Business aims to normalize conversation about menstrual hygiene

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Hygiene is important, especially in the time of COVID, and that's what Perfectly Packaged You aims to tackle, specifically menstrual hygiene.

"We deal with hygiene for girls, boys, and now the LGBTQ community," said founder of Perfectly Packaged You Nickeya Hanna. "To talk about menstrual hygiene, purity for young boys, and acceptance across the world."

Hanna said when she began to go through puberty she lacked understanding surrounding hygiene and menstruation and that's how she came up with the idea to start Perfectly Packaged You about five years ago.

"I wanted to correct and give an opportunity for adults to have comfortable conversations with their young person about hygiene," Hanna said. "Specifically, the menstrual period for young girls."

The concept is especially important to Hanna because when the housing market crashed, she said she lost her job and became homeless.

"I had to decide if I was eating, getting deodorant or putting gas in my car," Hanna said. "And if I was looking for work, I needed the gas. And if I'm hungry, I have to eat. So sometimes my hygiene was compromised. And that just didn't feel well."

Hanna works with youth, parents, guardians, schools, non-profits and government agencies across the country to teach hygiene etiquette to young people including in Inglewood. She's volunteered her time to be a speaker at Career Day at Ánimo City of Champions Charter High School for the last three years.

"She gave us tips on like which deodorants to use that are effective," said 10th grader Maryna Phillips. "And how to take care of your, your body like what stuff not to eat off your pH balance and like how to like clean yourself properly."

"I think hygiene is an important topic to discuss," said 10th grader Brooke Jenkins. "Because some females, their parents don't talk to them about it or other people don't talk to them about it."

"They're coming into high school, there's a lot of things changing structurally, socially, personally," said Tyler Williams, counselor at Ánimo City of Champions Charter High School. "And so I enjoy having them come to our career day, every year to speak with my students, just to kind of give them a sense of comfort around some of those changes that are occurring."

For more information go to this website.

Follow Ashley on social media:
Facebook.com/abc7ashley
Twitter.com/abc7ashley
Instagram.com/abc7ashley