Menopause is more than hot flashes and mood swings. Though these may be some of the most talked about symptoms, the wider physical and emotional impacts that come with this life stage for women tend to be overlooked. To help promote awareness, the International Menopause Society and World Health Organization have designated October as Menopause Awareness Month and World Menopause Day as Oct. 18.

The hormone changes that accompany menopause can have an affect on your heart health, bone health, stroke risk and even how your skin feels. The theme for Menopause Awareness Month 2024 is menopause hormone therapy, and the International Menopause Society created evidence-based resources on the topic that can help answer questions you have and kick-start conversations with your healthcare provider.

The researchers at French skin care brand Vichy have been hard at work researching menopause-related skin changes and created the Neovadiol line with the three stages of menopause in mind: perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.

In menopause, the ovaries stop making progesterone and estrogen, the hormones that control fertility and monthly menstrual cycles. Menopause is official once monthly menstrual cycles have stopped for a full year, and the average age of menopause is 52. At that point, your body enters post-menopause.

Peri-menopause is the stage leading up to menopause and post-menopause. “Many of the skin changes that my patients tend to associate with menopause—dryness, dullness, uneven texture and tone—actually start to pop up during peri-menopause, which can take people by surprise,” says LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger, board-certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and cosmetic surgeon. “Peri-menopause can be a short time for some people, and for others it can stretch on for years.”

With Neovadiol, you can create your own custom routine to fit your specific skin care needs and match the phase of menopause you’re experiencing right now.

Vichy Neovadiol Meno 5 Bi-Serum is the all-encompassing skin care solution you can reach for at any stage of menopause. The number “5” stands for the five key active ingredients in this serum, which address the five most popular skin issues experienced during peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause: dark spots, dullness, fine lines and wrinkles, loss of firmness and dehydration:

Proxylane: This sugar-derived ingredient helps diminish the look of wrinkles and also helps boost firmness and radiance.

Vitamins B3, C and E: These essential vitamins help prevent oxidative damage in your skin, which can result in dark spots, dullness and skin laxity.

Vichy Volcanic Water: The volcanic water sourced from Vichy’s nine springs in France is rich in skin-soothing minerals such as magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Omega-6 and 9: These lipids help restore dry, rough skin.

Cassia extract: Derived from cassia bark, this ingredient helps play a role in skin firmness.

If you’re noticing hydration levels in your skin start to wane during peri-menopause, consider trying Vichy Neovadiol Peri-Menopause Redensifying Plumping Day Cream. It contains hyaluronic acid to restore moisture levels and provide an instant plumping effect that helps make fine lines and wrinkles appear less prominent. It also contains two ingredients that help promote firmness: Proxylane and cassia extract.

“During post-menopause, lipid loss is definitely a concern, and it can make your skin feel dry and rough,” says LovelySkin Medical Director Dr. Daniel Schlessinger. Vichy Neovadiol Post-Menopause Replenishing Firming Day Cream is formulated to replace those lost lipids with omega-3, 6 and 9. Like the day cream for peri-menopause, it also contains Proxylane and cassia extract.

Are you looking to take a deeper dive into skin care products for menopause? You can learn more about the difference between peri-menopause and post-menopause on the LovelySkin Blog.