My honest experience with Black Girl Vitamins Meno Chill and Collagen Powder — and why I’m never going back

Girl, let’s be honest. Nobody warned us about this season. One day you’re going about your life, and suddenly you’re waking up in the middle of the night absolutely drenched, or fanning yourself at your desk at 10 AM wondering who turned up the heat. If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause, you already know the struggle is real.

I’ve been on a committed wellness journey, and over the past year, two products from Black Girl Vitamins have become absolute non-negotiables in my routine: Meno Chill and their Collagen Powder. I started taking Meno Chill about a year ago, and this past January I made the switch to BGV’s Collagen Powder after previously using Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. Today I’m breaking down exactly what these products are, why they work, and what I’ve personally experienced. Consider this your girlfriend’s guide.

Meno Chill: Saying Goodbye to Hot Flashes

Did you know that research shows Black women often experience menopause symptoms more intensely and for longer periods than other women? Yet so many wellness products on the market simply weren’t designed with us in mind. That’s exactly why Black Girl Vitamins created Meno Chill — an herbal supplement formulated specifically to support Black women through perimenopause and menopause.

What’s Inside Meno Chill

This isn’t just a one-herb wonder. Meno Chill is formulated with three targeted blends that work together to address the physical and emotional side of menopause:

The Balance Blend (600mg): This is where the hot flash relief lives. Black Cohosh is the star here — clinically studied for its ability to ease hot flashes and night sweats. It’s joined by Dong Quai (a traditional herb for hormonal balance), Turmeric Extract for anti-inflammatory support, and DIM (Diindolylmethane) to support healthy estrogen metabolism.

The Mood Blend (495mg): Because menopause isn’t just physical — it takes a toll on our emotional well-being too. Ashwagandha and Rhodiola Extract are adaptogens that help your body manage stress and promote emotional stability. Chaste Berry rounds it out with additional hormonal balancing support.

The Enhance Blend (450mg): Ginseng, Ginkgo, and Maca work to restore energy, sharpen cognitive function, and support overall vitality — things that can quietly slip away during this season of life. DHEA is also included as a natural precursor to support hormonal levels.

On top of all that, Meno Chill includes Vitamin D (for bone health — critical during menopause when osteoporosis risk rises), Vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant that may help with hot flash frequency), Vitamin B6 (for mood and cognitive support), and a 40 Billion CFU Probiotic Blend to keep gut health balanced. *An Amen goes there! iykyk!!!*

My Personal Experience

I’ve been taking Meno Chill for a year now, and I can tell you with full confidence: it has changed my life. But let me back up and tell you how I even got here. I was on my way to work one morning and had a full-on crying episode — out of nowhere, in the car, tears streaming down my face for no clear reason. I didn’t want to be around people. I was short-tempered. I started lashing out at my daughter, and she was so worried she called my mother. And my mother, calm as ever, said, “Baby, you’re going through menopause.” MENOPAUSE!!!!!!!! I didn’t want to believe it at first — but she was right. That was my wake-up call.

On top of the emotional rollercoaster, my mother had her own name for the hot flashes: “personal summers.” And I was having them all day and all night. Didn’t want my hair on my neck because I didn’t like the way it felt against my wet skin. Meno Chill got me right. The heat has calmed way down, I’m sleeping through the night again, and my mood is so much more stable. That woman crying on her way to work? She’s doing a whole lot better now. A full year in, and I’m still grateful every single day.

What I love most is that Meno Chill is a non-hormonal formula. For those of us who prefer to avoid hormone replacement therapy or who have been advised against it, this is a meaningful alternative that addresses multiple symptoms at once. It’s also 100% vegan and doctor-approved.

BGV Collagen Powder: The Glow-Up Is Real

Here’s something they don’t tell you enough: collagen — the most abundant protein in your body — starts declining after age 30. And for women going through hormonal shifts, that decline can accelerate. The result? Skin that loses its bounce, hair that feels thinner, nails that break more easily, and joints that aren’t as flexible as they used to be.

