During the menopause transition, as I’m sure we are all aware, the estrogen levels drop causing an unbalance with testosterone, this has several effects on the skin. If your skin has changed in menopause, you are not alone, many women experience changes although it is not solely due to hormonal imbalance there are also other elements including diet, exercise, environmental and skincare routine that play a crucial role in luscious looking skin.
Here are some of the most common skin concerns with menopause… *Lackluster *dry *more aged *breakouts *hypersensitive *wrinkles *tone *elasticity *enlarged pores *hyperpigmentation *sun damage Practice early prevention... you don’t have to wait for menopause to begin a healthy skincare routine.
Our skin is one of the most evident things that we notice as its exposed all the time so no hiding the reactions our skin is having. So by doing a few of the essential yet easy to follow guides earlier rather than later will certainly put you in a good place when menopause does bring other things to worry about.
Hydration
Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily (2 liters). We are 60% water and with the skin being the largest organ hydration is important for moisture in the underlying skin cells, for the drainage system and for reducing fine lines. It is also important to replenish electrolytes in our water especially if you do have a tendency to sweat allot in the nights or with hot flushes, it is very easy to forget that this sweating has got to come from somewhere so its vital to replace it. I take electrolytes in my drink after exercise and in the morning if I have had a particularly bad night.
Get your beauty sleep, literally When you snooze, your body repairs the damage it encounters during the day. Disrupting this process can slow down cell turnover and interfere with proper skin function. So take a deep breath and relax, as getting a hold of your stress will help, too. Weather it’s resting in the daytime or getting to bed calmly I love to add a scoop of the Inner calm to my drink to knock the edge off any tension I may be experiencing.
Remember the sunscreen
SPF is not only for the summer months! sunscreen should now be worn every day (and that goes for the cloudy ones, too). UV exposure may account for up to 80% of visible signs of aging in the skin including dry appearance, scalping, wrinkling and impaired pigmentation, therefore it is absolutely essential that we wear an SPF at all times on our exposed skin i.e. the face and hands. I always use a moisturiser with a SPF 15 and top up with a CC cream that also has SPF 30 this has me covered and protected from the elements without having to worry that I am protected. On really bright sunny days I will even go so far as to have a summer umbrella up when it gets hot.
Skincare Routine
Choose products that have been scientifically tested for non toxic ingredients. These ingredients found in lotions and moisturizers have been shown to repair damage and help appearance of the skin:
*Hyaluronic acid: A molecule known for keeping skin cells hydrated can help smooth out skin.
*Vitamin C: Its anti-oxidants are known to boost the amount of collagen and minimize fine lines, wrinkles, and scars.
*Vitamin B: Helps to prevent water loss in the skin and retain moisture content, ultimately smoothing out wrinkles.
*Bakuchiol : this plant-derived retinol alternative offers all of the benefits of this dermatologist-revered ingredient minus the side effects.
I spent years finding a routine and non toxic products that actually worked for me inside and out to give my skin a good change at rebalancing and looking vibrant in menopause. I now keep it simple and consistent, I am continuing to see results. For help on finding the right things to rebalance your skin and feel comfortable and lucious, please drop me a message I will be happy to advice you.
Acne and Breakouts Thanks to these hormone shifts breakouts are something lots of women experience, maybe even more now than when they were teens. This is an area I was struggling with for a while and also my teens, so it was something I felt very passionate about finding a remedy for us all to be more confident with our skin. After sorting out our gut health as it was suggested that having good bacteria in abundance in your system is a good place to start, so again an easy option of a daily sachet already dosed with prebiotic, probiotic and enzyme got us on the right road straight away.
Here's a few aspects to focus on:
*Gut health
*Hydration
*Face roller to help with drainage
*Exfoliation (gentle daily exfoliation)
*Correct skin type routine
*Clean makeup brushes
*Clay mask to draw out impurities
*Toner to PH balance the skin
*Serum & moisturiser to rehydrate the skin
Collagen
Skin strength and suppleness can take a nose dive in menopause when collagen production decreases by 30%. Collagen fibers in the dermis of the skin provide the infrastructure of elastin, this maintains the skins elasticity and ability to be firm, the dermis also houses hyaluronic acid to hold moisture, both deplete in menopause causing the skin to appear saggy and dry.
Dry skin Showering, particularly with harsh soaps has the potential to strip the skin of its natural oils, which can ultimately lead to dryness and irritation. Right after drying off, while your pores are open enough to soak in all the nutrients, why not try a firming body cream or a body butter, I have found both really hydrating and have felt such a difference in my skin
Your daily diet
Eat foods rich in anti-oxidants, it really is healthy from the inside out !
Fill your plate with foods that are high in omega-3 like salmon and other fatty fish to help your skin maintain a healthy skin barrier. Other anti-oxidant rich foods (green tea, pomegranate, berries), can help ward off the free-radicals that can cause skin to age. Wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds and chickpeas are all good options, too.
I find it a totally amazing way to start off my journey is to go for resetting my body, it can be a 7 day, 15 day or 30 day, for more information drop me a message.
Wash your face before bed Yes, you’ve heard it before, but it’s the cardinal rule of skincare. You may be tired, but it’s important to wash off the day’s makeup, oil and bacteria so that your pores can breathe. It is also very important to keep makeup brushes clean. Moles Moles accure when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread over the skin. examine your skin with a mirror or ask someone to take pictures of your moles in order for you to keep an eye on existing moles and if they do change. the ABCDE rule for moles … *Asymmetry -one half of the mole does not match the other *Border - are they ragged or blurred *Colour - is the colour the same throughout or is it uneven shades, red, black, brown. *Diameter - the diameter of the mole is larger than the eraser of a pencil *Evolution - the mole is changing in size, shape & colour. As you have heard and seen in my live about my mole. It was observed by several on lookers at different times so they noticed the change in it more than me, having had it assessed by the dermatologist she decided it was best to remove it.
Hope this information helps you in some way, feel free to drop me a message if you want some more personalised advice!
Jo x
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