Hormonal Beauty Guide
Hormones + Your Skin & Hair: The Ultimate Guide
Hormones run the show when it comes to your skin and hair. From teen breakouts to postpartum hair loss and menopausal dryness, these chemical messengers can be both your beauty bestie and your worst frenemy. Understanding how hormones affect your skin and scalp, plus what you can do when things go haywire is essential for managing long-term skin health, ageing, and even your glow factor.
This guide is part of our Skin Guide Series, designed to help you understand the deeper causes of skin and hair concerns and empower you to make confident, informed choices. Whether you're dealing with hormonal acne, scalp sensitivity, or sudden dryness, you'll find answers and solutions here.
WHAT ARE HORMONES + WHAT DO THEY DO TO SKIN & HAIR?
Hormones are chemical messengers produced by glands like the ovaries, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas. They regulate vital skin and hair functions including oil (sebum) production, hydration, collagen synthesis, pigmentation, and inflammation response. When these hormones are balanced, your skin looks plump, hydrated, and calm. But when levels spike or crash? You may experience hormonal acne, pigmentation issues, sensitive skin, or hair thinning.
This is why understanding hormonal imbalances is essential for effective hormonal skincare and scalp health management.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF HORMONAL SKIN + HAIR CHANGES
Hormonal shifts don’t just affect your mood–they show up in the mirror. Common signs include:
● Oily skin or greasy scalp (often linked to androgens)
● Hormonal breakouts (particularly along the jawline, chin, and neck)
● Dry, flaky, or thinning skin (common in menopause and thyroid issues)
● Puffiness or facial swelling (linked to cortisol and fluid retention)
● Hyperpigmentation or melasma (especially during pregnancy or pill use)
● Fine facial hair or sudden hair loss (linked to testosterone and DHT)
● Sluggish skin healing and increased redness or sensitivity
● Dull, uneven skin tone and texture
THE KEY HORMONES INVOLVED IN SKIN + HAIR HEALTH
When it comes to beauty from the inside out, these are the hormonal heavy-hitters:
● Oestrogen: Vital for collagen production, skin thickness, hydration and elasticity. Low levels lead to sagging, dryness, and dullness.
● Progesterone: Fluctuations can stimulate sebum production and swelling of sebaceous glands, leading to premenstrual acne or puffiness.
● Androgens (Testosterone + DHT): Drive oil production. Too much? Think cystic acne, PCOS, hair loss, and unwanted facial hair.
● Cortisol: Chronic stress raises cortisol, which breaks down collagen, thins skin, delays healing, and worsens inflammation.
● Thyroid Hormones (T3 + T4): Affect skin hydration, hair growth rate, and overall skin texture. Hypothyroidism often leads to dry, rough skin.
● Insulin: Tied to blood sugar control. Elevated levels can boost androgen activity and lead to acne or scalp issues, especially in PCOS.
HORMONAL LIFE STAGES + WHAT HAPPENS TO SKIN & HAIR
Each stage of life comes with a unique hormone profile. Here’s what you can expect–and what your skin is trying to tell you:
1. PUBERTY + TEEN YEARS
● Surge in androgens = oily skin and breakouts
● Congested scalp or dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis)
● Hair texture changes, especially facial or body hair increase
2. MENSTRUAL CYCLE (MONTHLY HORMONE FLUCTUATIONS)
● Week 1 (Menstruation): Skin is dry, sensitive, slower to heal
● Week 2 (Follicular): Skin glows–hello hydration and clarity
● Week 3 (Ovulation): High oestrogen boosts collagen and barrier function
● Week 4 (Luteal): Progesterone peaks = oiliness, congestion, breakouts
3. PREGNANCY
● Oestrogen surge = pregnancy glow, but also pigmentation (melasma)
● Higher blood flow = radiant skin and rosy cheeks
● Hair thickens due to slower shedding
4. POSTPARTUM
● Oestrogen drops sharply = hair shedding (telogen effluvium)
● Skin may feel depleted, dull, or dehydrated
● Often more reactive due to barrier weakness
5. PERIMENOPAUSE (AGE 35–50)
● Hormone levels rise and fall unpredictably
● Breakouts + pigmentation + dryness all at once
● Scalp becomes more sensitive, hair growth slows
6. MENOPAUSE
● Sharp drop in oestrogen = loss of elasticity, hydration, firmness
● Hair thins, scalp feels dry or itchy
● Slower wound healing and increased sensitivity
7. POST-MENOPAUSE
● Skin density decreases, collagen slows dramatically
● Hair may become finer, more brittle, or sparse
● Common issues: crepey skin, dullness, dryness
BEST SKINCARE INGREDIENTS FOR HORMONAL SKIN & HAIR
Support your skin and scalp through every life phase with these targeted, evidence-backed actives:
● Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) – Reduces sebum, evens tone, soothes inflammation
● Peptides – Encourage collagen, firm skin, and improve texture
● Hyaluronic Acid – Deeply hydrates and plumps skin
● Ceramides – Repair and reinforce the skin barrier
● Azelaic Acid – Brightens pigmentation, calms rosacea and acne
● Retinoids – Increase cell turnover, smooth skin (not suitable during pregnancy)
● Zinc + Sulphur – Control excess oil and reduce breakouts
● Salicylic Acid – Unclogs pores, great for hormonal acne
● Scalp Stimulants (Caffeine, Menthol) – Boost microcirculation and reduce shedding
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS
BEST TREATMENTS FOR HORMONAL SKIN & HAIR
SKIN EDIT SESSION
Not sure where to start? This is it. Our most personalised skin treatment is part consultation, part education, and part glow-up. We begin with an in-depth skin analysis, go through your current skincare (yes, bring it all, or photos), and help you get the most out of what you already have—while guiding you on what your skin actually needs.
