How to adapt your beauty routine to your menstrual cycle?
Pimples, tight or shiny skin, fatigue… Hormonal fluctuations harm our body. From menstrual cosmetics to yoga, an overview of solutions that help women get through their menstrual cycles more easily.
How does skin change during the menstrual cycle?
' We women live in a cyclical phase, while men live in a linear phase.' , explains Johanna Dermi, Naturopath. ' Thus, the woman's cycle is divided into four phases, during which she experiences four different emotional and physiological attitudes' . While these attitudes are felt differently by each woman, there is one common to all: the evolution of the skin . Two types of hormones fluctuate throughout the cycle:
- The estrogen that contribute to the hydration of the skin
- Progesterone which activates sebaceous glands.
Depending on the higher or lower rate of these two hormones, the texture and appearance of the skin change, and therefore its needs too. ' Hormones influence the skin all the time! “, explains Claire Andreewitch, Naturopath.
The menstrual phase (days 1-5 approximately)
During this period, the level of estrogen and progesterone is at its lowest: sebum production and hydration decrease. The skin appears duller and is more susceptible to irritation.
The follicular phase (around days 6-15)
It corresponds to the period between the end of your period and the start of ovulation. The skin is smoother, luscious and glowing.
The luteal phase (approximately days 16-28)
It includes ovulation and post-ovulation days. It's a more complicated period for the skin... The sebaceous glands of the face can become overactive and thus make the skin more oily, more prone to impurities. And so begins the cycle again!
How to choose a treatment adapted to your menstrual cycle?
' It is interesting to hydrate and nourish the skin more at the beginning of the cycle, and possibly to use a serum with vitamin C to fight against the gray mine effect' , explains Claire Andreewitch. ' Next it is necessary to lighten the routine during the premenstrual period and during menstruation ; we move on to lighter hydration, with less oils and a good double cleansing - gladly with AHAs, to keep the skin clean and smooth “, she advises.
' Hormones influence the skin all the time! '
To meet these different skin needs throughout the cycle, young brands have emerged to offer targeted solutions . Among them, there is Typology with its aptly named Woman range which has 4 periodic serums in discreet packaging, with a common base and active ingredients that change according to each week of the cycle. ' It all started from a common feeling that I observed among women ', explains Clémence de Stabenrath, Project Manager at Typology, ' I have seen that they schedule their professional interviews for certain weeks because they feel prettier, more confident. Other weeks they have a few pimples that they have to hide with makeup and are less comfortable. Their skin is less pretty, less radiant, even tight. ' she adds. After researching, I found that there are indeed clinical studies conducted by universities of gynecology and dermatology that demonstrate the link between the hormonal cycle and the skin '.
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Beyond the Menstrual Cycle , it is the question of the overall hormonal balance that arises. ' 40 years ago more than 70% of women took the pill and more than 90% took hormone treatment for menopause . Today, those numbers are down to 35% for birth control pills and less than 10% for menopause. Women have realized that they can reclaim their hormones . Today, they want to better understand their cycle and not necessarily delegate them to a pill. The idea is to try to live natural cycles ' , explains Caroline de Blignière, co-founder of Miyé. Based on this observation, the brand has created a range of products dedicated to hormonal balance without phyto-oestrogens, without endocrine disruptors, without phyto-hormones. Among them, the Happy Cycles Body Serum composed of anti-inflammatory flowers (ginkgo bilboa, immortelle) recommended to relieve breast and abdominal pain during menstruation, is particularly appreciated by its users for its melting and light texture. ' The idea was to create a wellness product as sensory as a facial “, specifies Caroline de Blignière.
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Yoga, nutricosmetics, how to adapt your wellness routine to your menstrual cycle?
Other more 'holistic' practices can help women regulate their hormones, and therefore limit their impact on the skin , such as nutricosmetics in particular. The food supplement brand Love Skincare , founded by Mathilde Lacombe, offers capsules to take before and during your period: ' From ovulation on the 15th day, the hormones will begin to drop, which leads to menstruation and pre-menstrual syndrome. ', explains Valérie Espinasse, Micronutritionist who formulated the brand's products, ' micronutrition is extremely beneficial to regain this good hormonal balance '.
For her part, it was after being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome that Charlotte Muller founded Fertility Yoga . This practice of Hatha Yoga is known to multiply the success rate of IVF, but also to 'normalize' irregular cycles: ' The principle is to reconnect to this area of the lower abdomen and stimulate hormonal levels ', explains Charlotte Muller, 'I adjust the choice of positions so that it corresponds to the moment of your cycle. For example, in the first part of the cycle, we will favor standing and dynamic positions: sun salutations, hip openings... A reversed candle can stimulate the ovaries and help them get back to work. On the contrary, in the second part of the cycle, we will proscribe twists or inversions which compress the lower abdomen and the ovaries, which are too sensitive at the time of ovulation. We also avoid abs and crunches which only accentuate the cramps' .
How to manage stress during menstruation?
Among its followers, there are many women who suffer from painful menstruation, or even who suffer from endometriosis : ' Even if we don't treat the pathologies, we can calm the inflammation and the mind' she adds. Claire Andreewitch agrees: 'Good stress management changes everything for our hormones. Practicing yoga, breathing exercises, meditation guided...all of this balances the endocrine system. Sport also makes it possible to circulate the lymph well, to promote perspiration, good transit, and to eliminate xenohormones (endocrine disruptors, pesticides, heavy metals, additives, etc.) ' . His final piece of advice? ' Do not forget the rest of the nervous system, essential to manage stress and for the proper functioning of digestion, the hormonal system, etc. It takes time to slow down, especially during menstruation, which is a time of natural purification for women. '.
Thanks to Johanna Dermi, Naturopath, Claire Andreewitch, Naturopath, Clémence de Stabenrath, Project Manager at Typology, Caroline de Blignière co-founder of Miyé, Valérie Espinasse, Micronutritionist, Charlotte Muller founder of Fertility Yoga.Source journaldesfemmes.fr
