As our hormones change in menopause, our skin starts to weaken and lose its ability to hold onto moisture leaving it dry, irritated, and inflamed. High temperatures during the summer months can make these hormonal skin symptoms even worse.
Many of us change up our skincare during the winter months but it’s even more important to take proper care of our skin during the summer, when the risk of skin damage is even greater. Being consistent with your skincare regime is key to maintaining healthy, glowing skin in menopause, even as temperatures soar.
How Does Menopause Affect Our Skin?
The skin changes we experience in menopause are caused by fluctuating hormones. As oestrogen levels decline, collagen production slows down which affects our skin structure and tone. Collagen levels in our skin decline by 30% in the first 5 years of menopause. Skin typically becomes drier and thinner with a weakened skin barrier. cell turnover slows rapidly, and skin starts to lose its ability to hold onto water, appearing less plump and radiant. Skin can also become more sensitive and prone to irritation. Hormonal imbalances can also trigger breakouts, flushing and inflammation. Skin can act confused – dry, itchy, and tight on the one hand but breaking out in spots on the other. A good consistent regime is key.
How Does The Sun Affect Menopausal Skin?
The risk of sun damage is much greater in menopause due to a weakened skin barrier. Damage from UV radiation is the biggest cause of damage to healthy skin and this risk increases due to hormonal skin changes.
As our hormones fluctuate and decline skin is much more prone to dryness and dehydration. High temperatures in the summer months can dry out your skin even more leaving it dehydrated, dull and lacking in moisture. It’s essential to make changes to your skincare routine in the summer months to protect skin and counter the effects of menopause and the heat. A consistent approach to skincare is a must and these are the golden rules to follow.
Streamline your routine & stick with it for real results
As you start to notice hormonal skin changes in menopause, it can be tempting to try lots of different skincare ingredients and products especially in summer when skin dryness can be at its worst. Trust us, overloading your skin with lots of different skincare steps and products is a recipe for inflammation, irritation and dehydration, especially during the heat. Choose a few carefully selected high-performance products and be consistent with your regime and your skin will thank you.
Always use SPF
Wearing high factor SPF is THE most important thing you can do to protect your skin all year round, whatever the weather and especially during the summer months. Dermatologists recommend that you use a separate high factor SPF as the last step in your skincare routine rather than a moisturiser with an SPF included in the formula. Why? - it should be the final step in your skincare regime, applied on top of your moisturiser. Sunscreen is not an ingredient. It's meant to sit on top of the skin to act as a defence between your face and the sun. It isn't meant to penetrate the skin, because it's supposed to block out all those harmful UV rays. Moisturizers, on the other hand, are the opposite; their purpose is to penetrate the skin, adding moisture. Adding SPF to a moisturiser formulation dilutes its effectiveness and won't give you high enough protection. We recommend using a fragrance- free SPF with factor 50. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Avoid irritating skincare ingredients
Because your skin is more prone to sensitivity and dryness as you approach menopause, it’s important to avoid anything that is likely to irritate skin, especially in summer. Living M Skincare has been formulated without any ingredients that are known to irritate skin such fragrance, essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones and sulphates. These ingredients are in many skincare products, but they are best avoided in menopause or for anyone with any kind of skin sensitivity.
Lock in hydration with a great serum
You need to hydrate your skin from the inside out to guard against dehydration in the summer months. Dehydration makes many menopausal symptoms worse including hot flushes, anxiety, and skin dryness. The ingredient you need to restore lost hydration is hyaluronic acid – a super hydrator that can bind up to 1,000 its weight in water locking water into the skin to restore that plump, dewy look. Not all hyaluronic acid products are created equal though – to get maximum skin hydration you need a formulation with different types and sizes of hyaluronic acid. Our QUENCH & SOOTHE SERUM is formulated with 3 different types of hyaluronic acid to deliver an intense hydration boost to skin. Smaller sized molecules of hyaluronic acid penetrate the skin’s layers to intensively hydrate at a deeper level. Larger molecules work on the to the surface level of the skin for an instant smoothing and firming effect.
QUENCH & SOOTHE SERUM also contains skin soothing and barrier-boosting niacinamide to help calm any irritation or inflammation so it’s perfect for summer skin if you are also dealing with menopause. Try applying onto damp skin as it helps the ingredients absorb better and get to work faster.
Invest in a moisturiser especially designed for menopasual skin
Dry skin is the hallmark of menopausal skin. It’s the number one skin complaint we hear from our customers and hot summer temperatures can dry out your skin even more. In menopause, a great moisturiser is one of the best investments you can make for your skin. What has worked for your skin in the past probably isn’t going to be enough to treat the level of dryness you experience in menopause, especially in the summer. Living M COLLAGEN BOOST MOISTURISER has been specifically designed to combat hormonal skin dryness in one multi-benefit formulation. Containing a potent blend of collagen boosting peptides, phytoestrogens, and protective antioxidants it also contains nourishing natural butters avocado and cupuacu. These natural super-moisturisers are jam packed with fatty acids that deeply moisturise, protect and heal skin – perfect for combatting the effects of summer and the menopause.
Make sure your moisturiser contains antioxidants to protect skin against environmental damage. COLLAGEN BOOST MOISTURISER contains Resveratrol - found in the skin of red grapes its one of the most effective antioxidants in skincare. It works to help reverse signs of previous cellular damage, protect against future damage, boost radiance, and improve skin’s hydration levels.
YOU CAN AND SHOULD USE RETINOL DURING THE SUMMER
It’s a common misconception that you can’t use a retinol during the summer months. You can and should use retinol during the summer months. The trick is to build up your tolerance gradually and make sure you always use a SPF. Super A Retinol Sleep Cream has been formulated especially for menopausal skin to enjoy all the benefits of retinol whilst minimising the risk of skin irritation. The cream formulation features encapsulated retinol which is released gradually as you sleep – the time release technology reduces the risk of irritation often experienced with retinol use. Nourishing ceramides and multi-molecular hyaluronic acid work to strengthen skin’s natural barrier and deliver deep replenishing hydration to keep your skin looking dewy and radiant while the retinol works it’s magic.
You can have great looking skin in menopause, even when temperatures soar. The key is being consistent with products designed especially for menopausal skin changes.
The Menopause Skin Solution Set is a simplified menopausal skincare routine for maximum results all year round. The high-performance trio of products have been expertly developed to complement one another to target the top symptoms of menopausal skin changes – dryness, loss of firmness and radiance, fine lines, skin sensitivity, redness and inflammation and hormonal breakouts.
Step 1 Quench & Soothe Serum (35ml) is a next level super hydrator designed to soothe and calm sensitised skin. Helps control hormonal breakouts for an ultra-hydrated, brighter, clearer complexion. Superstar Ingredients: Multi-molecular hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Vitamin B5.
Step 2 Collagen Boost Moisturiser (50ml) is a multi-tasking dream cream designed to boost collagen production and deliver vital nourishment for plumper, glowing, firmer skin. Superstar Ingredients: Signal peptides, resveratrol, niacinamide, multi-molecular hyaluronic acid, avocado and cupuacu butters.
Step 3 Super A Retinol Sleep Cream (50ml) A high-performance retinol blend designed to accelerate cell turnover for radiant, smoother, stronger skin. Specifically designed for menopausal skin so you can enjoy all the benefits of retinol without the irritating downsides. Superstar ingredients: 0.5% encapsulated retinol, ceramides, multi-molecular hyaluronic acid.
Click here to shop Menopause Skin Solution Set £100.00 (Usually £125 when bought separately).
