Skin often goes through changes during and after menopause or perimenopause, affecting how the skin feels and looks. Your usual products may not work as well as they used to, and you may deal with a variety of new skin concerns from menopause skin breakouts, from dry, itchy skin to increased sensitivity.
Keep reading to discover some of the most common skin concerns associated with menopause and how to achieve a radiant and youthful-looking complexion with the best skincare for menopausal skin from No7.
What is menopause and perimenopause?
Menopause refers to the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles and is diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.
Perimenopause is the transition period before menopause. During these times, the hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone fluctuate before declining, which can cause physical, emotional and psychological symptoms.
Skin changes during menopause
Does menopause age your face? Not directly, but menopause skin changes can accelerate the signs of aging, resulting in deeper wrinkles and a drier, dull, or less plump appearance.
Fine lines and wrinkles
Collagen and elastin are the skin’s building blocks, essential to maintaining a plump, hydrated and strong complexion, and menopause and skin elasticity are closely linked.
In the first five years of menopause, a woman can lose approximately 30% of skin’s collagen. This causes deepening of fine lines and wrinkles and sagging of the skin, especially around delicate areas like the jowls, eyes and mouth.
Dry skin
Menopause and dry skin often go hand in hand. As estrogen levels fall, the skin’s surface layer thickens, reducing oil production, which may result in a dry, tight feeling.
Dullness
The natural skin cell renewal process slows with age. As dead skin cells accumulate on the skin’s surface, it leaves skin looking dull and tired, as light can no longer reflect off the skin and cast a healthy glow.
Combine this with menopause-induced dryness, and skin can appear even more dull and lackluster.
Sensitivity
A lack of estrogen can leave skin feeling itchy or more sensitive than usual. Skin can also become thinner during and after menopause, making it more prone to irritation, bruising and rashes.
Skincare routine for menopausal skin
To look and feel your best, No7’s Menopause Skincare range is expertly designed to target visible signs of reduced estrogen and collagen for radiant and replenished-looking skin in just 1 week.
-
Buy now with No 7 Step 1: Use a gentle cleanser
Buy now with free deliveryNo7 Lift & Luminate Dual Action Cleansing Exfoliator is formulated with gentle exfoliating particles and a complex of Vitamins C, E and B5, to help support surface skin’s natural renewal process while removing impurities and excess oil. Skin tone and texture appear visibly improved, lending skin a brighter and more radiant glow.
How to apply: Morning and night, massage onto a wet face, then rinse to leave skin feeling cleansed and renewed.
-
Buy now with No 7 Step 2: Apply radiance boosting serum
Buy now with free deliveryFormulated with nourishing Collagen Peptide Technology, hyaluronic acid and lipids, No7’s Instant Radiance Serum helps to improve the appearance of collagen depleted skin. Designed with an instant cooling applicator for a soothing effect, this serum helps target the accelerated appearance of skin aging for a firmer, more radiant looking face and neck in 1 week.
How to apply: Apply morning and evening on cleansed or makeup free skin for an instant cooling sensation.
-
Buy now with No 7 Step 3: Use a brightening and firming eye concentrate
Buy now with free deliveryDesigned with a cooling metal roller applicator, No7’s Firm and Bright Eye Concentrate revives, brightens and firms tired-looking eyes that can result during menopause. Formulated with nourishing niacinamides and ceramides, it helps to reduce the appearance of dark circles and wrinkles while firming the appearance of skin around the eye in just 4 weeks.
How to apply: Squeeze the tube to prime, then gently glide the product around the contours. Lightly pat and blend any remaining product with your fingers until fully absorbed.
-
Buy now with No 7 Step 4: Protect and hydrate with a day cream
Buy now with free deliveryOne of the best moisturizers for menopause dryness, No7’s Protect and Hydrate Day Cream offers 72-hour hydration for even sensitive skin. Formulated with broad spectrum SPF 30, green tea and Vitamin C, it leaves skin feeling instantly smoother and replenished. 94% of menopausal women agreed their skin felt moisturized after just one use.*
How to apply: Use every evening and massage in small upward circles over the face and neck. Allow the product to completely absorb before applying any other product.
* Based on a consumer study
-
Buy now with No 7 Step 5: Soothe and nourish with an overnight cream
Buy now with free deliverySuitable for sensitive menopausal skin, No7’s Nourishing Overnight Cream supports skin during its natural overnight repair process for a complexion that looks and feels refreshed and deeply nourished in 1 just week. Infused with replenishing lipids and ceramides, soy isoflavones and hydrating hyaluronic acid, this menopause night cream is proven to hydrate skin for 72 hours.
How to apply: Every evening, massage in small upward circles over your face and neck. Allow the product to completely absorb before applying any other product.
-
Buy now with No 7 Step 6: Calm the skin with a cooling mist
Buy now with free deliveryCo-created with menopausal women and dermatologist approved for menopausal skin, No7 Instant Cooling Mist helps hot, flushed skin feel instantly cooled, and calm. Formulated with moisturising glycerine, this mist helps to hydrate dry menopausal skin, leaving it feeling radiant and smooth.
How to apply: With eyes closed, spray over face and neck for an instant cooling effect. Use as needed throughout the day, even over makeup.