Does your menstrual cycle affect your skin? We hear you! This is a common concern when we ask our community about PMS symptoms. We caught up with Murad to chat about adapting your skincare routine to manage hormonal breakouts.
Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can affect sebaceous glands in your skin which impacts oil production. Having a good skincare routine is important to keep your skin looking its best.
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14 Days before your period
During ovulation(approximately 14 days before your period) hormonal changes increase oil production, so this is often when people will notice their skin looking oilier and shinier. Oil traps bacteria and clogs pores causing breakouts.
7 days before you period
Pre-menstrual skin is usually more problematic prior to your period. This is due to a decrease in oestrogen and a surge of progesterone and testosterone, causing excess oil production. Pores can then become clogged with sebum, leading to breakouts. Typically, hormonal breakouts are most visible on the chin and jawline, and skin can feel more oily. You may also notice your makeup seems to fade faster and pores become more visible.
After your period
After your period ends, levels of oestrogen begin to increase again. This is when skin looks its best (just before ovulation). Skin becomes more radiant, fresh and hydrated.
Changes to your skin during menstruation in 30s, 40s
In our 30s and 40s, we begin to notice a decrease in oestrogen and the skin becomes less resilient during each menstrual cycle. Slowly, collagen and elastin synthesis begins to decrease and skin becomes drier and more prone to flakiness and dullness.”
What’s the best approach to caring for my skin when I’m seeing these changes?
“After your period when the skin looks its best, try and avoid makeup whenever possible. Keep skin clean, smooth and fresh with products containing hydroxy acids, with regular exfoliation. This helps to keep your moisture barrier strengthened and skin supple and smooth.
If you’re prone to blemishes throughout the month regardless, continue to use products containing blemish-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid to keep skin clean and clear. Use oil-free makeup, and an oil-free moisturiser and always look for a non-comedogenic SPF as they won’t clog the pores.
If breakouts only occur just before your period you can also try skincare products with natural, plant-derived ingredient phytoestrogens as this ingredient helps balance the skin when faced with hormonal changes.
Murad Recommendations:
“• AHA BHA Exfoliating Cleanser: Use twice a week to unclog blocked pores and even skin tone and texture.
• Blemish Control Clarifying Mask: Combines anti-inflammatories and soothing kaolin clay to draw out impurities and absorb excess oil. Use weekly.
• Blemish Control Oil Control Mattifier SPF 45: Instantly minimises the appearance of pores by 54%* and delivers 10 hours of oil, shine and pore control — all in a hydrating SPF moisturiser.
• Blemish Control Rapid Relief Spot Treatment: Works on individual spots and pimples and reduces inflammation and redness in 4 hours with salicylic acid 2% and a patented formula to reduce spots and pimples quickly under or over makeup.
• Pure Skin Clarifying Food Supplement: Helps to clear the skin from within using antioxidants to help balance the skin.
• NEW: InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment: Works on skin recovering from acne and breakouts. The clinically proven revolutionary formula minimises the look of post-acne scar size, depth and discolouration in 8 weeks.
• Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream: Hydrates and increases skin cell turnover to improve collagen synthesis, brighten skin and help with post-acne pigmentation. Powered by breakthrough Retinol Tri-Active Technology, this award-winning night cream delivers transformative results to visibly minimise lines and wrinkles and smooth skin’s texture.”
Thank you to the lovely Murad team for this informative blog! We hope it has helped you take power over those hormonal breakouts. You can follow Murad on socials here. For more skin talk, check out this blog here where we talk all about SPF and why it is a skincare essential.
