OUR SKIN THROUGHOUT THE HORMONAL CYCLE

Today we are going to take a short tour of our hormonal cycle to learn how the different hormonal changes we experience also affect the state of our skin, and how to adapt our beauty and health routines according to the phase we are in.

Our day 1 of the menstrual cycle is on the first day of menstrual bleeding. It is the day of the beginning of the follicular phase, where the hormone that will predominate will be estrogens. This hormone has direct effects on the skin due to its direct relationship with collagen. It stimulates the formation of collagen, the mesh that gives shape and structure to our skin. It also acts on water conformation, stimulating the natural hyaluronic acid in our tissues, giving us more hydration. The result is smooth and glowing skin . And it has its biological meaning, being the most favorable time for a possible pregnancy, nature gives us extra beauty to find a suitable partner ;) But like everything in health, the hormonal balance of this phase is a matter of balance. If we have an excess of estrogen we can suffer from excess pigmentation, due to the stimulation they do to melanocytes and the appearance of dark spots called melasmas, so typical of pregnancy or when taking contraceptives.

Therefore, in this phase it is very important to avoid excess estrogen with the following tips:

• Avoid excess exogenous estrogens: plastics such as BPA, conventional cosmetics, dairy products, excess products of animal origin.
• Eat lots of cabbages that will help us eliminate hormones.
• Time to hydrate and nourish the skin.

At this time we recommend the following external skin care:

• Keep your skin hydrated all day with our super cute 1-001 cream and if you feel like you need an "extra" you can add 1 drop of first cold pressed vegetable oil of evening primrose, almond, jojoba, avocado, etc. helping to your skin remains moisturized all day.
• At night and with clean skin, apply the 1-002 serum with a gentle massage all over your face, neck and décolleté, breathing calmly while you feel its aroma and texture on your skin.

After ovulation, our follicular phase arrives where the degeneration of unfertilized eggs generates progesterone. This hormone is also related to our skin, helping its vascularization and opposing androgens, the hormones that we all have and that are of the “masculine” type. If androgens tip the balance towards their side, our skin will feel oilier and more prone to acne . These symptoms will be more acute in the phase before menstruation where androgens usually dominate the hormonal landscape.

To balance the skin in this phase we can follow the following tips:

• Avoid simple sugars that will further stimulate sebum production by androgens: avoid refined sugars, processed foods, and sweets.
• Good hydration with quality water and good fats (vegetable oils, nuts, avocado...)
• Time to cleanse the skin.

At this time we recommend the following external skin care:

• Exfoliate the skin of your face with the 1-004 facial scrub with turmeric and bergamot.
• Prepare a fresh mask with one of our 2 cleansers & masks . Mix 1 tablespoon of the product + water and honey, keffir or some vegetable oil such as almond or avocado.

I hope you liked this tour of our hormonal cycle and that you can apply these tips depending on where you are in your cycle. If you are in menopause we will talk about it in the next post.

Article written by Marta Marcè.