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Glowing Through Change: Skincare Routine After Menopause
Menopause brings with it a number of biological changes, many of which take place in the skin. This can come as a surprise – although people expect the menstrual changes, along with the mood swings and hot flushes that menopause is commonly associated with, the fact that the skin goes through several transitions too often catches people off guard.
Fortunately, that’s something that Vine Vera can help with. Read on as we talk you through the changes that you can expect to see in your skin after menopause, along with the skincare routine that you should be following if you want to get your youthful glow back.
How Does Menopause Affect the Skin?
So, what exactly happens to the skin during and after menopause?
Well, all of the changes that you’ll experience are down to the decline in estrogen levels that menopause brings. Firstly, this affects collagen production. Collagen is the protein that gives your skin its firmness and smoothness. However, studies have found that collagen synthesis can decrease by up to 30% in the first five years after menopause. This means that fine lines and wrinkles will become much more prevalent.
In addition to wrinkles, this decline in collagen also leads to thin and sagging skin. It affects skin barrier function too, with the skin less capable of retaining moisture. Facial hair tends to make an appearance at this stage of life as well.
Acne is also commonly noticed during and after menopause. This is triggered by all of those hormonal changes, which also leave your skin more susceptible to discoloration.
A Post-Menopause Skincare Routine For Your Face
Is it possible to restore your complexion’s youthful smoothness and bounce after you’ve been through menopause? Most definitely, but you need to be following the right skincare routine. Here are the steps to take to get you there:
1) Wash Your Face With a Gentle Cleanser
Hopefully, cleansing is something that you’ve always started your skincare routines with. However, post-menopause, you need to make sure that you’re using a gentle cleanser. With your skin barrier being weaker and thin skin being prone to dryness and dehydration, you need to make sure that the cleanser you’re using isn’t going to exacerbate any of these problems.
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Cabernet Mousse Cleanser is ideal for this. This cleanser forms a lather that feels super luxurious, yet its sulfate-free formula is far kinder to the skin than many of the other cleansers out there. Even better, the inclusion of niacinamide will help to balance out your skin tone and support your skin barrier, while amino acids and resveratrol will leave your skin feeling stronger.
2) Exfoliate Once or Twice a Week
While the rest of this skincare routine can be followed each day, or even twice a day, exfoliation is something that you’ll only need to do once or twice a week.
Exfoliation can be a game-changer for post-menopausal skin, as this is when the skin really struggles with naturally shedding its dead skin cells. This causes those cells to build up on the skin’s surface, giving the skin a dull and lackluster finish. Exfoliating those dead cells away will bring vibrancy back to your complexion while leaving your skin looking smoother and softer.
Rather than using a potent acid-based exfoliant or an abrasive scrub, both of which can damage thin, post-menopausal skin, go with something gentler instead, like the Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Peeling. With both mandelic acid and bamboo powder, this exfoliator brings together the best of physical and chemical exfoliation in a way that will lovingly pamper your skin while giving it a radiant glow.
3) Apply a Hydrating Toner
Although a toner isn’t an essential part of a skincare routine, it can make a huge difference to your complexion. Choose a hydrating formula and you’ll be able to layer in some extra moisture while also balancing out the pH level on the surface of your skin.
Go with the Vine Vera Resveratrol Cabernet Toner and you’ll also be giving your skin some extra antioxidants. Just like all Vine Vera products, this toner is formulated with resveratrol. This antioxidant has been proven to bring about big improvements in the complexions of post-menopausal women.
4) Layer on an Eye Serum
The skin around the eyes is already naturally much thinner than the skin on the rest of the face, meaning that this area is hit hard when the skin starts to thin after menopause. The wrinkles and sagging skin that the rest of your face will soon experience will usually develop around your eyes first, making it vital to have a couple of eye care products in your skincare arsenal.
The first should be an eye serum. Since the appearance of wrinkles and loose skin tend to be the biggest eye-related issues, look for a serum that can help to counter this, such as the Resveratrol Eye Collection Age Defying Eye Serum from Vine Vera. It’s packed with peptides, which help to thicken the feel of your skin, as well as a long list of antioxidants to turn back the clock on your complexion.
