Sensitive issues raised 💓
Love Notes bonus episode is part of our series of Love Stories - short, quiet episodes from The Australian Women’s Weekly. With small reminders that love is something we practise, not just something that happens to us.
In this Love Note, we sit with Charmaine Caldwell, CEO and founder of VIXIN and Deputy Editor Tiffany Dunk as she uncovers something special she calls her “why book”: a journal stuffed with handwritten messages from customers, friends, charities and, most of all, her son. She reads a note she wrote to herself 16 years ago a letter for the days when everything feels heavy, and quitting would be easier and explains why she carefully copies it into every new book she starts
Charmaine talks about raising her son alone, walking through a decade of menopause “fog” while building a skincare brand for women who no longer recognise their own faces in the mirror, and the messages from customers that have kept her going including one woman with cancer who asked to be buried with her VIXIN products because they made her feel beautiful on her worst days.
This is a 'Love Note' episode about the love we pour into other people and the love we’re still learning to offer ourselves: packing orders with intention, sticking Maya Angelou’s “they’ll never forget how you made them feel” on the warehouse wall, and trying, every day, to be kinder in the way we speak to ourselves than the world is.
If you need a gentle reminder to keep going, or permission to start talking to yourself like someone you actually care about, this Love Note is for you.
Thank you for listening ❤️
before you leave...
🗣️ Get in touch
What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Love Stories community and visit us at womensweekly.com.au
Email us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au
If you share your love story on social media please tag us – we’re @womensweeklymag – and use the hashtag #AWWLoveStories.
Subscribe to The Australian Women’s Weekly at subscription 👈🏽
See More:
Menopause Symptoms No One's Talking About
Naiomi Watts 'Menopause It's Not The End'
If you loved hearing about Charmaine, you can follow her on Instagram and learn more about her products :
🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:
Today’s episode is brought to you by VIXIN Beauty, high performance, Australian Made skincare built for real skin and real results. No complicated routines, no watered down formulas, just powerful actives that support your skin at every stage.
Explore the range at vixin.com.au and enjoy up to 30% off bundles
Credits:
Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace
Production by Thomas Crnkovic
Our wonderful Australian Women’s Weekly team
Learn More: Womens Weekly Website
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Clifford Show
The Clifford Show with Clifford Taylor IV blends humor, culture, and behind-the-scenes sports talk with real conversations featuring athletes, creators, and personalities—spotlighting the grind, the growth, and the opportunities shaping the next generation of sports and culture.