Especially in today’s political climate, it’s more vital than ever for women to support women. Not only should we uplift each other through words, but through our actions. That’s why I am excited to start a new article series, Buy More By More Women. It’s becoming increasingly important to know the values behind the companies of the things you purchase. So I’m making it my mission to bring light to female-founded and female-owned companies, because, as women, we have to have each other’s backs.
I’m thrilled to start this series with a company that I have tried and tested for almost a year now. It wasn’t until I got to digging that I found out that this fabulous app was founded and designed entirely by one woman, Bara Kubinova. A Czech native, Bara has lived, studied, and/or worked in Prague, Denmark, England, Germany, and San Francisco – she’s not even 30 yet has worldwide experience and perspectives. She founded her app in January of 2024, and it has already reached 1 million users. It is the #1 menstrual cycle app on iTunes and has landed Bara a spot on the Czech Republic’s Forbes 30 Under 30 List. To say this app has skyrocketed is an understatement – which is why I’m so excited to introduce you to the Lively App.
I, like many young women, struggle with my menstrual cycle. But because of the lack of accessible and helpful information, my best bet is to grab some chocolate, fill up a heating pad, and watch lots of Law and Order. Lively has changed my outlook on the menstrual cycle and has been a fun, easy, and very visually aesthetic way for me to deeply understand and improve my cycle. It doesn’t just track your period like most other apps – it supports you through the whole month’s process. While there is a premium option to the Lively app, the free version still offers a plethora of information and tips to better your knowledge of your cycle. Premium or free, as you move through your cycle, from menstruation to follicular to ovulation to luteal, the app provides simple ways for you to feel better.
Lively gives easy everyday activities for you to align with your cycle. For example, in the luteal phase, it will tell you to organize your workspace, make a meal with bell peppers and chickpeas, and do more low-intensity exercises. In the ovulatory phase, it tells you to do HIIT workouts, eat eggs and foods with high fiber, and that this is a good time to socialize. Without spoiling things too much, the app is organized into sections titled ‘do,’ ‘eat,’ and ‘move,’ and there are upwards of one hundred tips per section!
Lively has taken complicated medical research and broken it down into things you can do in as little or as much time as you have. Feeling hungry? Grab some inspiration depending on what stage of your cycle you’re in in the ‘eat’ section. Needing movement? Lively will tell you if a walk, a run or a simple stretch is the best for today. Needing something to do? From a craft night to a sports match, the app will give you an idea of what’s in your best interest. On top of all of this, it’s beautiful – something only the female gaze could create! With soft earthy tones, and cute images to describe each tip, it’s functional and beautiful.
Bara’s creation of the Lively app, in my opinion, has changed the game for women. Lively is a tailored cycle app that gives digestible, understandable, and, above all, doable things to make your cycle more manageable. It doesn’t start at your period – it emphasizes the importance of the entire cycle. But what makes Lively even better is that it was founded by a young woman who, like so many of us, struggled with finding helpful tips to make her cycle less difficult. So let’s buy more from more women – because they understand what we really need.