Reframing Menopause: Your Skin Isn't Failing You

It's something that happens to all women, as well as the changes it can bring to skin... the dreaded Menopause!

But, we're going to try and reframe that "dreaded" part today... at least when it comes to the skin and menopause.

What if instead of fighting menopause or pretending it won't happen to us, we reclaim the beauty of the woman's body and embrace the gift of aging, even with the shifts it may bring to our body and skin?

Let's reframe the stigma that menopause and skin have. I get it, some of the stigma seems valid. Menopause can seriously be a very challenging season of life for many women. But instead of viewing it as a fight (we can't win it anyways), we can lean into the changes and accept and support. Okay, before you come after me because you're mid hot-flash right now, hear me out, pretty please.

If you are going through or have gone through menopause, you know exactly what it is because yeah, you lived through that challenge. Without getting too sciency, here's a decent surface-level explanation of what menopause is: "Menopause is a natural stage of life that officially begins when a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle. It happens as the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen and progesterone, which are hormones that play major roles throughout the body.

These hormonal shifts can affect much more than just reproduction and cycles. They can impact the skin, sleep, mood, metabolism, energy levels, hair, body temperature, and even bone health." The beginning of Menopause usually begins anywhere from mid to late forties to early fifties, give or take, with perimenopause happening before that.

There's endless things to write about regarding the experience of menopause, and that's so valid. But for today, we want to highlight how to support the skin best during menopause. During perimenopause and menopause, many women notice their skin becoming drier, thinner, more sensitive, or less firm due to the decline in collagen production, hydration, and oil production that estrogen helps support. Maybe you've even noticed this as of late.

So, if your skin suddenly feels drier, thinner, more sensitive, duller, itchier, looser, more reactive, or somehow both oily and dry at the same time… you are not imagining it! Thank MeNoPaUsE. Menopause and perimenopause can bring major, major changes to the skin, and truthfully, we do not think women are prepared enough for how much hormones affect the skin! It can be very helpful to be prepared and know how to best serve your skin for the ensuing changes.

As estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and then decline, the skin naturally changes too. Estrogen plays a huge role in supporting collagen production, skin thickness, elasticity, hydration, wound healing, and even the skin barrier itself. So when those hormone levels start changing, the skin often changes right alongside them. It just means it may need a different approach than what you are used to because the skin you have after menopause may look and feel quite different than the skin you had before.

As we already alluded to, a few common skin changes that happen during menopause are: increased dryness, thinner-feeling skin, sudden sensitivity, dullness, more visible fine lines, slower healing, increased flushing or redness (rosacea), and adult acne or hormonal breakouts.

And while all of this is very common we also know it can feel discouraging when your skin suddenly stops responding the way it used to. But here's what we want you to hold onto... menopausal skin is not "bad" skin. It is not failing skin. It is simply changing skin. Changing skin that every woman blessed to live into her middle age and beyond will experience. All of us will join, are about to join, or have joined the menopause club!

In many ways, this season of life asks us to approach skincare differently. In a word, simply. Less aggressive treatments and actives... less stripping... less "correcting." When it comes to aging and/or menopausal skin, this is the main thing: your skin typically needs more nourishing and proper hydration.

This is often not the time in your life for over-exfoliating, harsh actives, overly drying acne routines, or constantly chasing tighter, firmer, younger-looking skin at the expense of your skin barrier. SLOW AND STEADY skincare, especially during menopause. You hear it all the time from us... the skin will not be forced. It will stand up for itself and let you know if you are too harsh with it. It's a whole organ after all!

Menopausal skin tends to thrive with hydration, healthy oils, barrier support, consistency, minerals, antioxidants, sleep, stress reduction, and gentle circulation-supporting practices like gua sha and red light therapy.

Red light therapy has become incredibly popular for good reason, especially for aging skin. We tend to love it around here too. Many women choose to use it for supporting the appearance of fine lines, skin tone, collagen support, inflammation, redness, and overall skin vitality. It is one of the more gentle and supportive skincare tools that can pair so well with a nourishing skincare routine during menopause. → Click to read all about how we incorporate Red Light Therapy into our routines and how to choose one that isn't a scam!

Facial massage and gua sha can also feel wonderful and provide some great benefits to your skin during this season. Increased circulation and lymphatic support can help bring life and glow back into skin that may feel more dull, less tight, or just plain tired during menopause. → Click to see Chelsea guide you through a full and gentle gua sha routine.

And here's the kicker... sleep matters here more than ever! We cannot and will not ever under emphasize the benefits and necessity that good, deep, and enough sleep can have on the skin. Sleep is up there as one of the most important factors in overall body health, including skin. → Click to read about how sleep is your skins most important skincare treatment!

Menopause can significantly affect sleep quality, and poor sleep almost always shows up in the skin eventually. Chronic stress, elevated cortisol, and sleep deprivation can worsen just about every menopause symptom in the body and in the skin! So, your 1 am reel rot session can wait until tomorrow (said with love!). It is more important that ever to guard good quality and quantity sleep in this season of life.

When it comes to skincare products themselves, we often encourage menopausal skin to focus more on deeply supporting the skin barrier rather than focusing on "attacking problems". This usually looks like richer moisturizers, very nourishing oils, barrier-supportive ingredients, gentle cleansing, mineral SPF, and less frequent exfoliation.

One of our most popular products for menopausal women is our Blue Tansy HA Moisturizer, Firming Serum, and Daydream Mineral SPF. The BTM can be an incredible fit during this season because menopausal skin often craves deeper hydration and barrier support. The BTM does just that. It deeply penetrates the skin and literally draws water to the skin with the help of flaxseed glycerin and HA.

Our Firming Serum has a gentle and active form of vitamin A that helps with cell turnover without being harsh like OTC actives such as retinol.

And of course, protecting the skin daily with mineral SPF becomes even more important as skin becomes thinner and more delicate over time! Sunscreen is a must during menopause, and getting enough vitamin D at the optimal time of day is just as important for your overall complexion and health.

And maybe this is the most important reminder of all: Your skin does not have to look 25 years old to be beautiful. Skin is beautiful when it has lived, smiled, cried, healed, grown children, weathered stress, survived illness, and all the other happenings our skin lives through during our time on earth.

Healthy skin at 50 does not look the same as healthy skin at 25, and that is natural and supposed to happen!

At SBA, we believe skincare should support you through every season of life, not make you feel ashamed of growing older. Menopause is not something to fix... it's something to support yourself and your skin through.

On the journey with you,

The SBA Team