10 Menopause Skin Care Products Reviewers Swear By

Reviewers call this thick cream a “godsend” for dry skin. Its hydrating formula of ceramides and hyaluronic acid works to replenish your skin barrier while soothing and moisturizing. You can use it as a body and hand cream, too (reviewers who’ve gone through menopause especially like using this after the shower or bath).

Promising reviews: “I don’t write reviews because I have better things to do with my time. However, for the past 5 years my skin has been very, very dry. I have been using ‘clean’ products for health reasons and when I was on EWG’s website, I noticed several of CeraVe’s products ranking pretty high up as a “clean” product. On a whim, I decided to order it based on the reviews and what I saw online. I ordered another one of CeraVe’s product (which was also excellent) and then decided to buy there regular moisturizer as well. In one day, I kid you not, my skin that constantly had this dry skin patches felt soft and supple again. I almost cried. Yes you read that clearly, I almost cried. I am in my 40s and my once oily skin has been dry as hell and it is not any longer. I tried making my own hauluronic acid and that unfortunately did not help either. I thought that perhaps being peri-menopausal that that was what life was going to be like. I was wrong. I use their other product in the evenings because it is a bit greasy but amazing and this one in the daytime. I would give this product 100 stars if I could. This product is amazing. Colorado weather is very, very dry and when I touch my skin now, it feels like I just got out of the shower. That kind of damp moist feeling. My skin is thirsty no longer.” — Happy Shopper

“Going through menopause has caused a lot in my life. Crepe skin is one of them. I was looking and searching for something to help me remoisturize my skin after showers and baths and this is it! Living in Arizona in the desert summers, this is a must-have for any woman who is looking to revive their skin. My skin is now softer, more supple and less ashy. Thank you so much for this product you have a lifelong customer!” — Author Karla Stephens

This popular European moisturizer is a long-heralded holy grail moisturizer among skincare enthusiasts because of its rich, nourishing blend of glycerin, lanolin and plant oils. You can use it on dehydrated, thirsty skin on your hands, face and body. A little goes a long way, too.

Promising review: “This cream is amazing! My skin is very dry after menopause and I cannot believe how good my skin feels. I only apply it in the evening so I can sleep overnight with it on. I highly recommend this product; especially with the COVID-19 pandemic where frequent hand washing and the use of alcohol based hand sanitizers are a must.” — Amazon Customer

Differin is a prescription-strength retinol that only recently has become available over-the-counter — to our luck and delight. It’ll help speed up cellular turnover to brighten, plump and firm skin while preventing future breakouts. Just remember to incorporate this into your nighttime routine slowly, as you would with any retinol, and to be diligent about wearing sunscreen during the daytime.

Promising reviews: “My dermatologist recommended this to me for wonderful acne showing up at menopause time. Must allow a little time to let you skin do its thing with adjustment and out breaks. It does come around to a wonderful clear face that glows. My face hasn’t been this clear and fresh looking without using extra work. Would suggest to help with the aging skin too.” — Dianne

This “delightfully refreshing” Mario Badescu spray pleasantly hydrates and rejuvenates dry skin with a refreshing blend of aloe and rose water. Just mist it onto your face (or even your neck and hair) for a quick pick-me-up; reviewers say it’ll also help with hot flashes.

Promising review: “I use this product to help cool off from hot flashes. I keep it in my fridge & in my purse. Spray it on my arms, face, legs, & back of my neck during a menopausal power surge & it’s delightfully refreshing & smells divine.” — Kenii S

According to Cosrx, snail mucin can help hydrate skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and scars. This has been true in my experience; snail mucin has increased my skin’s glow and plumpness. Reviewers who’ve gone through menopause swear by it, too, calling it “absolutely amazing” and saying their “skin looks so much healthier.”

