Navigating the Hormonal Highway: Decoding Hormonal Acne Across the Ages

In the grand tapestry of womanhood, hormonal acne often decides to make an unwanted cameo at various stages.

Fear not, for we're here to unravel the mystery, understand the why, and provide the perfect beauty roadmap to conquer hormonal acne based on your life's chapter.

Teenage Troubles

Ah, the teenage years—a rollercoaster of emotions, discoveries, and yes, hormonal acne. As hormones surge during puberty, the skin's oil glands may go into overdrive, leading to clogged pores and breakouts. It's a rite of passage for many, but with proper care, you can emerge from this phase with clearer skin.

BATTLE PLAN FOR TEENS

CONSISTENT SKINCARE ROUTINE: Nows the time to establish a simple yet consistent skincare routine to keep your skin healthy and happy.

GENTLE CLEANSING: Forget the harsh cleansers and instead opt for a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser to cleanse the skin without stripping it of essential moisture. Byoma’s barrier boosting range is great for young skin and their Creamy Jelly Cleanser has quickly become a cult favourite. Packed with their one-of-a-kind breakthrough blend of ingredients this cleanser has been specifically designed to rebuild and boost your microbiome, leaving skin rebalanced and in harmony.

BYOMA

Creamy Jelly Cleanser £9.99

TOPICAL TREATMENTS: Consider over-the-counter products with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to target acne at its source. Paul’s Choice Skin Clearing Treatment £40.00 is known for it’s acne soothing results.

PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM SUN DAMAGE: Skin cannot heal spots if it is having to fight sun damage at the same time. A light cream or gel SPF of at least 30 such as CeraVe’s Ultra-Light Moisturising Lotion SPF 30 is essential to not only help fight acne but protect their skin from future skin cancers.

FRANTIC Twenties

In your twenties, life is a balancing act, and so are your hormones. Stress, irregular sleep patterns, and hormonal fluctuations can still contribute to acne. The good news? Your skincare routine evolves, providing more targeted solutions for your changing skin.

STRATEGIES FOR TWENTIES

ADAPTING SKINCARE PRODUCTS: The introduction of products with ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid for hydration and skin barrier support are key to tackling hormonal acne in your twenties , and Dr Barbara Strum’s Microbiotic Hydrating Blemish Control HA Serum £80 is your key defence system. Providing pre- and probiotics to support the skin's own defense mechanisms and rebalance the skin’s microbiome, hyaluronic acid provides intensive moisture whilst Maclura Leaf Extract helps to combat acne producing impurities.

DR BARBARA STURM

Microbiotic Hydrating Blemish Control HA Serum £80

HYDRATION IS KEY: Keeping your skin hydrated with a non-comedogenic moisturiser, is the secret to keeping your skin in balance and your skin barrier intact. Mantle’s The Chill Cream £55, is an Editor’s Beauty favourite. Featuring a barrier-strengthening blend of pore-refining niacinamide, cell-renewing bakuchiol, protective ceramides and soothing rosemary extract, it calms redness, increases elasticity and provides deep hydration, essential for maintaining a balanced complexion.

MANTLE

The Chill Cream £55

MINDFUL MAKEUP CHOICES: Opt for non-comedogenic makeup to avoid exacerbating breakouts., like celebrity favourite Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation Blemish Control £66. Rumour has it Margot Robbie is fan.

Thirties and Beyond

As you gracefully move into your thirties and forties, hormonal fluctuations related to the menstrual cycle and, for some, pregnancy, can continue to play a role in acne. Additionally, stress from career and family responsibilities may come into play. Tailoring your skincare routine becomes more crucial than ever.

STRATEGICS FOR THIRTIES & FOURTIES

ANTI-AGING WITH CARE: Choose anti-aging products that don't compromise your acne-prone skin. Look for retinoids, but introduce them gradually to avoid any further inflammation. Hydropeptide’s Retinol Routine Booster £84.00 is one retinol worth adding to your bathroom shelf. Blending 1% retinol with their patented peptide CellRenew-16, it gives you all the benefits of retinol, with out any of the inflammatory response, making it an ideal choice for acne prone skin,

HYDROPEPTIDES

Retinol Routine Booster £84.00

Alongside retinol, you might want to consider adding a vitamin C serum, to your routine. Helping to protect the skin from external aggressors (which only help to aggravate acne prone skin), reduce pigmentation and firm the skin it’s not to be underestimated. Zo Skin Health’s 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating has been a favourite at Editor’s Beauty for a while now, thanks to it’s transformative skin boosting results.

HORMONAL SUPPORT: Whilst skincare can play a huge role in reducing hormonal acne, supporting your body from the inside could help reduce the amount of breakouts before they even start. Happy Mammoths’s Hormone Harmony £52.99 supplement works to re-balance the hormones and reduce symptoms associated with even the most stubborn hormonal and menopausal symptoms.

CONSULT A DERMATOLOGIST: If hormonal acne persists or worsens, consult with a dermatologist. Prescription treatments and personalised advice, such as adaptions to diet and lifestyle can make a significant difference.

Menopause Marvels

Menopause brings hormonal shifts that can impact your skin. A decline in estrogen levels may result in drier skin, but hormonal acne can still make an appearance. Embrace a skincare routine that caters to your skin's changing needs.

PURPOSFUL Skincare in Menopause

HYDRATION REINVENTED: Now is the time to amp up the hydration game with richer moisturisers to combat dryness without clogging pores.

For acne friendly deep hydration, look no further than Farmacy’s 10% Niacinamide Night Mask. Hydrating and strengthening the moisture barrier with a repairing blend of 3% panthenol and Beta-Glucan, this rejuvinating cream also contains a potent %10 niacinamide to keep texture and tone even, pores refined and excess oil under control.

FARMACY

10% Niacinamide Night Mask £42

GENTLE EXFOLIATION: Consider gentle exfoliation to promote cell turnover and maintain skin radiance. Remember gentle is the key word here, the last thing you want to do is over do it and cause further inflammation.

Kate Somerville’s EradiKate Blemish Mark Fading Gel £58 has been expertly formulated with salicylic acid, plus skin-brightening niacinamide and a restoring prebiotic complex to gently exfoliate the skin, improve tone and texture, fade and reduce blemish marks and re-balance the skin flora. 

KATE SOMERVILLE

EradiKate Blemish Mark Fading Gel £58

PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE: If you are still really struggling, we recommend booking an appointment with a dermatologist in person or online via a trusted site such as Dermacare Direct for tailored advice on managing hormonal acne during this transformative phase.