Top Skincare Tips to Know as You Approach Menopause

For a long time, talking about menopause was a cultural taboo. This left many of us in the dark about what to expect for menopause skin changes like breakouts, dryness and discoloration. 

Thankfully, conversations about menopause and aging skin are changing. We're learning more about what we should know heading into midlife and how menopause can affect our hair and skin.

And we've made considerable headway recently! According to Jill Angelo, CEO and Founder of Gennev, "There are so many more companies and brands taking on menopause from various different vantage points. This has driven up the conversation in the media, and as a result, women are starting to talk about it more and more. It’s so wonderful to see the progress in the past two years and I can’t wait to see where it goes!" 

Read on to learn more about the best skincare for menopausal skin and what menopause skin changes to expect!

What Will Happen to My Skin During Menopause?

During menopause, our skin goes through a lot of changes. Though we might chalk these up to a lack of sunscreen in our youth or something lacking in our skincare routines, hormonal changes due to menopause are common culprits.

Some of the most common menopause skin changes include:

• Sagging 

• Wrinkling 

• Increased dryness 

• Increased itchiness 

• Increased breakouts 

• New discoloration 

• Unwanted hair growth

6 Ways to Combat Menopause Skin Changes

1. Try a Vitamin Supplement Designed for Menopause and Aging Skin

While nothing beats a nutrient-rich diet packed with healthy and hydrating foods—and getting in those 8 glasses of H2O daily is so important, too!—incorporating a menopause dry skin supplement into your existing routine can help counter the effects of menopause on your skin. Decreased estrogen can cause our skin to become thinner, less elastic and duller in appearance.

Key ingredients to look for in a skin supplement include:

• Vitamin C: Helps with skin hydration, elasticity and collagen synthesis
• Vitamin A (retinol):  Supports healthier- and more even-looking skin
• Biotin: An essential building block for overall hair and skin health
• Folic Acid: Promotes the appearance of smooth, glowing skin

Our favorite menopause dry skin supplement is our Significant Other Hair, Skin & Nails Supplement + Retinol Boost. It's loaded with essential B vitamins, vitamin C and a double dose of vitamin A to support healthy-looking skin at any age!

2. Add Collagen to Your Skincare Routine

Collagen is a protein that makes up the body's connective tissues, like tendons, ligaments and muscles. When we're young, our bodies readily produce plenty of collagen, but in our 30s our collagen production begins to drop, and even more significantly as we enter menopause, resulting in dryness and saggier skin.

For a boost of skin-hydrating collagen, try adding a marine collagen type 1 & III supplement like our Power Within Skin & Scalp Collagen Gummies to your skincare routine. Packed with 96 mg of collagen, these easy-to-take gummies give you and your skin the collagen needed for overall wellness from the inside out.

3. Don't Skimp on the Sunscreen

Sunscreen is the best skincare product for menopausal skin. It's an important tool for fighting skin cancer, wrinkles and menopausal skin discoloration. It protects from further sun damage and can help prevent wrinkles and dark spots on our skin.

For maximum protection from the sun, look for sunscreens with broad spectrum UV protection and an SPF of at least 30. Broad spectrum products will protect against UVA and UVB rays, and SPFs rated 30+ help prevent damaging sunburns.

Pro tip: Reapply sunscreen more often than you think is necessary. Cover your body in enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass, and be sure to reapply at least every two hours—more often if you're in water or sweating heavily! And don't neglect the part in your hair!

4. Add a Probiotic to Counter Menopause Skin Changes

The health of our skin starts with having a healthy gut microbiome. As we age, the levels of healthy gut bacteria decrease alongside our estrogen levels. This can lead to dry, dull skin and menopause skin breakouts.

Adding a probiotic like our You Glow Girl Probiotic Skin Supplement can help restore optimal levels of healthy gut bacteria. Using our proprietary probiotic blend, You Glow Girl helps combat oxidative cellular stress from free radicals, supporting brighter, healthier-looking skin while boosting overall wellness.

5. Stress Less for the Sake of Your Skin

Stress doesn’t only take a toll on your hair—it affects your skin, too. The more we stress, the more cortisol our bodies produce, which can mean drier and more sensitive skin. And since these are already two of the most common menopause skin changes women experience with the hormonal fluctuations of menopause, stress and anxiety will only make matters worse, not to mention there’s the impact stress can have on your gut health—and we know all too well how real that gut-skin connection is!

While it’s easier said than done, try to calm your mind and take things a little more slowly, prioritizing sleep and even adopting a meditation practice to help promote better skin health as you move into menopause.

6. Talk to Your OB/GYN About Your Concerns

Perimenopause can look a lot like menopause itself as our skin, hair and bodies change. If you're dealing with major changes that concern you, talk to your physician about your options. They can prescribe medications to help with menopausal transitioning, such as hormone replacement therapies (HRT) and other non-hormonal medicines that help treat unpleasant symptoms including menopausal skin breakouts.

And you don't have to wait until symptoms become unbearable! "Starting at the age of 45, we highly recommend that women see a doctor to assess where she’s at in her perimenopause and how she can manage her whole self," says Angelo. "A woman does not need to wait until she experiences her first hot flash to see a doctor."

Pro tip: If possible, look for an OB/GYN with specific training in menopause. In North America, physicians with expertise in treating perimenopausal and menopausal women will have certification from the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Check out their website to see certified menopause practitioners in your area!

Don't Forget the Skin You Can't See!

We know that menopause and dry skin can go hand-in-hand, but we tend to forget our scalps when we think of dry skin during or after menopause. If you're approaching menopause and dealing with itchy skin on your scalp, two issues might be the blame: dryness due to hormonal fluctuations and sensitivity due to product buildup on the scalp.

To combat menopausal dry skin on the scalp, look for products specifically designed to help scalp oils remain balanced, like our Superpower Fortifying Hair & Scalp Serum, which nourishes and conditions the delicate skin on our scalps to promote healthy follicles and prevent menopausal dryness and itchy skin.

To deep clean and prevent oily buildup on the scalp, we love our New Dawn Activated Charcoal Scalp Cleanser. The massaging applicator supports healthy blood-flow to the scalp, and the menthyl lactate and lactic acid help clear pores and remove dirt and debris from the scalp, leaving nothing but a clean, invigorated feeling!

And for a cleansing and conditioning option that both your scalp and hair will love, our fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested and hypoallergenic Full Transparency Pure Revitalizing Shampoo and Shine Revitalizing Conditioner are our go-tos for gently washing and restoring hair’s moisture without irritating even the most sensitive scalps.

Tell us: Where are you in your menopausal skincare journey? Have you begun dealing with dry skin related to menopause? How about dullness, sagging or discoloration? Share your skincare tips in the comments below!

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Better Not Younger Knows that our midlife transitions can cause a host of hair and skin concerns, including menopausal skin discoloration, dryness and dullness. We also know that you shouldn't be in the dark about the hair and skin changes that menopause can bring. Our entire product line is specifically designed to support aging skin and hair, no matter your unique hair needs!