It is startling how menopause changes your skin.  Skin becomes more sensitive, discolored and dry. We often write off these changes as our environment, what we ate or a new makeup. It can be hard to accept that they may be menopausal symptoms. Instead, we spend money on creams, masks, dermal fillers, chemical peels and more just trying to maintain our youthful skin. We’ll burn it off, shock it into place or fill it with gels, all in an effort to fight the signs of time.

Yet, when menopause begins, no matter what you do, it can seem like you face is literally melting. During menopause hormone levels begin to drop and before long our skin care products no longer work. 

And…let’s be honest, the way the skin changes during menopause can also significantly affect our self-esteem. Dry skin, wrinkles, sagging, and dullness. It makes our makeup and skin care routines obsolete, which can make us look even more aged. Worrying about how your face and hair are changing as you get older is normal but it can be surprising to see yourself aging quickly.

WHY is this happening and what can you do to reverse the damage?

Your Skin During Menopause

The hormone responsible for keeping skin healthy and supple is estrogen. It makes collagen, improves skin hydration, elasticity and thickness. During perimenopause and menopause declining estrogen wreaks havoc on our faces. When estrogen drops…so does collagen. When collagen levels drop, it can lead to skin problems like wrinkles, fine lines, thinner skin, and sagging skin. It can also result in dryness, increased facial hair, adult acne, and sunspots.

It can also lead to a lack of oil production which means less hydration and your skin doesn’t have a chance at staying firm and voluminous. We have bought into using a million products to help us achieve youthful and more attractive skin. I don’t know about you, but I have a bathroom full of products that promised miracles and now just gather dust.

By the time I started menopause  I had reduced what I was using to a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. There was never a specific brand that I had to use or even loved. It truly didn’t seem to matter, so long as my face was clean and wet when I put on moisturizer. Until I started getting dry patches on my skin that more and more moisturizer couldn’t hydrate.

My makeup looked uneven, so I had to stop wearing foundation because it showed all my imperfections. I dreaded putting on makeup. No matter how much moisturizer I applied, my skin was too dry. It absorbed all the moisturizer and left scaly patches. It ended up looking like I didn’t know how to apply makeup!

Have you experienced the dry eyelids yet? You may have also had cracked lips, dark circles, and baggy eyes. These issues can give you a dull, grayish complexion that makes you look tired and worn out. I’ve also known women who get huge welts of acne, making them look like teenagers with wrinkles!.

No joke, menopause wreaks havoc on the skin.

Products to Avoid During Menopause

Most of the products you have been using for the last 10 years are likely no longer going to work like they did before. Skin is more sensitive now and prone to react to harsh chemicals. It requires a different type of care. If any products have the following ingredients, it’s best to stop using them and switch to gentler products. They will irritate the skin and and possibly cause allergic reactions.

These products could be drying out your skin and aging your face. Check labels on your current products and make sure anything you buy in the future is free of these ingredients:

Alcohol

Salicylic Acid

Parabens

Benzoyl Peroxide

Surfactants

Charcoal

Strong fragrances

Harsh exfoliants

Even if you are someone who never benefited from a routine before or doesn’t think products are the answer I encourage you to give it a try. You may be surprised.

Products to Use During Menopause

During menopause, the right products can have a significant effect. They can make you look younger and slow down the aging process of your skin. And…they’ll bring back volume, firmness and brightness to your face.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Replacing estrogen in your body will improve the look and fullness of your skin. 

Hyaluronic acids: ,/strong>These marvelous acids are found throughout the body and can hold up to 1000xs its weight to keep your skin ultra-hydrated.