Review: Here’s How No7 Menopause Skincare Helps Dry, Crepey Skin

More than one million American women experience the transition to menopause each year, and beauty brands have begun offering targeted support. One welcome example: the No7 Menopause Skincare collection. The accessible, reasonably priced brand is well-known for its extensive research and top-selling skincare lines for mature skin (we see you, Protect and Perfect Serum). This latest collection has been co-created with more than 7,000 menopausal women to ensure that it addresses their biggest skin concerns.

First, how does menopause affect skin?

You may already be intimately aware of the common effects of menopause—the unexpected hot flashes, the bothersome night sweats, the wild mood swings, the lagging libido—or you may be in perimenopause (which generally kicks off in your early to mid-40s and about four to 10 years before official menopause). This is when your body’s hormone levels yo-yo, as do your symptoms. Either way, the entire life phase can greatly affect your complexion: Studies have shown that estrogen plays a role in the skin’s moisture, collagen production, circulation, and defense mechanisms, which leads to these changes:

Skin gets dry, dry, dry. And that makes it look dull. As estrogen drops, so does oil production. The outer barrier of the skin also becomes weaker, allowing moisture to escape. Skin cell turnover slows as well. The result is an uneven, patchy surface of dead skin cells, which don’t reflect light.

Irritation, sensitivity, eczema, and redness increase. That weak barrier doesn’t just let moisture out; it also lets potential irritants in to stir up any inflammatory conditions you may have. Plus, as estrogen—which has anti-inflammatory properties—wanes, skin isn’t as effective at staying calm. Aggressors like pollution, UV light, and stress can cause skin to become reactive, breaking out into a rash, turning red, or feeling inflamed.

Sagginess and crepiness begin. The dip in estrogen slows the body’s collagen and elastin production—and when that plump, pillowy, structural layer in the skin shrinks, we’re left with extra skin that sags and crinkles. It’s like letting some of the air out of a balloon.

How can skincare help with menopause symptoms?

Skincare formulas that contain hydrating and moisturizing ingredients pull more water into the skin and act like a seal, bolstering the barrier so that it doesn’t let moisture out or irritants in. It also smooths out the skin’s surface, making it appear brighter. To help firm skin, ingredients called peptides rev collagen production.

You may also see ingredients that target estrogen-deficient skin in particular, like the soy isoflavones in No7’s Menopause Skincare line. These ingredients are called phytoestrogens, but they aren’t hormones and don’t contain estrogen. Instead, their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can help the skin act more like it did pre-menopause.

Here's what's in each product to help menopausal skin—and how to incorporate each into your routine.