First, what you need to do is look for products that contain nourishing ingredients, that will feed your skin and restore some of that protective oily layer that sebum normally provides. Don’t panic – this is a healthy layer of skin-friendly oils that feed and protect for example, anti inflammatory omega three oils and antioxidant rich botanical extracts.
Look for moisturizers that contain Argan or rosehip oil rich in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Argan will be described as Argania spinosa on the label, while rosehip will be shown as Rosa canina. The higher these items are listed, the greater proportion was used in the formula. A decent moisturiser will feature a higher amount, so expect a matching price tag.
The second thing for menopausal skin is looking for ingredients that are soothing and calming for sensitive skin such as jojoba, aloe vera, calendula, marula, rosehip or rosewater. Dry skin is stressed skin. These botanicals bring calm to your skin and allow it to begin renewing itself.
The third step for menopausal skin is remembering how extra sensitive it is, and treating it with TLC – so ditch any harsh foaming cleansers, sharp scrubby bits or artificial ingredients that suck moisture away or damage your skin.
Instead, switch to cream based cleansers, biodegradable scrubs, and richer natural based moisturisers that will soothe and protect.
It’s no point wrecking your skin with harsh cleansers and hoping your moisturiser will rescue the damage. Be gentle, through your entire skincare routine and you will see how your skin can heal itself when you give it the right ingredients.
Instead, look for calming botanicals such as lavender hydrosol, sea buckthorn, or rosewater. These are anti inflammatory and help soothe skin that is easily irritated.
Dry skin is also dehydrated so you need to add moisture from within and without. The kind of moisture dry skin will lap up comes from flowers, think rosewater, aloe vera and lavender distillate. These gorgeous natural ingredients bring increased moisture and help make skin dewy soft. Not only that, but they are at the perfect pH for a healthy skin.
Botanical extracts when grown and processed with care, contain the life force and energetics of those plants. These premium extracts cost more to produce and are sought after by artisan skincare formulators.
Other skin-friendly ingredients to look out for during menopause are pomegranate, sea buckthorn, MSM and hyaluronic acid as well as an affordable humectant called glycerine. (You may recall your granny’s rosewater, witch hazel and glycerine toner?)
So there you have three tips to get your dry skin under control. Look for nourishing omegas and fatty acids, add soothing and calming botanicals and include hydrating extracts.
When you switch to a gentle yet powerful natural skincare routine and healthier lifestyle, including what you eat, what you drink, your exercise and sleep patterns, your dry menopausal skin will transform itself. The more hydrating and nourishing your routine, the faster you will see results.
