Lockdown Self Care Series: Syncing Your Skincare & Lady Cycle
As we continue to spend time at home, even with restrictions being lifted and businesses opening back up, there are some things that we have become more aware of and may have even become more regular. I’m talking about our lady cycle, of course, that monthly visitor that brings all kinds of issues when they visit.
Aside from my need for M&M’s (original or peanut butter, no other will suffice) and the cramping…oh the cramping, I find that I also will get a pimple in the most visible spot on my face.
This is a common concern I see in the treatment room, specific skin issues that only arise either before or during one’s cycle. In order to address how to best prep your skincare for your cycle, first, we need to understand what is happening to our body and our skin during that time of the month.
“Three hormones impact your skin during your monthly cycle: Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These hormones fluctuate through the duration of your cycle, and their shifting ratio is what causes changes in the look and feel of your skin”
Not every woman’s cycle is going to land on the same exact day every month, but there are changes that our bodies are going through during our cycle that we can somewhat predict, let me explain.
Before our cycle starts, our body experiences a dip in estrogen and progesterone, also known as feeling bleh. Ever notice that suddenly you’ll feel tired, easily fatigued, or overall lacking in energy? Next time you feel that way, mark the calendar and then mark when your period starts.
In the first five days of your cycle, your estrogen levels will start to rise. This can lead to mood swings, food cravings, and for some, cramping and body aches. What does this mean for your skin? Estrogen is a good thing for the skin, it promotes that youthful glow by stimulating collagen and elastin. However, it’s what results from that, the cravings and stress/moodiness that cause issues in the skin.
It is a common misconception that sugar causes acne breakouts. It’s actually salt, eating really salty foods;
Salt. Too much salt can dehydrate your skin, which, Wellman says, can lead to swelling—making it more difficult for your body to heal acne.
-Worst Foods for Acne, glamour.com
Inflammation in the skin is always bad when it comes to acne, not to mention that in the next five days or so of your cycle, your progesterone levels rise to result in an increase of sebum (skin oil) which is food for the bacteria that creates acne. This paired with the fact that when these hormones (estrogen and progesterone) dip, testosterone is higher resulting in sticky, sweet sebum. You can see how this can easily become the perfect pimple storm.
Our period is a constant up and down of hormones, and this up and down can result in skin fluctuations like excessive oil and inflammation. It’s (somewhat) safe to say that within the first few days our skin is probably going to experience some fluctuations visible on the surface. Let’s dive deeper.
“As if being bloated, crampy, and cranky as all get out isn’t bad enough, some of us also get period acne. As a matter of fact, 65 percent of people report a worsening of their acne during their period.”
I wrote a blog a while back in my ‘Ask A Pro’ series about pimples, aka pustules, and how to treat them. To check that blog out CLICK HERE. We deal with a different kind of pimple during our cycle, the angry, deep, sometimes very painful, and difficult to get rid of kind known as a nodule.
The reason we tend to get these deeper pimples during this time is because of again, hormones and where the bacteria and inflammation are having their party, in this case, it’s deep towards the base of our follicle. Treating this kind of breakout is different from the whitehead style pimple we can get for various reasons.
Here are some tips and tricks I use to deal with nodules when they pop up:
Treating Nodule Type Acne:
A hot compress - Apply a warm towel or hot compress to the bump, the heat will open up the follicle and relieve some of the swelling.
Benzoyl Peroxide - This is an acne-treating ingredient that’s pretty easy to find, it works by oxygenating the follicle, and seeing as though bacteria are anaerobic meaning it cannot survive where oxygen is present, this naturally gets rid of excessive bacteria (pus).
Glycolic Acid - Great to use on acne and also doubles as an anti-aging exfoliant. This used in conjunction with Salicylic Acid will deeply treat any breakout, just don’t overuse it as that can cause flaking and even more irritation and redness.
“Think about how your mood flip flops from hormonal fluctuation—it turns out that what happens to your skin on your period can fluctuate just as easily, causing issues like increased oil production, breakouts, and skin sensitivity.”
