There's a moment I keep coming back to.

Earlier this year, I was running on almost no sleep, juggling a lot, and I genuinely felt like I was about to snap. Not in a dramatic way. Just quietly, steadily depleted, the kind of tired that sits under everything else. I ended up talking to my doctor, changing a few things, and making sure I was actually doing something for myself, even if it was just a few minutes a day.

And once I started paying attention, I realised I wasn't the only one.

I've watched it play out with the women around me too. Friends who struggled after having kids and didn't expect to feel the way they did. Friends heading into perimenopause now, dealing with things nobody warned them about. So many mums giving everything to everyone else, and quietly running on empty because there's rarely time to ask what they actually need.

I don't think that's weakness. I think it's just what happens when nothing's left in the tank.

It's not just a feeling. The numbers back it up.

The Liptember Foundation's 2025 Women's Mental Health Research found:

• Almost 1 in 2 female carers report that their mental health has declined due to their caregiving responsibilities.

• 37% of women experiencing menopause or perimenopause are suffering with perimenopausal depression or anxiety.

• 44% of women are experiencing anxiety and generalised anxiety disorders.

• 66% of women strongly agree that there's only a surface-level acceptance of mental health issues, and that stigma still exists around speaking up or asking for help.

• Only 3 in 10 women know exactly where to go to seek help for their mental health.

Reading those, I don't feel surprised. I feel like they've put numbers to something I've watched happen for years.

Why this matters to me

This is part of why I'm taking part in Liptember this September. It's a campaign raising funds and awareness for women's mental health across Australia, and the money goes toward four things: research, advocacy, education, and awareness.

As a makeup artist, this feels close to home. Bright lippy is fun, it starts conversations, and that suits me. But underneath the fun colour is something more serious. So many women are struggling quietly and not asking for help until they're right at the edge, like I was.

I'm not sharing this because I have it all figured out. I'm sharing it because I know how easy it is to keep giving until there's nothing left, and how much a small moment of coming back to yourself can matter.

What you can do

If you'd like to support Liptember, you can donate directly here: [liptember.com.au/rebecca-nagel]

And if you've been meaning to try the Neo-Filler Volumising Lip Treatment, this month is a good time. Most lip products sit on the surface and offer temporary relief. Neo-Filler actually works to strengthen lip function, helping lips hold moisture, resist fine lines, and preserve volume and definition over time. (You can read more about it here ) And $5 from every treatment purchased through me in September goes straight to Liptember, so you're helping your lips and helping women's mental health, all at once.

Bright lippy won't fix everything. But it can start a conversation. And sometimes that's exactly where change begins.