The products that will help make sure post-menopausal skin is your best yet

Most women have had a love-hate relationship with their hormones at some point, but it’s not until they begin to wane that we realise just what an impact they can have on our skin. It’s more than a little irksome that just as we find ourselves at a point in time where we’re living our best lives we find that our skin has other ideas, losing up to a third of its collagen in the first five years after the menopause (with a 2% decrease every year after).   

The great news is brands are finally stepping up to the mark with a raft of products designed to address the very unique needs of 50-plus skin, to help counteract the skin-subverting ways of those pesky hormones and leave you glowing. More ‘pro’ than ‘anti’ ageing, the key to beautiful skin post-menopause lies in dedicated skincare. Whilst a more relaxed regime may have got you through your thirties and forties, you’re going to have to up the ante a notch to maintain a beautiful complexion in your 50s and beyond. The best part? According to the experts it’s never too late to start. 

 ‘As an aesthetics doctor I see a vast number of patients who having reached menopause suddenly rush to see me because the changes are so rapid and, of course, no one is prepared to age, but please don’t panic!’ says Dr Galyna, aesthetic doctor and member of the Royal College Of Psychiatry. ‘While lower levels of oestrogen make skin more prone to sagging, dryness and wrinkling, skincare after the menopause doesn’t have to be complicated. My simple approach to skincare after the menopause relies on hydrating, exfoliating and increasing cell turnover.’

Luckily, we have all the tools your skin needs to be ready for whatever life (and hormones) throw at it.

‘The main hallmark of post-menopausal skin is dryness,’ says aesthetic doctor Dr David Jack. A double whammy of less active oil glands plus a decrease in water-holding hyaluronic acid results in a parched complexion, so skincare rule number one is ‘hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!’

‘The first thing I would suggest is swapping to a gentle, hydrating cleanser,’ says Sana Khan, Board Certified Anti-Ageing Aesthetician and founder of Avicenna Wellbeing. ‘I would also recommend using lukewarm water to wash with as very hot water can strip the skin of its natural oils and worsen dryness.’

Consultant Dermatologist Dr Sharon Wong also recommends choosing products that not only quench thirsty skin but maintain the precious lipid barrier. ‘Look for moisturisers and serums rich in humectants such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides, which bind water into the skin and protect the barrier function, and consider using a serum AND moisturiser as a night time routine,’ she says. ‘I also love recommending glycerin-based products to my post-menopausal patients to lock in moisture.’

Whether you’re a Vitamin A aficionado or a retinol rookie, now is not the time to take your eye off the active ingredients ball. With a marked decrease in collagen levels, sagging and jowls become more apparent, so opt for collagen-boosting peptides and retinoids: ‘Retinoids are great for this stage of life as they can help reduce breakouts (if you’re still experiencing them) but are also great for anti-ageing as they increase cell turnover,’ says Dr Jack. ‘The only issue for dry skin is that they sometimes risk drying things out further by decreasing oil production, so it’s important to balance this by using extra humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid.’

Never tried retinol? It’s not too late to start according to Dr Galyna: ‘As skin turnover starts to slow down, retinol is what’s needed to rev things up. Like a personal trainer for your skin, it wakes up the cells and reminds them to work harder.’

Dr Galyna also recommends introducing active ingredients such as glycolic or lactic acids if you haven’t already. ‘Now is the time to get serious about exfoliation!’ he insists. ‘Not only will it help to keep the skin glowing at any age, it will also help with any pigmentation issues.’

Age spots and dullness are the two main skin saboteurs standing in the way of that covetable lit-from-within glow. A lacklustre complexion is generally caused by a decrease in cellular turnover. This causes a dead cell build up which interferes with the way your skin reflects light and can be tackled with chemical exfoliants such as AHAs.

According to research by Lancome, sallowness is the lesser-talked-about skin concern that women over a certain age experience, thanks to an increase in vascular issues and a more uneven skin surface. It’s also the reason they created their Renegie Multi Glow Rosy Skintone Reviving Cream to rebalance the complexion over time as well as imbuing it with rosy-toned pigments for an instant perky flush.

For pigmentation issues and overall brightening, vitamin C is your go-to ingredient. This does-it-all radiance-booster not only helps to even out the skintone and inhibit melanin production, but being a potent antioxidant means it can also help to prevent future damage (alongside your trusty SPF50 of course!)

Still suffering from the odd hormonal breakout? Hot flashes keeping you awake? Struggling to sleep full stop? (Women over the age of 60 are apparently more susceptible to sleep disorders and their deep sleep cycles are 10 times shorter). Then these are the products you need to deploy: