If your skin suddenly feels like it belongs to someone else, you are not imagining it. Menopause changes your skin, often quite quickly, and almost nobody warns us it is coming. The good news is that once you understand what is happening, you can actually do something about it. This is the advice I give my clients every week.
What menopause does to your skin
As our oestrogen drops, so does the collagen that keeps skin firm and springy. That is why so many women notice, seemingly overnight, that their skin looks less plump, a little more crepey, and slower to bounce back. On top of that, skin gets drier and thinner, can become more sensitive and reactive than it ever was, and often throws in some unexpected breakouts or a fresh wave of pigmentation just to keep things interesting. If several of those sound familiar, welcome, you are in exactly the right place.
What your skin actually needs now
The instinct is often to reach for more, but menopausal skin does better with the right things, used consistently, rather than a bathroom full of products. These are the ingredients I steer my clients towards:
- Deep hydration like hyaluronic acid, to plump out dryness and fine dehydration lines.
- Barrier support such as ceramides and nourishing moisturisers, for calmer, more comfortable skin.
- Firming ingredients like peptides and a well introduced retinol, to help with the loss of bounce.
- Daily SPF, always, because sun damage speeds up every one of the changes above.
A simple routine that works
You do not need ten steps. Keep it gentle and keep it regular.
Morning: cleanse gently, add a hydrating serum, follow with a nourishing moisturiser, and finish with a daily SPF. That last step is non negotiable, it is the single most powerful anti ageing thing you can do.
Evening: cleanse, use your treatment product such as a peptide serum or a retinol a few nights a week, then seal it in with a richer moisturiser. Introduce retinol slowly, a couple of nights a week to start, and build up as your skin gets comfortable.
Where to start
If you would like me to take the guesswork out of it, my Firming & Ageing Routine brings the key steps together in the right order, and everything in my Ageing and Loss of Firmness edit is chosen with exactly this stage of life in mind. You can also shop by routine if you prefer a ready made plan.
When to get a little extra help
Skincare does a lot, but you do not have to work it out alone. If your skin has changed and you are not sure where to begin, a proper skin consultation means I can look at what is actually going on and build something around you. If you are local to Birmingham, I would love to see you in the clinic.
Menopausal skin is not something to fight, it is something to look after, and it responds beautifully when you do.
Donna x