Navigating menopause brings many changes, and for women, those changes often include noticeable shifts in skin health.
Heather Wilson, Marketing VP and Esthetician at EVER with over 15 years of experience, is no stranger to the challenges menopausal skin presents. As estrogen declines, women can experience everything from a loss of collagen and hydration to slower cell turnover. These changes can result in skin that feels drier, thinner, and less vibrant. But with the right skincare routine and lifestyle adjustments, it’s possible to embrace this stage of life with glowing, healthy skin.
In this article, Heather shares her expert insights on how to care for your skin through menopause, recommending products, ingredients, and treatments that truly make a difference.
Can you briefly explain how menopause affects the skin?
There are 3 main changes in the skin as a result of the hormonal changes, specifically estrogen decline, during menopause. This is a decline in collagen production, cell renewal, and hydration. About 30% of collagen is lost in the first 5 years of menopause and it continues to decline 2% every year.
What are the most common skin changes women experience during menopause?
Those three main changes can cause women to feel that their skin is much drier, more sensitive, thinner, lacks plumpness, and their tone can become dull and uneven.
How should women adjust their skincare routines as they enter menopause?
A focus on products that support healthy collagen, increase moisture, and speed up cell turnover is key to adapting their skincare routine as they enter menopause.
Are there specific ingredients or products that are particularly beneficial for menopausal skin?
There are a number of excellent ingredients that are beneficial for menopausal skin, but I believe the gold-standard is a trio of Peptides, AHAs, and Vitamin C. There are others you can incorporate to boost results but these are tried and true and directly correlated to addressing the 3 skin changes that happen during menopause.
What professional treatments do you recommend for women going through menopause to address skin concerns?
Professional treatments are an excellent way to level-up your skincare regimen, regular facials and chemical peels are cost-effective treatments with minimal downtime and proven results. However, what is more important is a consistent, daily regimen at home. What you do daily will make a much bigger impact over what professional treatments you get occasionally.
How do lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management impact skin health during menopause?
While there isn’t a direct correlation between lifestyle factors and the skin, a balanced diet with a focus on protein, strength training, and managing stress is known to reduce menopause symptoms and improve longevity. These lifestyle factors support overall whole body health, and this trickles to the skin. Your skin is your largest organ, and its external health is a direct reflection of your internal health.
What are your top product recommendations for menopausal skin care?
My first recommendation would be EVER’s Daily At Home Facial, which is a trio of products that are formulated to address those 3 main changes you see in menopausal skin. These three products are also often the products missing in a woman’s routine, but they will yield the biggest results. From there, a nourishing moisturizer with firming properties like EVER’s Hydralift Moisture Injection Cream and a Retinol like EVER’s Overnight Facial Cellular Renewal Oil will take results to the next level.
Based on your experience, what is the most surprising or lesser-known fact about menopause and skin health?
Most women don’t even realize that menopause impacts the skin at all. They wake up one day and think, “why is my skin so different?” but don’t realize it’s related to their hormonal changes.
Do you have any personal tips or advice for women struggling with skin changes during menopause?
Our culture has made us feel that our worth is tied to our youth. My biggest piece of advice is to throw that belief in the trash. Your years have earned you wisdom, experience, and knowledge that was absent from your youth. Your laugh lines, forehead wrinkles, and crows feet are proof of a life well lived. As someone who lost their father far too early, I truly believe that aging is a privilege. Rather than seeing it as something to dread, shift your perspective to something you get the privilege to experience. There is no right or wrong way to age, just enjoy the journey and do what makes you feel the most confident and empowered.