5) Use an Antioxidant Facial Serum
Antioxidants are everything when caring for your skin after menopause. They’re fantastic at reducing the visibility of skin aging, thanks to how they fight the appearance of free radical damage. Not only will antioxidants help to tackle the look of fine lines and wrinkles, but they’ll also even out visible discoloration to give your skin a more balanced finish.
Which antioxidants should you be using? We’ve already talked about how resveratrol is a must-have, but so is vitamin C. Vitamins A and E are superstar antioxidants too. You’ll find all of these ingredients in the Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Serum. Add it to both your morning and evening skincare routines and you should start to see your skin looking brighter, smoother, and healthier in no time!
6) Moisturize the Rest of Your Face
Now that you’ve applied your serums, it’s time to turn to your face cream. Being a thicker product, a cream will help to seal off your skin’s surface, preventing all of your other products from evaporating away.
Ideally, you want to be using a moisturizer that will help to counter the visible skin concerns that menopause has brought on. This is something that the Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Moisturizer excels at. It’s bursting with antioxidants, which, as we mentioned earlier, are vital for slowing down the appearance of skin aging. The humectants in this formula will plump up your complexion and have your skin looking thicker while shea butter will lock everything in, leaving your skin feeling much smoother and softer to the touch.
7) Protect From the Sun During the Day
If you’re following this skincare routine during the day, then you’ll need to round it all off with some sun protection. UV rays significantly contribute to the skin aging process. With collagen production drastically dropping after menopause, those rays will age your skin so much faster. Plus, let’s not forget how the sun causes discoloration, which is something else that post-menopausal skin is more vulnerable to.
When choosing a sunscreen, go with something that offers at least SPF 30. If you’re trying to keep your skincare routine minimal and are dreading following all of the steps that we’ve shared above, try combining this one with the last by using an SPF moisturizer, such as the Vine Vera Resveratrol Cabernet Replenishing Moisture Cream SPF 30. Not only is it an incredible moisturizer but it also contains UV-blocking agents to keep your skin protected from sun damage.
Optional: Apply a Face Mask After Cleansing/Exfoliating
While a short and sweet skincare routine can sometimes be more convenient, your skin would really benefit from some extra TLC every once in a while. After menopause, it has so much to deal with, so a little pamper session wouldn’t go amiss!
A face mask is a great way to show your skin some love. Look for one that will work on your main visible skin concerns. For example, if dehydration and wrinkles are your primary issues, the Vine Vera Pinot Noir Anti-Aging Luminating Face & Eye Mask will quench your skin while also smoothing away the look of creases. The Resveratrol Tightening Neck & Chest Mask will do the same, but for your neck and chest area.
Meanwhile, if menopause has left you battling breakouts, give the Resveratrol Shiraz Instentic Mask a try. This clay mask will pull excess sebum and impurities out from your pores, countering the appearance of acne. It’s packed with a long list of hydrating compounds and antioxidants too, all of which will have your skin glowing!
Don’t Forget About the Skin on Your Body!
It’s not just the skin on your face that will be affected by menopause. The skin on your body will go through very similar changes. The good news is that the skin on the body is much thicker and tougher than the skin on the face. As a result, these changes will take longer to occur and won’t be quite as dramatic.
Still, you most likely want the skin on your body to look as smooth, soft, and supple as possible. For this, you’ll need to put together a solid body care routine.
Start by using a gentle, sulfate-free body wash in the shower. Avoid applying this to your neck and chest – clean those areas with your facial cleanser instead.
Once or twice a week, exfoliate your body with a scrub. The Vine Vera Salt Scrub is a popular choice because of how sea salt is full of skin-loving minerals.
When you step out of the shower each day, slather on a moisturizer while your body is still slightly damp. The Vine Vera Intensive Shea Body Butter will feel amazing if your skin is dry or dehydrated. Meanwhile, the Vine Vera Body Cream is a lighter formula that may be more suitable if you’re dealing with body acne.
Summary
There’s no getting away from the big transitions that your skin will undergo during and after menopause. However, by building a high-quality and effective skincare routine, you’ll be able to counter those visible changes and bring your complexion back to the smooth, firm, and radiant state that you used to rock in your younger years.
Click here to pamper your skin with more bestselling resveratrol-infused products from Vine Vera.