Black Girl Vitamins’ Collagen Powder was designed to help replenish what time and hormones take away. I made the switch to BGV this January after using Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, which is a solid product — but I wanted something built with women like me in mind. And honey, the results have been delivering ever since.

What Makes This Collagen Different

The BGV Collagen Powder features 100% hydrolyzed collagen peptides sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine. Why does that matter? Hydrolyzed peptides are broken down into smaller molecules, meaning your body can absorb and use them much more efficiently than whole collagen proteins.

The formula is specifically tailored to stimulate both Type I and Type III collagen. Type I is the most abundant collagen in the body and is central to the health of your skin, hair, and nails. Type III, found in bone marrow and connective tissue, works alongside Type I to provide comprehensive support. Together, they promote supple, youthful-looking skin, stronger and shinier hair, better nail strength, improved joint flexibility, and gut health support.

It’s also completely tasteless and dissolves effortlessly in hot or cold liquids — no clumping, no smell, no aftertaste. I stir mine into my morning coffee and it’s completely seamless. It’s also free from dairy, gluten, artificial sweeteners, and fillers, which I deeply appreciate.

What I’ve Noticed in My Skin & Hair

Here’s the part of the story I really want women to hear. Menopause thinned my hair — and if you’ve been through it, you know how emotional that is. I made the decision to cut it into a bob and start fresh, and at the same time I started BGV Collagen Powder in January. Even in just a few months, I can already see and feel the difference. My hair feels stronger, there’s new growth coming in, and my skin has more elasticity and a noticeable glow. As someone who takes great care of my relaxed hair, having that internal support working alongside my styling routine has been everything.

Hair health is about so much more than what you put on it topically — it starts from within. Collagen provides essential amino acids that support keratin production, which is the protein your hair is literally made of. So while my stylist(shout out Chancy!) handles the outside, BGV Collagen Powder is doing the work on the inside.

Why Black Girl Vitamins Gets It Right

What sets Black Girl Vitamins apart isn’t just the quality of the formulas — it’s the intentionality behind them. BGV was founded with a mission to address nutritional needs and healthcare disparities that are uniquely experienced by Black women. A portion of every purchase even goes toward scholarships for Black women in healthcare. That’s the kind of brand I want to support.

Taking Meno Chill and the Collagen Powder together has become part of my daily self-care ritual. It’s a simple act of honoring this body and giving it what it needs to thrive in every season. And sis, that is very much a Refined Glow move.

How I Incorporate Both Into My Routine

•  Meno Chill: I take one capsule three times a day. Many women (myself included) find this especially helpful because it supports gut health and reduces night sweats.

•  Collagen Powder: One scoop into my morning coffee. It can be hard to dissolve, but nothing a little stir with the spoon can’t fix — no texture, no taste, no drama. Easy consistency.

•  The combination: These two work beautifully together. Meno Chill handles the hormonal shifts and symptoms, while the Collagen Powder restores what those shifts tend to take from your skin, hair, and joints. It’s a complete approach to aging gracefully and living fully.

A note of transparency: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This article reflects my personal experience and is not intended as medical advice. As with any supplement, please consult your healthcare provider before adding anything new to your routine — especially if you are on medications.

The Refined Glow Verdict

If you are navigating the changes that come with perimenopause or menopause, and you want a natural, non-hormonal option rooted in science and designed specifically for women like us — I encourage you to give Black Girl Vitamins Meno Chill a try. And if you want your skin, hair, and nails to reflect how well you’re taking care of yourself from the inside out, add the Collagen Powder to your morning routine.

These two products together have quietly become some of my most treasured wellness tools. Not because I’m chasing youth — but because I believe every season of a woman’s life deserves to be lived with vitality, confidence, and grace.

Girl you deserve to glow, Inside and out.

Bea