In honour of International Women’s Day — our Founder on Womanhood, Ritual, and Returning to the Body

International Women’s Day isn’t just a moment to celebrate — it’s a moment to reflect.
On how we live in our bodies. How we care for ourselves. And how that changes through different seasons of life.

We asked our founder, Jess, to share a few reflections on ritual, softness, and returning to the body.

Who or what has most shaped the woman you are today?

I grew up between Danish simplicity and Indonesian ritual, and I really feel both live in me.

One taught me intentional living — clean lines, less but better. The other taught me plants, warmth, herbalism, and nature as medicine.

Since my mum passed, reconnecting to that Indonesian side has felt even more sacred. I didn’t realise how much of her lived in my daily habits until I started consciously returning to them.

In many ways, slō. is simply a continuation of what she lived so naturally.

How has your relationship with your body changed?

I listen more now. And I question it less.

Pregnancy has softened something in me. My body isn’t something to push or perfect — it’s something intelligent. It knows what it’s doing far more than I do.

There’s been a surrender in that. And a lot of awe.

Has motherhood changed how you see strength or nurturing?

Completely.

Strength feels very different to me now. It’s not about doing more. It’s about regulating myself. Slowing down. Creating safety.

I’ve realised you can’t nurture from a stressed, rushed state. Not yourself, and definitely not a tiny human.

So strength, to me, looks like softness. Choosing calm over productivity.

What does taking care of yourself look like in this season?

Rest. Sleep. Warm food.

I was deeply moved by The First Forty Days by The First Forty Days. The focus on warmth, nourishment, being held, and slowing everything down resonated deeply.

I’ve always loved Traditional Chinese Medicine — the idea that healing happens through warmth, circulation, and simplicity. Nothing extreme.

It’s so simple it almost feels boring. But it’s powerful.

Has this season changed your daily rituals?

Yes. They’ve become softer and more selective.

Now I wake up and ask — what do I actually need today?

Sometimes it’s brushing. Sometimes it’s sitting quietly with tea. Sometimes it’s nothing.

Less, but intentional.

A small ritual done with presence feels more supportive than trying to do everything.

Which slō. tool supports you most right now?

The dry brush. Always.

It was our first product, and a practice I’ve returned to for over 15 years. The feeling of the bristles on my skin instantly brings me back into my body.

It’s sensory. Grounding. A moment of connection.

One reminder to women this International Women’s Day?

Women are magic.

Pregnancy has shown me just how powerful we are — creators of life, holders of deep intuition and strength.

Never underestimate what lives within you.