Why does your skin change throughout your cycle?

Laura Vanags Photography

You may have noticed that sometimes your skin feels more oily or dry. This can be due to seasonal changes, heating & cooling and hormonal changes.

A little bit about Hormones:

Hormones produced by our endocrine system control nearly all the processes in our bodies such as metabolism, growth & development, emotions, moods, appetite, libido & sleep.

We produce over 50 different types of hormones, some you may have heard of are oestrogen, testosterone, insulin, cortisol, serotonin & adrenaline. Each function in our body connects in some way, so bear in mind that stress, for example, will be causing changes in the levels of your other hormones.

Our reproductive hormones:

Our menstrual cycle hormonal shifts play a huge role in mood regulation, libido, sleep, emotions & even our skin. When we look at our symptoms across a month, it can be hard to see any rhythm or pattern linking the reasons for these shifts, but once we consider that these changes happen each and every cycle, they can become quite predictable and easier to understand.

Just like the seasons, your internal hormonal shifts linked with your menstrual cycle have 4 main phases, you can read into these phases more here.

Getting deeper into Menstrual Cycles & your skin:

Oestrogen & Progesterone play key roles in your menstrual cycle & they link directly with your skin’s overall appearance.

When you’re on your period, your oestrogen & progesterone levels are low, meaning that your skin will feel more dry & dull. This is because increased Oestrogen is linked with increased collagen production, and increased progesterone is linked with higher skin oil levels. Our New Moon Oil Cleanser works with your skin in this phase to help gently nourish your drier skin & help you feel grounded and centred with the soothing aroma.

Your oestrogen levels begin to rise as you approach ovulation, leading to an increase in skin collagen, making your skin feel more firm.

After ovulation, you enter a roughly 12-16 day period called the Luteal Phase of your cycle, in this phase, progesterone production increases and your skin will likely feel more oily.

Additionally, in your Luteal Phase, your immune system is weakened (As your body prepares for pregnancy, your immune system is not as strong so that if fertilisation occurs, an embryo would be able to implant in the uterus, otherwise your immune system would fight off the embryo), so you may be more prone to breakouts at this time. Opt for a cleanser that will help to balance your skin’s oil production at this time such as our Full Moon Oil Cleanser.

Things to consider:

-Your menstrual cycle is impacted by stress, lifestyle, diet & overall health, and if things are out of whack with your cycle, it’s definitely worth diving into with a qualified naturopath to get to the root cause of your issues.

-The hormonal contraceptive pill (HCP) is made of synthetic hormones that aim to prevent ovulation. Progesterone production only happens after ovulation occurs, so it’s likely that your skin will not feel overly oily. Progesterone is essential for mood regulation, sleep & bone health.

-The withdrawal bleed that you may experience from taking the HCP is not a true period and is simply a withdrawal from the synthetic hormones that you’re taking. Your skin will not change in the same way when you’re on the HCP to having your natural cycle but you can still track your changes with a Cycles Journal, printed spreadsheet or tracking app.

-If you’d like to stop taking the HCP, seek support to help get your cycles and health back on track quickly after stopping.

-If your menstrual cycle is out of whack, you’re experiencing irregular cycles, you experience painful periods or PMS, your hormones are in need of some love and it’s worth reaching out to a supportive naturopath or doctor that’s willing to get into the root cause of your problems.