Dry hair, dehydrated skin, a rise in breakouts, these are only a couple of of the various changes of their bodies that menopausal people will undergo. And yet you may hear a pin drop on the subject of conversations about beauty and skincare for those experiencing it. Roughly 13 million women in the UK are currently going through the menopause, but until recently, the sweetness industry has been failing to cater to this audience. With limited products and inadequate promoting of products that do exist – women on this stage of life have been left feeling invisible.

The average age for onset menopause is 51 – but the vast majority of women, or anyone else with ovaries, will stop having periods between the ages of 45 and 55. For those who experience it, the menopause is split into three stages; perimenopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal. Perimenopause is when the ovaries step by step produce less estrogen and lasts up until the purpose when the ovaries stop releasing eggs, triggering the menopause. At this point, a girl not has menstrual periods. Post-menopause means that the majority symptoms have subsided – but a resulting lower level of estrogen can contribute to other unwanted effects reminiscent of osteoporosis and heart disease.

While lots of us have a vague understanding of the common unwanted effects related to menopause – everyone knows in regards to the cliched hot flushes – there’s little information available about how the menopause affects our skin. In actual fact, around two-thirds of women say they feel there’s a general lack of support and understanding across the menopause, particularly inside the beauty industry, which is something 51-year-old business woman Manjeet Kaur Nijjer is keen to indicate. “I haven’t seen a single product on the high street that may help me or anyone who’s either perimenopausal or in menopause,” she says. “There may be nothing to assist me with my dry skin or drying out hair. Ninety-nine percent of all beauty counter sales assistants don’t understand the needs of their customers after they are going through the menopause.”

“Is the shortage of societal understanding robbing women of finding the suitable products for specific issues brought on by the menopause?”

Menopause causes many changes to your skin. Women in perimenopause will often find a rise in breakouts, and skin that was previously balanced will get dry or oily patches – often resulting from a drop in estrogen levels or a rise in androgen hormones like testosterone. Throughout the menopause, your body stops making as much collagen which is an important protein for skin strength and structure. This could cause skin elasticity to drop, which combined with dryness brought on by hormonal changes may cause sagging, high-quality lines and wrinkles.

Until now, the broader beauty industry seems to have favoured an anti-ageing approach to skincare for changes steadily attributed to menopause, reminiscent of dry skin and high-quality lines, by pushing products reminiscent of anti-wrinkle creams and serums. In 2018, the worldwide anti-ageing market was worth $42.51 billion and is set to rise to $55.03 billion by 2023. While leading brands proceed to make products with ingredients that will help reduce wrinkles over time, they not specifically designed for ladies going through the menopause. Moreover, the complex hormonal changes that happen during different stages of the menopause require greater than this blanket approach of targeting women of a certain age with products to easily ‘make them look younger.’

Nevertheless it’s not only a scarcity of products that’s the issue. It’s inadequate marketing. “I just wish that as an alternative of brands saying ‘buy anti-ageing products to scale back high-quality lines’, they might actually acknowledge that our hormones are plummeting and with it our confidence,” says Katie Taylor, founding father of the Midlife online platform for women over 40.

Many brands still avoid using language that would associate their products with the menopause, opting as an alternative for marketing that focuses on “visibly reduced wrinkles” and “fighting the signs of ageing.” Perhaps it’s because our cultural attitude toward menopause remains to be shrouded in stigma and silence. But is that this lack of societal understanding robbing women of finding the suitable products for specific issues brought on by the menopause?

In keeping with Theresa Yee, Senior Beauty Editor at WGSN, the issue lies in each products and their promoting. “There was an actual lack of beauty products that actually serve women going through menopause in addition to little beauty marketing attention directed to this subject prior to now. It will not be enough anymore for brands to simply sell skincare to treat skin concerns as this consumer group is searching for products which can be specific for his or her needs, going beyond the normal one-size-fits-all approach.”

Moreover, the sweetness industry’s concentrate on anti-ageing products is becoming increasingly outdated as cultural attitudes move further towards embracing the signs of ageing. A study conducted by Allergan, the makers of the injectable filler brand Juvederm, found that 41% of British women would like their faces to look “more energizing and radiant”, reasonably than “younger” – while 87% of consumers in France and the UK said they might reasonably feel healthy than look attractive. “Consumers are embracing their natural beauty and wrinkles, and looking out more for products that promote skin health,” explains Theresa Yee. “This demographic has been underserved prior to now but they shouldn’t be ignored as they’ve quite a lot of spending power, and more disposable income than Millennials.”

There has nonetheless been a recent shift as the sweetness industry begins to embrace greater inclusivity and variety in all forms. Brands like P&G’s Pepper and Wits, MegsMenopause, and Pause-Well Ageing are all attempting to fill the gap within the industry by producing and unapologetically marketing beauty products specifically for ladies going through different stages of the menopause. Their products specifically cater to different skincare needs related to menopause symptoms by tailoring their ingredients to different concerns; be it dry skin, pimples, or high-quality lines.

The Pepper & Wits tag-line “take control of your menopause symptoms, take control of your life,” encompasses the brand’s aim to assist women navigate the changes that happen during menopause. The Complete Menopause Care Kit claims to assist tackle ten common symptoms including vaginal dryness, disrupted sleep, mood swings, and more with a mixture of lotions and supplements. Similarly, Pause-Well Ageing offers a variety of products to assist tackle symptoms of menopause. They are saying, “Menopause shouldn’t be taboo, or something you undergo alone,” offering a big selection of recommendation and real-life stories alongside their products reminiscent of cooling mists for decent flushes.

“The body positivity and feminine empowerment movement has really helped to drive change on this category.” Theresa Yee

“The body positivity and feminine empowerment movement has really helped to drive change on this category,” explains Theresa. “Products catering to menopausal women are actually beginning to emerge within the mainstream market. There is a large opportunity for brands to tap into this space and we’re going to see this gain much more traction within the near future.”

In January 2019, Rejuvage reported that ladies over 45 account for 58.14% of the sweetness market. Meanwhile, the 50 plus population is predicted to grow by up to 38% by 2035, suggesting that the marketplace for menopause-specific products is about to get much larger.

But there remains to be a approach to go before brands make products catering to those going through the menopause widespread and accessible to all. While a couple of firms are making great moves into catering for this space within the industry, products are sometimes still very expensive with certain specialised face creams costing as much as £70 per bottle.

“I might love a beauty brand to say, hey – as you hit 40/50 and beyond and enter into perimenopause and menopause, it doesn’t should be all doom and gloom,” says Katie. “I need them to assist me get the glow back in my skin, help my hair look fuller and shinier, make my nails strong and stylish again, and help me be ok with myself as I’m going through this transitional stage.”

Whether it’s something we’re currently coping with or not – it’s something that a large amount of the population will undergo at a while of their lives. Consequently, a wider understanding of the changes and specific skincare needs of those going through the menopause are definitely more essential than ever.