Days 1-5:
This is when your hormones are dipping low, which can not just leave you feeling sluggish, but also the skin can dry out.
Opt for more hydrating products, like a hyaluronic acid serum or a cream-based mask. You’ll want to still exfoliate at this time, but keep it light as you don’t want to strip the skin.
A jade roller over a hydrating sheet mask would be my absolute go-to for this week.
Days 6-11
Estrogen starts climbing back up which stimulates the production of collagen and elastin. Skin looks plump and healthy! Stay consistent with your AM and PM skincare routine making sure to add in fruit enzymes like Papaya or Pumpkin to help stimulate cell turnover and replenish skin’s nutrients.
I love a good mini facial and this week would be a great time to schedule one in. If you’re not seeing an esthetician, you can do your own at home with these simple steps:
The At-Home Facial
Cleanse: a cream-based cleanser, or even a foamy cleanser, remember to cleanse for 60-90 seconds
2nd Cleanse: I like to use my “active cleanser” here, like Skin Script’s Glycolic Cleanser or Raspberry Refining Cleanser
Exfoliate: using a chemical exfoliant (either acid or fruit enzymes) like Skin Script’s 2% Retinol Jojoba Scrub/Mask, if you practice blackhead removal you will do it at this time
Serum + Mask: using a hydrating serum under a hydrating mask, this is the perfect combo to soothe and treat the skin., I really like masks by Origin’s, Farmhouse Fresh, or Arbonne’s sheet mask
Tone: spritz or using a cotton ball, apply toner to the skin, my absolute favorite for all skin Is the Cucumber Hydration Toner, and for oilier skin the Mint Hydration Toner
Serum: apply an anti-aging vitamin-rich serum to the skin
Eye Cream: use your ring finger to apply eye cream
Moisturize: with upward, outward motions, apply your moisturizer
Days 12-17
This is when our hormones are working in our favor, typically the skin will be looking its best as estrogen is at its peak. It always makes me think of our inner clock, at this time we are ovulating and our body is like “let’s make a baby!” That triggers estrogen production which makes you glow, making you more attractive. It’s our body’s natural way of helping a sister out!
Make sure you are staying consistent with your skincare routine, sometimes when our skin looks good we can forget to put the work in to keep it that way. This is a great time to try that new retinol serum or anti-aging fruit mask you’ve been meaning to, it will just add to your glow.
Days 18-23
This is when progesterone starts to rise, leading to an influx of sebum in the skin which can result in blackheads and breakout. Make sure to regularly exfoliate during this time and use charcoal or clay-based masks in your T-zone. Stop using any facial oil at this time, and if you’re not sure if you have the right cleanser you can always use organic honey as face wash, it’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.
Days 24-28
Calling Testosterone! This is when your estrogen and progesterone levels drop and testosterone comes out swinging. Its visit results in stickier and thicker sebum (skin oil) and the dreaded period pimple. This is when you want to bring in salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and/or benzoyl peroxide to help absorb the oil and treat the bacteria.
Also, a great time to use honey as a cleanser. I know it might seem strange, but it treats acne and inflammation so well! If this is your mini facial week, use a clay-based mask instead of a hydrating one, remember you have excess oil hiding in your follicles.
Something not technically related but somewhat related is hormonal acne or adult acne. This is actually caused by stress levels that affect hormones, not just by hormones alone. It is typically characterized by inflamed nodular-type acne along the jawline and is really tricky to get rid of.
When dealing with adult acne, you also need to address your stress levels. You can always check with your doctor to make sure your hormone levels are within normal range, if they are not they might want to discuss that further. Or you can bring in more mindful practices like meditation or journaling. If stress and overwhelm are something you are personally struggling with, I created my Whole Body Wellness Coaching program with that idea in mind. For more about my course and working 1:1 with me, visit my website: eritheesti.com/coaching
I hope this blog helps you keep your skin balanced and glowing all month long! If you are still struggling with your breakout and want to talk with me more about your specific skin concerns, schedule a Virtual Skin Consultation with me today!
As always, be good to your skin and even better to your whole self!
xx eri