The facial itself includes a double cleanse, exfoliation, customised mask, massage and targeted LED light therapy, completely tailored to your skin’s hormonal stage and current condition. Whether you're battling breakouts, dryness, dullness or sensitivity, we treat what we see on the day.
Perfect for all ages, all skin types, and all stages—from puberty to postmenopause.
*During pregnancy, LED is substituted with a calming scalp massage for safety.
BREAKOUTS, CONGESTION + HORMONAL ACNE
Hormones, stress and life in general can mess with your skin’s rhythm—hello blackheads, whiteheads, cysts and that lovely under-the-skin throb. Whether you’re a teen in full breakout mode or an adult with cycle-related flare-ups, we’ve got you.
Expect deep pore cleansing, clarifying exfoliation, blue LED* to reduce inflammation, and active ingredients like salicylic acid to get breakouts under control—without stripping your skin dry.
MEDIPEEL
A no-drama peel for breakout-prone, stressed-out skin. This advanced treatment uses a liposomal delivery system to deeply treat congestion, dehydration, and early pigmentation—without the redness or flaking. Clearer, calmer skin, minus the post-peel panic.
Ideal for breakout-prone, oily or congested skin.
PURIFYING MESOTHERAPY
When breakouts are active, inflamed and feeling impossible to manage, this is the most advanced way to treat them safely and effectively. MesoJect is a needle-free, pain-free mesotherapy treatment that uses electroporation to infuse purifying and rejuvenating actives deep into the skin, without any risk of spreading bacteria or triggering further inflammation.
We deliver a powerhouse blend of Toskani’s Purifying Cocktail and RCPR, designed to regulate oil, calm congestion, fade post-acne marks and support skin recovery—fast.
Ideal for oily, congested, breakout-prone or post-acne skin (especially when traditional treatments feel too risky or irritating).
DEHYDRATED, DRY OR DULL SKIN
Whether it’s hormonal shifts, weather, or just life getting in the way—dehydrated skin can feel tight, flat, flaky or dull (and makeup never sits quite right). These treatments focus on restoring your skin’s water content, strengthening your barrier, and bringing back that fresh, bouncy glow.
Expect enzyme or lactic-based exfoliation, deeply hydrating masks, barrier-loving actives, and LED therapy to energise and restore.
COLLAGEN REBOOT (Lifting Code)
This is your collagen-charging, line-smoothing, skin-plumping answer to hormonal shifts that have your glow in hiding. Powered by concentrated actives and advanced delivery systems, the Lifting Code Facial is designed to visibly lift, hydrate and re-volumise the skin—fast.
We use a biorevitalising serum, rich emulsion, and a bio-matrix mask that works with your skin’s own absorption rhythms. Add in our signature physiotherapist-inspired facial massage, and you’ve got a treatment that doesn’t just feel luxe—it does the work.
Ideal for skin showing signs of hormonal ageing, dryness, sagging or expression lines—think perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
SENSITIVE, RED AND REACTIVE
When your skin is in full meltdown mode—flushing, flaring, stinging or just reacting to everything—this is your safe zone. Hormonal shifts, pregnancy, perimenopause, stress and overuse of actives can all compromise your skin barrier, leaving it inflamed and touchy.
DESENSE FACIAL
Whether it’s pregnancy, perimenopause, stress or long-term barrier disruption, this ultra-soothing facial is your skin’s safe place to reset.
Formulated with Pentapeptide-59 to interrupt the inflammatory cascade, Glycyrrhetic Acid from licorice root to ease irritation, and Aloe Vera to hydrate and repair, this treatment is all about calming sensitivity at the source. Ceramides and lipid-rich actives work to rebuild the skin’s barrier and improve tolerance over time—so skin reacts less and recovers faster.
Ideal for hormonally sensitive, rosacea-prone, or barrier-compromised skin that’s just had enough.
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