Managing skin changes during menopause
Menopause is a big transitional period in a woman’s life. While it’s famous for causing hot flashes and mood swings, hormonal fluctuations that accompany menopause can have a big effect on the health and appearance of your skin. In this blog, we’ll go over the skin changes you can expect during menopause and how to manage them using active skincare.
What is menopause?
Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 and is characterised by the permanent cessation of menstruation. Side effects such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances and mood changes often accompany this process.
How does menopause affect the skin?
The female sex hormone estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining skin thickness, elasticity and moisture levels. As the body goes through menopause, estrogen and progesterone levels decline naturally, causing a hormonal shift that has a profound effect on the entire body, including the skin.
Oil production tends to decrease, leading to drier skin, while decreased collagen production results in a loss of elasticity that can thin the skin and lead to sagging and wrinkles. Hormonal fluctuations can also cause sudden bouts of acne and a more pronounced appearance of pigmentation and dark spots, especially on parts of the body that are commonly exposed to the sun. All of this can result in skin that appears older, less supple, and more uneven in appearance.
How do I manage menopausal skin changes?
The way you manage your skin’s health during menopause will depend on how exactly your skin has been affected by the process. No two women experience menopause in the same way, and the side effects you encounter will vary depending on a range of genetic and lifestyle factors.
Read on to explore common menopausal skin changes and how to address them with active skincare.
- Dryness
Dryness is one of the most common skin complaints during menopause. As estrogen levels drop, so too does your body’s production of natural oils that reinforce the skin barrier and moisturise the skin. This dryness is most noticeable on the face, but usually affects the entire body. You may find that dryness is accompanied by feelings of tightness, itchiness and flaking.
Products for dryness: Dryness is best addressed using rich moisturisers that contain nourishing butters and oils. We recommend a twice-daily application of Star Quality for mature and dry skin types, as this is the richest and most luxurious moisturiser in our range. For an additional boost, apply Godsend luxe radiance oil as the last step in your AM regimen. This will help seal in hydration and boost the integrity of the skin barrier.
Date Night leave-on face mask is another good option to have on hand. Use this mask in the evening whenever you feel your skin needs an extra boost, whether that’s once a week or every night.
- Fine lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity
Collagen production decreases naturally as we age, but the sudden drop in estrogen due to menopause can exacerbate this process. This can cause some shock when you look in the mirror and find that your skin looks less plump and more visibly aged than it did just a few months ago. The skin may also become thinner and more fragile, particularly around the eyes and on the hands.
Products for ageing skin: A night-time dose of Dream Team Advanced 1.25 is our go-to recommendation for those with anti-ageing skincare goals. Containing gold-standard encapsulated retinol for slow-releasing action, this product helps stimulate collagen production by encouraging skin cell turnover, effectively prompting your skin to behave as if it were younger and healthier.
Eye Do and Eye Dream are excellent complements to this serum, allowing you to target fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. For the ultimate eye treatment, apply Eye Do in the morning and Eye Dream in the evening.
- Pigmentation and dark spots
Hormonal changes commonly trigger a sudden increase in the appearance of pigmentation and sun spots, particularly on the face, hands and decolletage. These effects are often more pronounced in fair skin types and among those who tanned regularly or did not wear SPF when they were younger. Be sure to check your skin carefully and consult a dermatologist if any spots appear particularly dark or abnormal, as this may be a sign of skin cancer.
Products for pigmentation: Wearing sunscreen daily to protect your skin and help prevent further sun damage should be your number one priority. We recommend Superstar, our broad-spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen. Gentle and suitable for all skin types, Superstar can be incorporated easily into any regimen. Simply apply as the final step in your AM routine, but before any make-up.
To help reduce the appearance of pigmentation, try a morning application of our advanced brightening cream, Bright Star, in conjunction with an evening application of Dream Team Advanced 1.25. Bright Star’s rich blend of Vitamin C, Ferulic Acid and a patented Brightening Complex will address dull and pigmented skin, while the encapsulated retinol in Dream Team Advanced will target dullness and uneven skin tone by encouraging skin cell turnover.
- Increased Sensitivity
Menopausal skin can become more sensitive, sometimes even causing you to react to products or ingredients that never caused issues before. Redness and irritation can be brought on by skincare as well as soaps and laundry powders. First identify if there are any products in your current regimen that are causing a reaction by scaling back use and re-introducing them one by one. Discontinue use if you detect any sensitivity.
Products for sensitive skin: Our rose cream cleanser Heartfelt is the recommended choice for sensitive skin types. Follow it with Glam Squad, our hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin B serum that’s suitable for all skin types, and seal this with Power Broker, our moisturiser for red, oily and sensitive skin types. This back-to-basics regimen will make a great starting point, and you can try introducing additional products as time goes on. Remember to patch test any new products before you start using them to ensure they won’t cause a reaction.
- Congested skin and breakouts
A possible side effect of menopause is that you may develop more congestion, particularly on the face. This is caused by an imbalance between estrogen and androgen levels – as estrogen decreases, androgens can become more dominant, stimulating the body to produce excess oil that leads to clogged pores and breakouts.
Products for congestion: Prioritise using a good cleanser to keep your pores clear and free of debris. Consider switching to our foaming gel cleanser Braveheart for a deep clean that will target excess oils. Clarifying and mattifying products such as Game Changer will particularly help to keep the t-zone free of oil, while a lightweight moisturiser such as Power Broker can keep your skin hydrated while avoiding that thick, heavy feel.
Healthy body, healthy mind, healthy skin
As your body undergoes this big change, one of the most important things you can do for your skin is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Stay hydrated, eat well, exercise regularly, avoid smoking and cut back on alcohol consumption. In addition, try to maintain a positive outlook and embrace the changes that come with menopause. Remember that this is a perfectly natural transition, and with just a few adjustments you can maintain healthy, glowing skin during this transition period and beyond.
