For the woman who not only has a life but also has a lifestyle, this must be the oral contraceptive pill.

Couleurs La Femme, a line of oral contraceptives manufactured by Pond’s Chemical in Bangkok, Thailand, is now locally distributed by Cynosure, an all-Filipino pharmaceutical company that focuses on women’s health and wellness.

Especially formulated to help women “achieve beauty, balance, vitality and freedom,” Couleurs La Femme recently celebrated the launch of the “new” Filipina with a fashion show, an air dance and an auction fundraiser at One Esplanade.

“Couleurs La Femme provides extra benefits. When you have a better status in life, you want something exclusive, and this is the brand that suits that particular need,” said Ludy Geraldes, Couleurs La Femme marketing representative.

For women anxious or having problems with acne outbreak when on the pill, Couleurs La Femme has one variant to manage acne and actually clear up the skin, said Geraldes.

Another type is fortified with iron, doubling as supplement that manages premenstrual syndrome. “Some women suffer from PMS, irregular bleeding. This is caused by hormonal imbalance, and the treatment is taking oral contraceptive pills because there is a need to regulate the menstrual cycle,” she said.

Geraldes said there’s also a pill proven safe and effective for breastfeeding mothers, one that doesn’t affect the quality and quantity of the breast milk.

She said many informed Filipino women today choose to properly space their children, and take oral contraceptive pills to do this.

Original state of health

“Medically it takes about three years before a woman can fully recover her original state of health before pregnancy. It’s a given that the Catholic church will always maintain its position as anti-RH Bill. But oral contraceptive pills are not anti-life. The pill inhibits ovulation, so there is no union between the sperm and the egg, no pregnancy to begin with. They are meant to prevent pregnancy,” said Geraldes.

If parents want to give quality life to their family, children need to be properly spaced, she said.

The bigger advantage, said Geraldes, is Couleurs La Femme’s very competitive price range. It costs around P500 for a one-month cycle, she said.

If some women need low-dose contraception, especially formulated for those suffering side effects associated with other pills, she said, there’s also a brand that addresses the problem.

Fifty percent of Filipinas on the pill use it for proper spacing of children, while the other 50 percent use it for the treatment of gynecological diseases, said Geraldes.

Over P100,000 was raised during the three-hour private auction that featured designer bags, perfumes and fashion jewelry. Proceeds of the auction will benefit the Family Planning Fair organized by Likhaan Center for Women’s Health.

Couleurs La Femme is available at Mercury Drugstore, Watson’s and other leading drugstores.