Ageing is inevitable for those of us lucky enough to go through it, and one of the first changes we notice is in our skin. As we approach the natural seasons in a woman’s life where perimenopause and menopause set in we undergo significant hormonal changes and these have an unwanted knock-on effect on our skin that can cause everything from skin dryness, wrinkles and fine lines, loss of collagen and fullness, and even trigger past issues such as eczema or acne and even bring out a few new skin concerns never experienced before. So why is this all happening and how can we combat it? We spoke to the Founder of Vive Skincare and skin care expert with over 30 years of experience in researching and developing products, Marina who is on a mission to help women restore glowing skin when they reach perimenopause or menopause. But first, let’s start with how the changes in hormones during these periods of time can affect our skin and why.

Your Skin During Perimenopause

During perimenopause, which is the transitional phase before menopause and usually begins in our mid-40s, oestrogen levels start to decline gradually. Oestrogen plays a vital role in maintaining our skin cell barriers, so as its levels decrease, the skin may become significantly drier as it compromises its ability to hold onto moisture, and more prone to itching and redness. Additionally, reduced collagen production can contribute to the loss of skin elasticity and firmness. This can lead to the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.

Your Skin During Menopause

As menopause sets in and oestrogen levels continue to decline, women may experience further skin changes. The decrease in oestrogen can cause a significant drop in the production of sebum, the skin’s natural oil. This can lead to an overall decrease in skin lubrication, resulting in dryness and a dull complexion. Some women may also notice an increase in skin sensitivity, making the skin more reactive to irritants or triggering conditions like rosacea or eczema.

The Ingredients You Need To Know About To Combat Aging

This is where Vive comes in with their performance-based skincare proven to generate the results you are after. Having specialised in skincare for her entire career, Marina turned to trusted compounds she knew would work to counter the effects of declining oestrogen. Vive products bring together three powerful ingredients known for their skin-strengthening, anti-inflammatory effects, including Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide and CBD that make up Vive’s Tri-Active Formula – which present in all their products. The products are also packed full of powerfully hydrating ingredients such as Shea Butter, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Grapeseed Oil and Glycerol.

Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 and works hard to provide a number of benefits for our skin including reducing the appearance of pigmentation and promoting elasticity. Plus, it provides intense hydration to the skin helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

CBD, the non-psychoactive constituent of the Cannabis plant is now well known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is fantastic at reducing blemishes and redness in the skin.

Zinc Oxide acts as a potent and protective barrier on the skin (it’s the active ingredient in most nappy creams and sun creams), helping protect against pollution and environmental stress and sun damage.

All the products in Vive’s award-winning range counteract the effects of lower oestrogen in your body, making it a must-have for anyone going through these hormonal changes. 

The Vive Range

There are five key products in Vive’s skincare toolbox. Our favourite has to be the award-winning Day Defence Cream, which provides your skin naturally with 15 SPF (that will be the zinc oxide) and its high-performing actives work hard to provide deep hydration and strengthen your skin. The result? Smoother and plumper skin and an all-over glow. We also love Vive’s Concentrated Recovery Serum which has the highest concentration of the CBD Tri-active formula to stimulate skin cell turnover and pairs with the Day Cream to boost its performance. Plus, it goes onto the skin so nicely with no greasy residue once applied that can sometimes come from serums. Here, at Hip & Healthy we also love a night cream and the Vive Night Recovery Cream delivers in spades when it comes to giving your beauty sleep a boost.  Apply over the serum before bed and wake up to clearer, more even skin. For those who face acne in adulthood, Vive has also created an incredible product, their Intensive Anti-Blemish Treatment that has been proven to minimise the appearance of blemishes in just two weeks. Finally, the BB Defence Cream has been expertly formulated to instantly illuminate skin with a healthy glow making it the perfect addition to any summer skincare ritual. It perfects skin tone, and provides SPF protection, whilst reducing redness and the appearance of blemishes – what more could we really ask for!

The Impressive Results

Vive ran a clinical study with an independent laboratory to test the efficacy of their Day and Night Creams and CBD Tri-Active Formula – this is thought of as the gold standard in terms of testing. So you can rest assured that these products actually work – and here’s what they found out. 

91% Reported MUCH Better Skin

After 28 days of women using the Day Defence Cream, 91% reported that their skin felt more hydrated, less red and that skin appeared more even, healthy and youthful. Eight out of ten women using Vive would recommend the products to a friend and after the trial they continued to use them themselves.  86% of women also went on to report reduced appearance of blemishes, intensely moisturised skin and less imperfections. And 77% saw a massive improvement in their fine lines and wrinkles. 

Reader Offer

25% Off all Vive products excluding bundles. Just use code HH25 at the checkout.

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For more information or to purchase visit vivemybeauty.com