By Dr Mandy Leonhardt, GP, Hormone Specialist, Author and Member of the SISTERLY Expert Panel
Our skin often shows on the outside how we may feel inside. Breakouts before a period, a glow or new pigmentation in pregnancy, dryness in our forties: hormones play a part at every stage of a woman’s life. In my book, What Every Woman Needs to Know About Her Skin and Hair, I explain why this happens and what really helps.
The hormones behind your skin
Oestrogen is one of the skin’s biggest supporters. It helps skin make collagen, the protein that keeps it firm and springy, and it helps skin hold on to moisture. But it also plays an important role in skin repair.
Progesterone can increase oil production, which is one reason skin can feel congested at certain points in your cycle.
Testosterone is present in women too. It stimulates sebum production in the skin’s oil glands, and when it has more influence relative to oestrogen, breakouts are more likely.
Cortisol, our stress hormone, can initially help to reduce skin inflammation, but when stress is chronic, cortisol tends to make inflammation worse, disrupt skin barrier function and slow skin repair. Cortisol can also trigger flare-ups of existing skin conditions like eczema or rosacea.
How skin changes through life
Your monthly cycle. Many women notice their skin looks its best mid cycle, around the time of ovulation, when oestrogen peaks. In the days before a period, oestrogen falls and progesterone has more influence, so oilier skin and breakouts along the jaw and chin are common.
Your twenties and thirties. Adult acne is more common than many people think. Chronic stress, changes to or stopping hormonal contraception, and conditions such as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) can all play a part.
Pregnancy and after. Higher hormone levels of oestrogen can result in the famous pregnancy glow, but in some women they can also cause melasma, patches of darker pigmentation on the face. After birth, hormones drop sharply, and skin can become drier or break out before things settle again.
Perimenopause. Skin changes are very common in the years before menopause. In one study of women attending a menopause clinic, 46% said their skin had changed during perimenopause, 20% had developed new skin problems and 38% said an existing skin condition had got worse. In the early stages, oestrogen doesn’t simply fall. It swings from very high to very low across the month and even from day to day. Hot flushes and night sweats can make women sweat more. Broken sleep often shows up in the skin as dark under-eye circles, more sensitivity and a duller complexion. Higher levels of oestrogen during the early phase of perimenopause can trigger an uneven skin tone and increase the risk of melasma and hyperpigmentation.
After menopause. Oestrogen helps to prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin. It also stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid, which supports the skin’s ability to hold on to moisture. When oestrogen drops, women can lose up to 30% of their skin’s collagen during the first five years after menopause, and collagen continues to decline by about 2% a year for the next 15 years. Skin becomes thinner, drier and less elastic, it loses water more easily, and it heals more slowly. The cells that make skin pigment decline by 20 to 30% each decade, which can lead to uneven tone. Tiny blood vessels in the skin become more fragile, so bruising is more common. Testosterone falls more gradually than oestrogen, and the change in balance between the two can have a big effect on the skin. Women may get more nodules and spots around the chin and neck area, as well as increased hair growth on the lower face. Studies show that between the ages of 50 and 60, a woman’s face can age up to three times faster than a man’s, mainly because of these hormonal changes rather than age alone.
Feeding your skin from the inside
“When you nourish your body with healthy food, you also nourish your skin and hair. Skin and hair do not exist in isolation, and they respond to what is happening inside the body.”
The good news is that while we can’t stop our hormones changing, we have a lot of influence over how our skin copes with those changes. Skin is one of the fastest-renewing tissues in the body, and every new cell is built from what we eat. That means every meal is a chance to give your skin what it needs to repair, stay hydrated and protect itself.
You don’t need a complicated diet or expensive superfoods. Small, steady habits make a real difference: a good source of protein at each meal, plenty of colourful fruit and vegetables, and a handful of nuts or seeds every day. Because skin responds to what we do consistently, these changes add up over weeks and months.
Try to reduce sugar. There is a link between high-sugar diets and faster skin ageing. Too much sugar leads to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which over time can damage collagen fibres and make skin less resilient.
These are the nutrients I focus on, and some of the easiest places to find them:
| Nutrient | What it does for your skin | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Needed for skin repair | Eggs, fish, peas, tofu, quinoa, chia seeds |
| Vitamin C | Involved in making collagen; an antioxidant that helps eliminate free radicals | Citrus fruit, kiwi, peppers, potatoes |
| Vitamin A | Helps protect against skin ageing | Mango, apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers |
| Zinc | The skin holds around 6% of the body’s zinc. It increases skin cell turnover, acts as an antioxidant and supports the skin’s immune system | Pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, cashews, shellfish, eggs |
| Selenium | Essential for skin cells to develop and work properly; supports the skin’s antioxidant system | Brazil nuts, seafood |
| Vitamin E | An antioxidant that neutralises free radicals in skin cell membranes | Sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts |
| Biotin | Involved in making the fatty acids that keep skin healthy | Eggs, seeds, nuts, sweet potatoes |
| Coenzyme Q10 | Increases cellular energy and supports mitochondrial function; shown in clinical trials to improve signs of skin ageing | Oily fish, meat, wholegrains, peanuts, spinach |
How SISTERLY can help
Most women I see know what a healthy diet looks like. The hard part is eating that way every day, around busy lives, stress and changing appetites.
The Elevator brings together 23 nutrients in one daily sachet, in carefully chosen forms and doses. It includes many of the nutrients I’ve described here, including vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, selenium, natural vitamin E, biotin and CoQ10. It doesn’t replace a good diet. Think of it as a simple daily safety net. Skin renews slowly, so give it at least three months and be consistent. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, The Booster is a pregnancy and breastfeeding safe version of The Elevator.
What SISTERLY customers say
“I’ve been impressed with how my skin looks, especially on my face. It’s clearer and I’ve had compliments about it from friends and colleagues. Other than taking this supplement I really haven’t done anything different, same full time job and mum routine plus perimenopause!”
Emma
“My hair and skin are like a young lady. I’m 66 years old and so many people have remarked on my skin lately.”
Anne
“The visible benefits of this one from about two weeks means that it has now become a non-negotiable part of my morning routine… skin tone and under eye shadows vastly improved.”
Kathy
When to see your GP
See your GP if you have persistent or worsening skin symptoms like itching, spots, redness or pain, or you notice sudden changes in your skin, or skin changes alongside irregular periods. There are treatments available which can directly address the underlying hormonal cause, as well as treatments which focus mainly on managing the symptoms.
Good to know: The Elevator contains vitamin A. If you take prescription skin medication, especially oral retinoids such as isotretinoin, or any other prescribed medication, check with your GP or pharmacist before starting a new supplement.
SISTERLY The Elevator
One daily sachet. 23 nutrients.
- Love your hair and skin, from within. Biotin and zinc contribute to the maintenance of normal hair and skin.
- Glow, backed by science. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
- Goodbye, 3pm slump. Magnesium, vitamin B12 and vitamin C contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
- Hormone support, every day. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity.
- Free from iron, iodine and phytoestrogens, and can be taken alongside HRT.
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