Aging brings about many new things--from minor adjustments, to major shifts. But as women begin to step into the latter years of their lives, all become more and more aware of one of the biggest changes that take place physically - menopause. 

Entering into menopause triggers major changes in women’s bodies, and among those changes are the ones that happen to your skin throughout perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause. Within each of these stages, your skin undergoes multiple transformations--and as such, what we can do to keep your skin looking its best also shifts throughout the different stages. 

Before women stop having their periods, they actually undergo a transitional phase called Perimenopause. Leave it to our bodies to give us a warning! This usually starts happening to women in their mid-40s and lasts for around 3-4 years on average. 

Perimenopause is marked by experiences such as sleeplessness, changes in libido, vaginal dryness, and hot flashes. These effects are felt because estrogen and progesterone levels begin to fall at this stage, and the ovaries release eggs less often. 

This period can affect the skin in multitudes of ways. Hot flashes may cause redness. The hormonal shifts may lead to breakouts or patchy skin. The skin also tends to also become more susceptible to dryness.

• Maintain a regular exercise routine. 
• Stay hydrated, and monitor your water intake to make sure you’re getting enough water in your body.
• Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, and try to be consistent with your sleep patterns.
• Consult with your doctor about what combination of multivitamins would be ideal for you at this point in time.
• Be gentle with your skin as it changes. Protect it with sunscreen, and choose products that are non-drying and that aren’t harsh. 
• Switch physical exfoliants (grains, seeds) that can irritate your skin to mild enzyme rich exfoliants like papain or pumpkin enzymes. 
• Look for hydrating and soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, birch sap or nourishing antioxidant rich cold-pressed oils to lock in moisture and keep the skin protected from free radical damage.

Reaching menopause means that your ovaries no longer release eggs and that estrogen and progesterone are no longer being produced. This also signals the official end of monthly periods and a woman’s reproductive years. Menopause typically occurs from the ages 41-55, and is only diagnosed after 1 year all menstrual bleeding has stopped.

Once menopause arrives, there are a few things you could add into your skincare routine. It is good to once again stick with gentle products and look into ingredients that can aid in preventing dryness and supporting collagen production. 

Apart from the healthy habits that are listed above like proper exercise and sleep that hopefully can continue happening even after perimenopause, there are some additional things to consider. 

• Keep up with a consistent workout regimen. Consult with a personal trainer if that's within your budget to get your best, optimal workout routine for you.
• Eat a healthy well-planned diet rich in proteins, fruits and vegetables to keep your energy levels high. 
• Look into products with retinol, which can help with skin elasticity and support stimulation of collagen production. This is especially important as skin starts to sag and to become thinner. Use a time-released Retinol to avoid side effects and irritation.
• Switch out harsh moisture stripping cleansers and use a Konjac Sponge that gently exfoliate and cleanse sensitive, menopausal skin. 
• Find all-in-one products infused with full-spectrum ingredients.  Now it's time to stop overwhelm your already overwhelmed skin and use less products and long, complicated routines. Less is more is definitely true when it comes to menopausal skin and skincare. 
• Use a cold-pressed nutrient rich facial oil to lock in moisture meanwhile keeps the skin soft, glowing and healthy-looking.
• Keep protecting your skin from the sun with a high SPF (50). 

Once your estrogen levels have stabilized, symptoms such as hot flashes begin to subside. Ovaries completely stop secreting reproductive hormones as well as producing eggs. This is when you know you’ve reached postmenopause. This stage typically begins from your early to mid-30s, and lasts for the rest of your life.

Women in postmenopause continue to be at risk of dropping level of estrogen, skin dryness, and a lack in skin elasticity. At this point, it is important to maintain healthy habits as much as possible--but also to lOok into practices that can continue to strengthen your emotional bond with your skin, your body, and your self.

• Maintain a diet that’s rich in phytoestrogens (plant-based sources of estrogen) to help your body out. Some ingredients to consider would be the likes of flaxseed, legumes, chickpeas, and whole-grain cereals.
• Look into physical activity that’s gentle, and that may even help you relax. Yoga and Tai Chi are some examples of staying fit without pushing yourself too hard.
• Wellness activities such as facial and body massages, or mindfulness activities such as expressive arts and meditation can help put you on a path to loving and living your best life--no matter the age.
• Keep using a gentle retinol for continuous collagen stimulation to keep your skin strong and firm. 
• Use antioxidant rich skincare products to protect your skin from pollution, smoke and blue light damage from screen. 
• Keep using a minimalistic routine to avoid overwhelm and irritation, while feeding your skin with everything it needs with fewer products.
• Use a soft, friction-free pillowcase that help your skin looking smooth and healthy in the morning meanwhile protecting your hair against frizz and breakage. 

Menopause is an inevitable stage that can drastically affect your mood, health and lifestyle. So its good to know what is coming and how you can manage it. Fortunately, there are a multitude of resources plus your resident experts to guide you along the way. 

Your midlife doesn’t have to be dictated by the changes in your body. A good way to approach menopause is to accept these changes and listen to your body’s needs. Part of that is taking care of your skin to keep you feeling confident and glowing.

It’s also good if your skin care products know what your skin needs at any age. NOOMI is a brand that specially caters to women approaching midlife and beyond covering the most essential critical skin changing stages. NOOMI understands the unique needs of maturing skin and packs its BirchTech Hybrid serum/cream hybrid with natural potent ingredients to care for your skin. 

Love your skin at any age with the help of NOOMI items. BirchTech Hybrid is a product with full-spectrum ingredients so your skin gets everything it needs at night with just one single product. Click here to find out more.

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