Welcome to The Unshrunk Life

Well, here we are… in the middle of life — or, as I like to think of it, the middle of mastery. My name is Lu Featherstone, and I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome you to the very first blog post on The Unshrunk Collection — my new midlife wellness brand designed especially for women entering, embracing, or dancing through midlife.

At 53, I can tell you: I’ve never felt more alive, more powerful, or more unapologetically myself. And that’s no small statement — because it’s been a wild journey getting here.

Unshrinking from the Inside Out

If you’ve followed me for a while on social media, you’ll know I’m a true believer in second (and third, and fourth) chances. In reinvention. In speaking your truth and stepping into your skin — even (and especially) when the world suggests we shrink ourselves as we age.

But I’m here to say: No more shrinking. It’s time to revitalise, to expand, to thrive. That’s why I’ve created The Unshrunk Collection — a skincare and wellness brand infused with everything I’ve learned about self-love, menopause, ageing, authenticity, and resilience. And it’s for you. For all of us — the Unshrinkables.

The Moment Everything Changed

My journey here actually started during one of my lowest points. You see, not too long ago, I was addicted… to shopping. I’m talking serious fast fashion addiction — the kind of spending that spiralled out of control and dragged my mental health down with it. In two years, I spent over £20,000 on clothes — funding it with everything from family money to secret credit cards. There was even a time when I stole from my job to fund the habit. It’s hard to say out loud, but I believe in sharing openly — because shame thrives in silence, and we simply don’t have time for shame anymore.

Buying those things felt like a solution at the time, but they only fed a deeper emptiness. And then one night I hit rock bottom — lying in bed, sweating with guilt over a ridiculous pair of £450 shoes I couldn’t afford. That night, I made a promise to myself: no more shopping. It became the start of something far bigger.

Finding Myself (in My Own Wardrobe)

The very next day, I launched a little accountability blog called "Seaside Recessionista" and pledged to wear a different outfit every day — using only what I already owned. I restyled, repurposed, and layered like my life depended on it — and something incredible happened. I discovered I was creative, capable, and braver than I ever knew. Strangers started stopping me in the school playground to share their stories — money, addiction, shame, loss. Turns out we all carry so much beneath the surface.

By the end of that year, I was debt-free, more confident than I’d ever been, and I’d found something even better than fashion: freedom. I didn’t need new clothes or approval — I needed connection. I needed me.

Ageing… and Loving It

By the time I hit menopause, I’d already done a lot of healing — but nothing prepared me for the power of this stage of life. Yes, menopause comes with its upheavals. The hot flashes, the changes, the questions — but honestly? It gave me space to prioritise myself for the first time in decades. After raising my incredible son and pouring so much love into my marriage, I realised I’d somewhat disappeared. Menopause brought me back to the surface.

And while it was heartbreaking to go through a divorce — something I never imagined — that season taught me so much about valuing myself as a partner, as a woman, as a person. My ex-husband and I are still close friends, co-parenting with grace and humour, but I’ve stepped into a deeper relationship with the woman I’d left waiting in the wings for years: me.

Midlife Confidence (Is the Best Kind)

One of the best parts about arriving at this chapter is the joy that comes from not caring as much about what other people think. I was always the bold, loud one — colourful, opinionated, full of life — and often misunderstood for it as a child and teen. But now? I fly my freak flag high. I wear what I want. I hike, I train hard, my body is strong and capable and yes — I feel sexier than ever.

My RV (yes, I have a wildly colourful camper van named Suzie) and I have travelled around the UK and US, helping other women find their glow. I’ve spoken in village halls and at kitchen tables, handed out free sex toys at talks (because YES — your pleasure and sexuality don’t end at menopause!), and helped women feel confident in vintage clothes they never imagined they’d wear. I give hugs and styling advice and encouragement. Because we deserve to feel alive — vibrant — seen.

The Birth of The Unshrunk Collection

With all this lived experience — the trials and triumphs, the mistakes and miracles — I began to realise we need more than just motivation. We need tools. We need products and rituals that meet us exactly where we are: not trying to erase our age or pretend to be 25 again — but ones that celebrate who we are now.

And on my incredible journey I had the exceptional fortune of meeting Marva – what a powerhouse of grace, wisdom and lived experience championing her own literally ‘near-death’ wild ride through undiagnosed menopause and coming out the other end as a qualified menopause expert – as a counsellor, coach and award-winning author and  formulator – and together our vision for unshrinking and thriving through the precious midlife opportunities was born!

That’s what The Unshrunk Collection is all about. Carefully crafted wellness care that nourishes midlife needs. Wellness products, resources and information  to support vitality, wellbeing, and sustained health. Lifestyle offerings rooted in real-life, lived-through-it wisdom.

It’s our declaration of confidence. A refusal to recede. A little bit rebellious, utterly honest, and 100% dedicated to supporting women who are ready to unshrink and thrive.

A Revolution of Self-Love

I call this a Self Love Revolution, because that’s truly what it’s been for me. This journey is about more than glowing skin (though yes, our new formulas are fantastic) — it’s about stepping into your power, trusting your intuition, finally putting yourself at the top of the list.

If you’re here because you’re tired of the shame, sick of the shrinking, and ready to reconnect with your own brilliance — then welcome. You are officially one of The Unshrinkables now.

There’s room for joy here, for honesty, for humour, for healing. For living that make you feel like you again. For symptom care that actually understands your body. And most importantly — for a community of women lifting each other up as we go.

This is just the beginning. I can’t wait to share more — our stories, the science, the style, the soul of it all — right here on the blog each month. Thank you for being here. For believing in yourself.

So here’s to being bold. To being brilliant. To being beautifully, unapologetically… Unshrunk.

With love,

Co-Founder,
The Unshrunk Collection
#StopShrinkingStartRevitalising