A lot of women can relate to hormonal acne. It serves a signal that your period is almost here. While not everyone has hormonal acne or any visible friendly reminders about their arriving period, everyone’s skin does change due to their menstrual cycle.

Contrary to popular belief, these changes are not just limited to when your period starts or is about to start. In fact, your skin might be impacted due to your menstrual cycle long before your period is even about to begin.

Role of the Menstrual Cycle

Your skin regime should change according to your menstrual cycle. This is because the health of your skin varies according to your cycle. The menstrual cycle has an effect on your skin all month, every month. This occurs due to the continuous hormone changes your body is going through.

Marnie Nussbaum, a dermatologist, connects these changes to puberty. According to her, the fact that your skin is sensitive to hormones is evident when you see that your skin changes as soon as these hormones become active (i.e., during puberty).

The changes to your skin can be traced back to the working of two major hormones, estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones feature fluctuations throughout the month, thereby leading to effects on your skin.

To understand how to change your skincare regime according to your cycle, it is important to understand how each part of the cycle leads to a different type of skin.

During Your Period

During the first few days of your period, most of you may feel tired and bloated. While the masses attribute this to the blood loss, the real culprit is something else. The weakness you feel is due to prostaglandins. These are a type of lipid produced by the body when you are on your period and are the reason why you feel bloated.

In some cases, they also cause swelling of the skin, thereby making it look dull. To further contribute to the dullness of the skin, estrogen level is at an all-time low during periods. Estrogen is responsible for making your skin glow and looking smooth. With low levels of this hormone, your skin becomes dull and vulnerable to acne.

You should alter your skin regime at this point to include more anti-inflammatory products. If your skin gets too oily, use a face wash that exfoliates your skin and cleans your pores well.

Pre-Ovulation and During Ovulation

This is the time when your skin looks the best. This is because at this point in the cycle, not only are you fertile, but your estrogen levels are also the highest. This allows your skin to be beautiful and radiant. Moreover, the number of collagen produced also increases, while the activity of the oil glands decreases.

All in all, your skin becomes less prone to a reaction since it is not as sensitive as it is at other times of the month. Hence, if you wish to try new skincare products, you would find that this is the right time to do so.

However, since oil glands are not functioning to their maximum, you might find your skin to be a bit dry. Try to incorporate anti-aging products at this point since they provide your skin with enough oil to prevent dryness. Face Cream Moisturizer (Anti-Aging) might do the trick.

After Ovulation

Once your ovulation period finishes, the level of estrogen in your blood starts to decline. While it won’t get as low as it does during your period, the bad skin days are about to begin and so is your period. The level of testosterone in your body also rises, which leads to an enhanced production of oil.

The beauty regime to follow here is not starkly different from what you have to during your period. Once again, the number of times you exfoliate during a day must increase. Look for moisturizers and face washes that reduce the activity of the oil glands or keep pores unclogged. Make sure you stay well-hydrated. This will allow you to retain moisture.

When PMS Strikes

PMS is the worst. You have extreme mood swings, and your spotty little friends make an appearance on your face. Your skin starts to produce a lot of sebum, which causes more acne. This is the period which is the most frustrating of all. Many feel that there is little they can do to control the onset of PMS.

While you might not be able to prevent radical mood swings, you can do something about your skin, thankfully. This is the best time to use oil-control products. Your aim should be to exfoliate your skin in order to prevent clogged pores and blackheads.

Products to Use

Here are some types of skin care products you must introduce to your life in different parts of your cycle:

• A skin soothing moisturizer during your period to keep inflammation at bay.
• A foundation or light coverage BB cream during your period to combat the dull skin and appear fresher than you feel.
• You don’t need many products when you are ovulating. Actually, it is the perfect time to go makeup-free.
• A non-comedogenic cleanser will help retain moisture yet not get too oily during post ovulation.
• Use products with salicylic acid right before your period to prevent or minimize acne breakout.

Conclusion

Alter your skincare routine as per the demands of your skin and your menstrual cycle. Don’t let a natural process stop you from looking your best. If you feel good about yourself, you will shine through even if hormones are not on your side.