Menopause In The Summer, Hot Flushes, Sensitivity and What to Do
- Emmaline Tsui
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
If your skin has suddenly decided to throw a bit of a tantrum the moment the sun comes out, you’re not alone. Add menopause to the mix and summer can feel like a hot, hormonal pressure cooker. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re blotchy, shiny, itchy and wondering why everything you used to love on your skin now feels like something you want to remove.
So, what’s actually going on?
What Happens to Skin During Menopause?
Menopause leads to a drop in oestrogen which means...
Skin gets drier and thinner
Collagen takes a nosedive
You lose that bounce and glow
Skin barrier becomes more vulnerable
Heat sensitivity, redness and flushing can become daily skin issues
Then throw in summer. UV, heat, humidity, sweat, it’s a lot. That’s why menopause and summer can be a tricky combination for skin.
Hot Flushes and Facial Flushing
Those sudden waves of heat can cause flushing, prickly skin and even broken capillaries over time. You may also feel like your skin is always hot and bothered.
A good tip is to keep your skincare in the fridge (or a skincare fridge!). A chilled mist like Nimue’s Skin Prebiotic Mist can be sprayed on during the day to calm things down.
You might also love:
Nimue Daily Calm & Restore – lightweight but deeply soothing. It’s a great choice for sensitive, menopausal or peri skin in the heat.
Meder Hydra-Fill or Lipo-Oval Beauty Sheet Masks – perfect post-sun or post-hot-flush. Pop them in the fridge before applying.
Sensitivity and Product Reactions
Your skin barrier is more delicate in menopause, which means ingredients that never used to bother you might now cause a tingle or flare-up.
My advice is to simplify. Focus on hydration, barrier repair and gentle actives.
Some of my menopausal-skin favourites:
Forlle’d Hyalogy P-Effect Refining Lotion – delivers plumping hydration without heaviness.
Forlle'd Reliance Gel – incredibly light and yet super hydrating, barrier-protecting and works beautifully under SPF.
Skinade – because your skin needs support from the inside too, especially now.
Breakouts and Dryness at the Same Time?
Yes, welcome to the joy of menopausal combination skin. Your hormones are on a rollercoaster, so one cheek might feel tight while your chin is breaking out.
Try balancing your routine. Use products that support the skin microbiome, manage inflammation and keep hydration levels topped up.
Add a few barrier-supporting products...
Nimue TDS Serums – brilliant for treating targeted skin concerns and repairing the barrier
Alto Advanced from SkinBetter Science – loaded with antioxidants to protect and soothe
Nimue Element Barrier Cream – particularly good if you’re spending time in the sun or flying somewhere hot and redness can be an issue (note, this is not an SPF but a barrier against the 'elements' such as extreme heat or AC that can cause redness and inflammation.
SPF Is Not Optional
Sun exposure will absolutely make menopausal skin worse. It’s one of the biggest triggers for redness, pigmentation and accelerated collagen loss.
REMEMBER SPF is your best friend, daily. No matter the weather.
My favourite menopausal-friendly SPFs:
Nimue SPF 40 – lightweight, hydrating and doesn’t clog pores
Nimue Environmental Shield SPF 50 – ideal if you’re heat-sensitive or outdoors often or working from home in front of a screen
SkinBetter ToneSmart SPF 50 Compact – great over makeup and helps touch up without fuss
Revision Intellishade TruPhysical – an all-mineral, tinted SPF with anti-ageing skincare benefits for dry, mature skin
5. Lifestyle Tweaks That Help
Stay cool. Maybe try keeping one of my ice rollers in the freezer and then it's ready to go when you need it
Avoid hot showers or spicy foods if you flush easily
Up your water and omega-3 intake (omega 3's are great for inflammation. I love the Skin Omega's from ANP)
Sleep with a chilled silk pillowcase
Try Skin Meditation Club – my new podcast with calming meditations that help ease stress, improve sleep and support skin from within
Menopause is a shift in hormones and the body. It calls for gentler ingredients, smarter choices and daily rituals that support your skin in the heat and hormonal flux.
If your skin feels like it’s misbehaving and you don’t know where to start, book a free skin check-in or an online consultation with me. We’ll look at what’s going on and build a routine that fits your life and your face.
Thank you so much for reading,
Emmaline
Comments