Now you can go into a Sephora store and you can buy a bodycare product like ours alongside your skincare and makeup. I think that’s a big step in changing consumer behaviour because we are educating customers on how to shop this category differently.”
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On getting rid of the ‘feminine hygiene’ sector
“Our thesis is that the feminine hygiene industry, in its current capacity, shouldn’t exist. In particular, we shouldn’t be marketing to women that you need separate products for your vulva, because it only encourages this body part to be singled out and treated with shame. I think one of the reasons we’ve been successful is because we are sort of sneaking intimate care into the mainstream. Our products are designed to be great to use on your vulva, but the focus is for use everywhere, and they don’t look like a stereotypical fem-wash. For example, our number one seller is the Spray to Wipe, which is brilliant for all those times you want to freshen up on the go, but you don’t have access to a shower. So, as well as building trust that these products are safe and clinically tested for our vulvas, they are also really enjoyable to shop for, use, and leave out in your bathroom. I’m really proud that we’re changing that narrative.”
On conversation-starting initiatives
“We also launched the world’s first vulva therapy hotline last year. The idea behind it is that you can phone our free hotline and speak to exposure therapists, to shake off societal shame about the word vulva. On the day the campaign launched, we saw search terms for the word vulva increase by 35 per cent on Google, and we’ve had over 700,000 views of an article on the website which just simply explains the difference between a vulva and a vagina too. It shows that there is a need for education and a need to normalise what should just be basic knowledge. We’re having a real impact in that space, and that, for me, transcends even the products we are creating. Ultimately, I am proof that if you normalise body parts, then they no longer become embarrassing – and I think it is so important that women understand all of their anatomy.”
On pushing for greater regulation
“I don’t think the guidelines are strict enough yet, especially for deeming whether products are ‘good’ for intimate skin. Currently, you basically only have to prove that a product for external use is not dangerous, which I find is too lax. That’s why all of our product development includes sign off from our medical collective, and then the products undergo third party, independent testing too.”
“There are also too many brands that are mis-marketing their products or inadvertedly mis-marking their products and playing on the confusion around the difference between the vagina and the vulva. For example, any product that is designed for internal use, like a lubricant, has to be a medical device. But, there are too many brands that are not registering them as such. I think much more needs to be done, from a regulatory perspective, to make sure that women are protected, because I see too many brands bending the rules.”
On expanding out the range for all life stages
“I knew I wanted to launch a motherhood range ever since the very first focus groups I conducted nearly five years ago. That’s because I spotted the same lack of great products, the same lack of conversation and education, and the same lack of resonation with the brands women currently had available to them. I remember this one woman saying to me, ‘why is it that when you approach this life stage, you’re thrust this set of brands and they speak to you in this mumsy tone? I’m still me, even now I’ve become a mum, and I’m already struggling enough with my identity.’ I knew right away there was a really obvious gap in the market. Now, I’m proud to say that we’ve got dedicated bodycare ranges, not just for daily care regimes, but also the motherhood and menopause.”
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On what makes a successful brand
“My view is that to successfully launch a brand today – and a brand that is going to stand the test of time – you have to have a mission and a purpose, beyond product. Having a phenomenal product is so important, but for me it has to be paired with a bigger mission. Luna Daily’s founding story is my authentic story, and it’s the thing that women relate to. Does the world need more mascaras? Probably not, but you can lean into desire and the magpie effect by focusing on something that’s new and fun. Does the world need a brand like Luna Daily? I strongly believe that they do, and I think how we approach product development reflects that, because there is a much greater responsibility I feel.”
On bucking the ruthless start-up trend
“I think every founder would say there is an element of flying the plane as you are building the plane, and you have to learn on the job. But I think the most important thing to me is setting up a business that will be a force for good. I made a very big commitment that I would only run this business if my team were the happiest, healthiest they’ve ever been, because, you know, startup life has a pretty gruelling reputation. As a brand that exists to cater for women at all life stages, I really want to walk that walk internally. I’m focused on supporting my team through every life stage. For example, we have a really comprehensive female health policy that not just supports through maternity cover, but through periods, endometriosis, miscarriage, abortion and menopause. As a business leader within the female health space, that is super important to me.”
The future of female wellness is bodycare…
“Bodycare has had double digit growth over the last three years and there’s much more focus on consciously thinking about the ingredients and regimes you treat your body with. After all, your skin is your biggest organ and 94 per cent of your skin is on your body. What is driving that bodycare category is efficacious, clinical and expert-led brands. It is less of the £1 or £2 shower gels that smell like raspberries and more about using products that are having a really proactive impact on your skin health. I’ve had the idea for Luna Daily since I was 19, so I sat on it for 15 years, but, I actually think, it’s been really fortuitous for us. If I launched this brand five years ago, it might have been too soon. The macro changes that we’ve seen and the new focus on total bodycare – head, vulva, knees, toes – has played a hugely important part.”
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On how Luna Daily has changed her
“Since launching Luna Daily, I’ve never been more comfortable in myself. A few years ago, I would have felt really embarrassed talking about getting thrush at 19, or recording a TikTok video about vaginas that got a million views. I am proof that embarrassment is so common, but I feel released from the shackles of shame (and I want to do the same thing for others), and that’s a really great feeling.”
On her future goals
“I always come back to the big goal, our ‘North Star’: to ensure that fewer women feel like I did as a teenager. Whether you are approaching womanhood, going through motherhood or experiencing menopause, I want women to feel prepared, educated and not ashamed. So, in 2025, you will see Luna Daily continue to expand within those key life stages for women, while staying true to its status as a microbiome-balancing bodycare for all skin, to be used from head-to-toe. We are expanding within regions in North America and the UK, particularly with Sephora, who is our number one partner. And I hope we continue to support thousands of women, not just discovering the brand, but discovering the education that we provide.”
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