Robin Parker
Research and Development Director, THG Labs
Sam Simister
Co-Founder, Gen M
Stacie Warren
Global Education Manager
Skin concerns are one of the dozens of known menopause symptoms. These could be on the face, body and scalp — but there are ways to manage them and look your best.
Everyone experiences menopause and dryness in different ways. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. The wide range of symptoms can affect day-to-day life and cause discomfort, and everyone requires a different solution.
Menopause and dry skin
“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all to deal with menopausal skin problems,” explains Sam Simister, co-founder of Gen M, an organisation that raises awareness of menopause and seeks to empower people with the knowledge to find the best solutions.
“It can be anything from itchy skin — which feels like little ants or bugs are crawling all over your body and just constant itching — to very dry, flaky skin. And it doesn’t just stop there. Your hair becomes very dry, and the scalp becomes leaky and very fine. You can often lose your hair. Nothing seems to soak in and absorb; your nails can become incredibly brittle as well.”
She adds that: “What excites me about the Ameliorate range is that these products can be used for perimenopause and menopause. For some people, that process is 15 years or longer.”
A total of 88% of people are demanding more from brands to help identify products to support menopausal symptoms.
Sam Simister
Finding the right formula
Robin Parker is the Research and Development Director at THG LABS, the product development and manufacturing partner of dermatological skincare brand Ameliorate. As a cosmetic scientist, he works on finding solutions for skin concerns like keratosis pilaris which is a dry skin condition that causes rough, bumpy skin texture. It manifests itself often on the backs of arms — but it can be anywhere on the body.
He helped create a lightweight, everyday body lotion that both exfoliates and moisturises. “It uses lactic acid because it is one of the target ingredients that treat keratosis pilaris as well as other alpha-hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid,” explains Parker.
“From the first time we started to give people the product, we got exciting feedback, including from people who just had really dry skin conditions or people with normal skin.”
Data-informed decisions
The skincare brand has partnered with Gen M. “The data is irrefutable,” says Simister. “A total of 88% of people are demanding more from brands to help identify products to support menopausal symptoms.” The organisation’s research has identified about 48 symptoms and growing. “Dry skin is one of the most common. When Heather, the co-founder of Gen M, and I were going through our perimenopause, we were woefully unprepared. You are in that natural transition for the rest of your life; and as a woman, dry skin is one of the top issues; and it makes you feel miserable if you can’t find a solution.”
Transforming your skin
Another person who has experienced debilitating dry skin issues is 37-year-old Global Education Manager Stacie Warren. “I’ve suffered from a very, very, dry skin concern all of my life since I was a young girl. It’s pretty much been from head to toe. Throughout the years, I’ve been prescribed a lot of things, such as steroid cream,” says Warren. In 2020, she reached a point in her life where she started to learn more about the ingredients her skin needed to make long-term progress. “I decided to give Ameliorate a try, and it genuinely changed my life. I felt a huge difference within three to four weeks — and I’ve not had a flare-up since. I no longer make excuses to not leave the house if I’ve been invited out because my skin was so bad. I will now wear short sleeves and dresses because I look and feel so much better,” she adds.
Many women experience dry skin, whether it’s from a young age or throughout their menopause period. With the number of people affected by it, it’s important to help them address skin concerns to make life a little easier.
