When we hear the phrase “hormonal skin,” it immediately conjures images of teenage zits or time-of-the-month cystic acne. But Newport Beach, CA dermatologist Zenovia Gabriel, MD, the founder of hormone-focused skin-care line Dr. Zenovia, wants women to understand the effect that hormone shifts have on skin throughout all stages of life.
“Studies show that 80-percent of women are suffering from issues due to hormonal imbalances happening within the body,” says Dr. Zenovia. “The skin, being our largest organ on the body, is the first place to reveal these imbalances occurring within.”
As she explains, hormones play a significant role in the aging process. During perimenopause, the timeframe before menopause, a female’s ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. This major hormonal shift leads to a host of skin symptoms like dryness, dullness, loss of elasticity, plus the appearance of lines and age spots.
At her practice in Newport Beach, Dr. Zenovia focuses on hormonal dermatology. For fifteen years, she’s treated patients dealing with the skin concerns that result from a loss of estrogen during menopause. She used that deep body of knowledge to develop a skin-care line that manages the effects of hormonal imbalance. Thanks to the power of hormone-balancing ingredients like retinol and bakuchiol, your body’s natural aging process doesn’t have to show up on your skin.
“A consistent skin-care regimen is like an apple a day for the gut,” says Dr. Zenovia. “Unlike the occasional procedure, your skin-care regimen consists of the daily habits that transform the tissue. Consistent daily topical agents up-regulate cell receptors (cell signals), turn on genes and promoters, and essentially change tissue chemistry. This daily stimulation and care can make a significant difference in how your skin looks and maintains radiance.”
With full-service skin care in mind, Dr. Zenovia designed her Essentials Collection as a top-to-bottom skin-care routine for women looking to combat the effects of hormonal imbalance. The range consists of full morning and evening routines, curated to reverse existing signs of hormonal imbalance, such as dehydration, increased sensitivity and loss of elasticity, and prevent new ones from cropping up.
You’ll start your day with the dose of anti-aging ingredients in Bakuchiol Hydrating Cleanser ($42), which is formulated with bakuchiol (also known as “nature’s retinol”), green tea, caffeine and aloe vera. Next, exfoliate with Vitamin C Brightening Toner ($38), which will melt away dead skin cells to reveal the radiant skin underneath.
The third step, Retinol Recovery Eye Cream ($64), is one of Dr. Zenovia’s must-haves to address signs signs of hormonally imbalanced skin around the delicate eye area. She describes it as a “powerful, yet gentle” formula that helps address loose skin around the eye area and dark circles. From there, you’ll fight sun damage with Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer SPF 30 ($68), which uses C-Ester, a highly stable and potent vitamin C, and then give skin an additional moisture boost with Peptide + Ceramide Repairing Moisturizer ($79), which also helps to restore the look of plump, healthy, even-toned skin.
As for evening skin care, Dr. Zenovia created Inflam-Aging Night Repair Treatment ($72) to help reduce inflammation and brighten the overall complexion. The treatment contains active ingredients green tea, caffeine, and medical-grade resveratrol, which Dr. Zenovia describes as “a robust antioxidative combination helps repair the tissue and helps heal the inflammatory process associated with aging skin.” It’s especially powerful for sensitive skin types, including ongoing skin conditions like rosacea. In the morning, you’ll wake up with firmer-feeling, plumper-looking, even-toned skin.
Whether you adopt the full Essentials routine or simply add a few of its high-tech anti-aging products into your existing regimen, you’ll be working against the clock to ensure that signs of hormone imbalances don’t show up on your skin.
Find out more about Dr. Zenovia Skincare, including where to find products near you, at drzenovia.com and sephora.com.
