Ashley Greene Khoury Takes On New Role As Co-Founder Of This Cool Reproductive Health Brand

Chances are, Ashley Greene Khoury has flashed across your television screen a time or two. At the very least, you've seen her play Alice Cullen in Twilight, if not in countless other big movies through the years. That said, though, the 34-year-old's penchant for acting isn't the only thing that defines her, evidenced by the star's recent venture into the wellness space. In October, she and sister-in-law Olivia Khoury launched their hormonal and reproductive health brand, Hummingway, which doubles as an educational platform centered around the idea of whole cycle wellness.

Whole Cycle Wellness, per the brand, is the concept of paying attention to every stage of the menstrual cycle, rather than just one's period. The founders' personal experiences inspired the concept. After going off hormonal birth control, Greene Khoury tells TZR that her body went haywire. "I started experiencing every symptom under the sun and, like many people, thought my birth control was regulating my hormones when it was really suppressing everything and band-aiding it." When she went to a healthcare provider, she was met with more "band-aid solutions," so she turned to Olivia for help.

Why Olivia, you ask? Well, the stylist explains that she’s paid close attention to her cycle health for some time by mapping out her diet and nutrition, social schedule, and her sex life — things you might not consider valuable to your menstrual cycle. "My mom equipped me with the tools and the knowledge of holistic and functional medicine, which is the idea of looking at the root cause of symptoms versus just trying to treat the symptom itself," Olivia (who, herself, has premenstrual dysphoric disorder, AKA PMDD) says over the phone. When the pair got to talking and researching hormonal and reproductive health, they couldn't find many resources or natural solutions. That's precisely when — and why — Hummingway was born.

But Hummingway isn’t your average brand that’s solely focused on bringing in a profit. “We wanted to create a space that was going to combine education, community, and products," says Olivia. "So people having troubles with their periods can come and share their stories, learn about their bodies, and discover products that focus on long-term health benefits — because we've all been served short-term quick fixes for way too long." To educate and foster a sense of community, the co-founders launched The Regular, an editorial platform focused on creating easy-to-understand content about whole cycle wellness. Better yet, it’s fact-checked by three medical professionals (a naturopathic physician, OB/GYN, and neuroscientist), and a holistic health coach with expertise in hormone and mental health.

Of course, one can't talk about Hummingway without diving into the duo's debut product: The Cycle Soother, a transdermal patch that helps offset monthly menstrual discomfort. It contains essential oils and hemp-derived CBD that help soothe cramps and discomfort. "There's not really a ton of non-toxic solutions for cycle discomfort," says Greene Khoury, citing that as one of the reasons why they focused in on this innovation for the brand’s first launch. "We landed on a transdermal patch because it's the best way to get the most out of your ingredients in the quickest way possible." And better, yet, they're super easy to use. Simply smooth one patch over both ovaries and repeat next month for sweet, sweet relief.

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