Perimenopause Skin: Why Your Skin Suddenly Feels Different and What to Do About It
One of the frustrating things about perimenopause is that your skin can suddenly stop behaving the way it always has.
Products you’ve used for years might not feel quite right anymore. Your skin may become drier, more reactive or less plump. You might notice breakouts again after years of relatively clear skin, or find that you’re suddenly dealing with sensitivity alongside congestion.
And because these changes can happen gradually, a lot of women don’t immediately connect them with perimenopause.
You can end up doing what most of us naturally do when our skin changes: adding more products, increasing actives or trying to correct each new concern separately.
Sometimes that’s exactly when the skin needs you to do less.
Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause and for many women it lasts several years. During this time, hormone levels fluctuate and oestrogen production begins to decline. Those hormonal changes can affect the way the skin functions, including hydration, oil production, collagen, elasticity and barrier function.
That’s why skin that was previously fairly predictable can suddenly become much harder to read.
Why does skin become drier during perimenopause?
This is probably one of the most common changes.
As we get older, our skin naturally produces less sebum, and hormonal changes around menopause can add to that dryness. The skin can also become less effective at holding onto water.
What that can look like in real life is skin that feels tighter after cleansing, makeup not sitting quite as nicely, more visible dehydration or skin that just doesn’t feel as supple as it used to. This is where I think oils become particularly valuable.
You can have otherwise healthy looking skin and still be lacking in the lipids that help it feel supple and comfortable. Sometimes a very simple change, such as introducing a good facial oil or using one more consistently, can make a noticeable difference. It doesn’t necessarily mean you need a completely new skincare routine.
Your skin barrier can become less forgiving too
Perimenopause and menopause are associated with changes in barrier function and some women notice an increase in dryness, itching, irritation, rosacea or general sensitivity.
When the skin is already becoming less resilient, continually adding more products can create a completely different problem if they arent correctly supporting your skin in the way that you need.
If products suddenly sting that never used to, your face feels tight even after moisturising or your skin seems to react to everything, I’d be looking at the overall routine before adding another active.
Often the answer is not finding the strongest product you can tolerate. It’s getting the skin back to a point where it feels stable again.
What about collagen and ageing?
This is obviously one of the bigger concerns women have around menopause.
Oestrogen plays a role in collagen production and skin thickness. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that collagen loss accelerates around menopause, contributing to changes in firmness, plumpness and wrinkles.
I think this is where skincare marketing can make women feel like they’re falling behind. You notice changes, so naturally you start looking for what you should add next. There is absolutely a place for targeted ingredients and treatments. But I would still want the foundation of the skin to be healthy first.
Skin that is chronically irritated, dehydrated or struggling with its barrier isn’t necessarily going to benefit from throwing stronger and stronger products at it.
Get the basics right first. Then decide what else genuinely earns a place in the routine.
Perimenopause can also mean breakouts
Hormonal changes before and during menopause can contribute to adult acne, even in women who thought breakouts were something they had left behind years ago.
The tricky part is that you can now have breakouts and drier, more sensitive skin at the same time. Treating that skin like teenage acne can be far too aggressive.
If you strip everything back with harsh cleansers, drying treatments and constant exfoliation, you may improve oiliness temporarily while making the overall condition of the skin worse.
This is where treating the skin as a whole becomes much more important than compartmentalising every symptom. Congestion may need support, but so does hydration. Breakouts may need targeted ingredients, but the barrier still matters.
So what should a perimenopause skincare routine actually look like?
I’d start by looking at whether your cleanser is leaving the skin comfortable. If your skin is becoming drier or more reactive, this may be the point where a gentler cleansing milk or balm starts making more sense than something that leaves you feeling squeaky clean. Then look at hydration and lipids.
A good moisturiser should help the skin feel comfortable without requiring endless layers underneath it. If the skin is becoming more oil deficient, this is where I often introduce a facial oil as well.
For Bare Roots, Gentle Cleansing Milk, Flora Cream and Omega Oil are the three products I would usually look at first for skin becoming drier, more sensitive or less comfortable.
From there, more concentrated active products can be added for a reason.
Curative Serum can be a useful addition when the skin needs more support for dryness, cell renewal and sensitivity, while Clarity Serum may make more sense where congestion, excessive oiliness and breakouts are part of the picture.
And sunscreen becomes increasingly important too. Lifetime UV exposure contributes heavily to pigmentation, collagen breakdown and visible ageing, so daily broad spectrum SPF remains one of the most worthwhile things you can do for your skin.
Your skin changing doesn’t mean everything you were doing before was wrong
Skin changes throughout our lives. The routine that worked beautifully for you at 30 may need a small adjustment at 42. That doesn’t necessarily mean replacing everything. The goal should still be skin that feels healthy, stable and manageable.
If your skin has changed during perimenopause and you’re not sure where to start, begin with the basics and build from there. You can explore the Bare Roots range here or visit your nearest Bare Roots stockist for help choosing a routine that suits what your skin is doing now.