Promising reviews: “I really like this serum. I’m in my late 40’s, and have been struggling with post menopausal skin issues. This product has greatly improved the firmness and elasticity of my skin, as well as the tone and texture. I’ve also noticed a reduction in pore size. I’m impressed!” — Laura Hammer

“I was hesitant to buy this. I’m in menopause and my skin has changed so much I will easily break out and I never have before . However, after having a cool sculpting procedure I decided to try it. It’s absolutely amazing. It hydrates my skin but isn’t heavy and doesn’t leave a film. I’ve not broke out one time and my skin looks so much healthier. Just buy it and try it.” — jessica Lee Albright

Dr. Marisa Garshick previously recommended this hydrating, brightening serum for folks going through menopause. “Specifically designed for peri- and post-menopause, this serum combines a blend of proxylane, cassia extract, vitamins b3-C-E, omega fatty acids and Vichy volcanic water,” Garshick previously told HuffPost. Reviewers agree, saying their dry menopausal skin “sucks this up.”

Promising review: “Love this product! ordered after reading about post menopausal skin changes and seeing recommendations for this product. So glad I tried it! Goes on smooth, not oily. I follow-up with a moisturize. My skin sucks this up and feels/looks better hydrated. Did not cause any skin issues. Have ordered several bottles.” — Nice to know

I’ve said many times to anyone who will listen that these hydrocolloid patches are my desert-island item. They effectively suck out gunk from my adult acne and, almost as importantly, keep my wandering hands off my blemishes. Reviewers who’ve gone through menopause agree, noting that this helps tremendously with healing menopausal breakouts.

Promising review: “I love these patches for acne. I didn’t know that I would have acne this bad at menopause. I thought I was mostly over the ‘teenage’ horror. Guess again. I have tried a lot of different patches specifically for acne and COSRX is the one that works the best and is the best priced and can get rid of the majority of pimples overnight. The main thing you have to do so these work is wash and dry your face thoroughly before you apply the patch. They come in three different sizes in the one pack. You usually don’t need the largest size unless you have been picking at the spot, DON’T. It makes it harder for the patch to work. I put one on in the evening after my shower and leave it all night, it won’t come off unless you didn’t wash first. By the morning the pimple is usually gone. Some take 2 applications, but that usually happens when you pick at it, DON’T PICK at it, or it is huge. Catch it at the beginning, clean, patch, gone overnight.” — JustDea

These extra-large pimple patches are a great way to tackle menopausal acne that’s clustered over a wider area, like across the cheekbone, forehead, chest or back. They’re infused with tea tree, calendula and cica to help calm inflammation while the hydrocolloid helps extract pus. If you’ve ever wondered what a hydrocolloid face mask would be like, these are a great answer. Suffice to say, their larger size makes seeing all the gunk they pull out even more satisfying than usual.

Promising review: “Excellent product for menopausal cystic acne.” — Faith Jones

This popular moisturizing body cream hydrates and soothes itchy, dry skin using nourishing ceramides and cooling colloidal oatmeal. Reviewers call it a “miracle” for irritated, sensitive skin.

Promising review: “Ever since I went through menopause, my skin has gotten thin , dry and bumpy. I developed seborrheic keratosis and eczema. I’ve tried many other lotions but I either didn’t like the scent or they were too greasy. Out of all the products I’ve tried, the Aveeno Eczema lotion seems to help the most.” — clooneyfan

This cult-favorite occlusive moisturizer is a permanent mainstay on my nightstand for how well it protects and nourishes the cracked, dry skin on my hands, face, lids and lips.

Garshick previously recommended using an occlusive product such as Bag Balm for menopausal skin. “For any areas of dry, cracked skin, it can help to use a thicker cream or petrolatum-containing ointment to provide an occlusive barrier to lock moisture in and protect the skin from external irritants,” she said.

Bag Balm’s blend of lanolin and petrolatum make this a home run, in my opinion.

Promising review: “I’m about to turn 50 but have been lucky enough to have very smooth skin with few wrinkles. Aside from minor crow’s feet and forehead lines, I basically don’t have any wrinkles. What is changing for me as I’m going through menopause is that dry air wreaks havoc on my skin. I have been slathering my face with Weleda Skin Food nightly for many years now, but a couple of weeks ago I noticed to my horror that suddenly my crow’s feet were very pronounced. I agonized over it and got kind of depressed, but then something wild happened. Yesterday I had the idea to put Bag Balm (which I use for lips and cuticles) on the skin around my eyes. This morning when I was putting on my sunscreen (the key to protecting skin from aging), I noticed that the wrinkles were almost undetectable. Clearly the sudden worsening of the wrinkles was caused by dry winter air, but nothing seemed to help until I tried Bag Balm.” — hovercraft