Skin Care During Period

A lot of women experience changes in their skin in the week leading up to their period, during and sometimes in the few days after. While the most commonly associated side-effect is getting hormonal breakouts, I’ve seen some clients become extremely sensitive and react negatively to products we normally use on them without drama in the salon any other time of the month.

As I would suggest with anything while you have your period the best advice is to listen to your body, be extra kind to yourself and see if a few of my top 10 tips for keeping your skin clear during that time can help.

For many, this is the time when we want to eat crap and show ourselves love with chocolate, carbs and greasy foods. Trust me, now is not the time (okay, maybe a few squares of your favourite dark chocolate aren’t going to hurt!).

Here are our tips for skin care during period:

Sleep more

If you aren’t already allow a full 8 hours at least to rest and restore. During your period (and even during ovulation) your body is working hard and it is normal to feel a little more tired during this time.

Up your intake of fresh fruit and veges

If we’re thinking just about your skin during this time it needs all the extra nutrients it can get to help top up your system. Look for green leafy veges that are high in iron.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate - this goes without saying whatever time of the month is but you should be aiming to drink at least 2 litres of water a day. Herbal teas are also a good way to get in antioxidants and water all in one.

Seek support from natural therapies - I personally find acupuncture around Day 15 of my cycle helps regulate it, lessens my anxiety and keeps me balanced. It is, of course, a very personal thing but point is, find something that is nourishing, relaxing and restorative to give back to yourself during this time.

Don’t use anything aggressive or stripping

Your skin is equally fragile and sensitive during this time. Try to avoid using products that are aggressive and stripping and opt for a gentle steam instead. This is easy to do at home with a hot (not boiling!) towel, wrung out, and placed on the skin for a few minutes or until it cools. Use gentle washers like bamboo facial towels as a gentle exfoliator during this time.

Cleanse thoroughly

Again, this is advice for every day of the month but in the lead up to your period your skin may get oilier than usual. Be sure to cleanse with a gentle cleanser twice at night to remove any dead skin cells, environmental grime and keep your skin happy and hydrated.

If there’s spots - treat don’t pick! If you do get the odd hormonal spot, use a specially formulated spot treatment (or the juice of a lemon if available on the tip of a cotton bud) to treat the spot rather than picking at it which will only inflame it more!
Prep with a mask - The week before your period, use a gentle clay-based mask to draw out impurities. It is best to opt for white, light green or pink clays as they are more gentle on the skin.

Breathe

Let your skin breathe and go make-up free when you can.

Get into Vitamin C in products and internally

This will help brighten your skin, reduce scarring without irritating your skin.

About the author:

For 16 years Natalie Sellars has honed her craft as a skincare expert, having worked and managed leading spas in Australia and New Zealand. For the last of those, Natalie has honored her dedication to and belief in living toxin-free, working to create a salon experience that promotes kind beauty.

She now uses only the very best organic & toxin free skin care in each salon ritual. Her “no BS” approach makes her a trusted practitioner genuinely interested in the wellbeing of her clients.