Everything I Know About Managing Hormonal Skin

This post is years in the making! 

Ever since I can remember, I have struggled with hormonal acne. I am super proactive with my skin and have learned how to manage it through various tools including food, products and treatments. Lately it’s been flaring up more than normal (I’m convinced I’m going through a large hormonal shift) so I thought it was finally time to share all of the tips and tricks I have learned over the last 20 years of managing my hormonal skin. 

Healing from the Inside:

  • 2 Brazil nuts a day: improves elasticity and decreases inflammation

  • 2 cups of green tea a day: anti-inflammatory

  • 2 cups of spearmint tea a day: this reduces sebum production which can cause breakouts

  • 2 tsp of ground flax a day: high in omega-3s which improves hydration

Remember it can take a few weeks for your skin cells to turn over so none of the above are an overnight fix, and I’d recommend giving them at least a month of consistency before deciding if they work for you.

General day to day maintenance:

  • Drinking 2-3L of water/day - my favorite water bottle is this one

  • Meditating everyday to reduce stress and therefore improve your skin and all aspects of your life

  • Moving everyday for the same reason as above

  • Getting enough sleep (I aim for 8-9 hours a night but usually with the kids’ wake ups and 1-2 nights out a week, it’s closer to 7 on average). I love Arrae Sleep when I’m struggling - my code is SOPHIE15

  • Fuelling your body with the most nourishing foods - GREENS are the most important to help your skin glow. I would also recommend adding salmon and healthy fats like avocado and extra virgin olive oil to really see a glow from within. All of the recipes from my reset are great for helping improve your skin because they are gluten, dairy and sugar free (all known inflammation triggers).

  • Dry brushing - this helps increase lymphatic drainage and keeps the skin detoxed. My favorite is from OSEA - code is SOPHIEC10

  • Cold shower - same as above

Products:

  • Skinceuticals

    • Phyto Gel - great for reducing inflammation and redness

    • Clay Masque - great for drying out blemishes

    • Retinol - clinically proven to reduce blemishes

    • Phloretin C F - this is a great alternative to C E Ferulic which can be blemish-triggering for oilier skin. I use C E when my skin is great and Phloretin C F when I am breaking out

  • Wildling Gua Sha - when my skin is great, this tool keeps it that way. I tend to reduce Gua Sha during a breakout but as a daily tool, I highly recommend

  • Ice Roller - great for reducing inflammation and redness

  • Biologique Recherche

    • P50 - a cult classic that many people swear by

    • Masque Vivant - by far my favourite masque for aging and hormonal skin. I really feel like this works beneath the top layer of the skin

  • Living Libations Best Skin Ever - another cult classic made popular by Noy Skincare. I did her ten day reset and it cleared up my skin for the most part.

  • Pimple Patches- self explanatory but very much help when you have a large blemish that needs to be reduced asap.

  • Bend Beauty Renew + Protect - I have been taking this supplement for years and it is the number one supplement I recommend to friends when they are struggling with their skin. It helps with skin tone, texture and protection from UV Rays. My code is SOPHIE20 on their website. This can also be purchased at Project Skin if you want to talk to someone in person

  • Seed Pre/Probiotic: The best pre/probiotic on the market. My skin has been the most consistently clear since starting to take Seed last year. Seed is the most research forward supplement company I have come across. Code is SOPHIEC15

I much prefer to try and heal this from the inside out and stay consistent with my routine to avoid reactive skincare approaches. I find the consistent retinol usage keeps my breakouts at bay but there are differing opinions on the long terms effects of retinol. Personally I still use it and am really careful about making sure I apply SPF. You cannot use retinol when pregnant (when my skin is the worst) or when BF.

The Phyto line from SkinCeuticals is great for reducing inflammation once a breakout occurs. I find the Gel can be a little drying if used everyday so I prefer to use it when I need to reduce redness. It has cucumber which calms the skin. This is a safe Pregnancy/BF option but always check with your doctor if you are concerned. 
P50 and Masque Vivant are gentle enough to use everyday if you are someone who is prone to hormonal skin and BR is considered more natural.

Eminence is another wonderful option for those who desire a more natural skincare approach.

Treatments:

  • LED Max at Project Skin to reduce inflammation and treat the skin externally. You can use my name for a discount when you book.

  • Visiting a functional medicine doctor or nutritionist to try and get to the root cause. I love my Naturopath Dr. Parmar at Mint Integrative. Another incredible holistic skincare specialist is Colette from Clarité Wellness. She is impossible to get into because she is so amazing but you can book a phone consultation through her website and it’s well worth it.

Books to read:

I know this list can be overwhelming, and of course certain things will work for certain people but I thought I’d share absolutely everything I do / have done to manage this in the hopes that it helps you find a plan of your own. Please feel free to comment if you think there is something I am missing!

x

Sophie

wellnessSophie Collinsskincare, acneComment