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Dry, tight, uncomfortable skin can be more than just a surface issue—it’s often a signal that your skin barrier needs more support.
If you’ve noticed your skin is getting drier (especially during perimenopause or menopause), here are my personal go-to tips for increasing comfort, nourishment, and glow.
I know you’ve probably heard this so many times by now, but for changing skin that is getting increasingly drier, this is an easy place to start.
This is actually how Beauty by Ané Skincare started—I tried a face oil after years of avoiding it, it transformed my increasingly dry skin, and that is how Ané Glow in a Bottle Face Oil was born.
It’s also a relatively low-risk, high-reward addition to your routine—if for any reason your skin doesn’t love it, you can always use it on dry elbows, cuticles, hair ends—or even mixed into your body cream for added richness.
One of the reasons they work so well is that face oils—whether single plant oils or a blend like Glow in a Bottle—act as emollients. They help to soften the skin and seal in water, and support the skin with their rich fatty acid content, which is often exactly what dry skin needs.
If your current moisturiser doesn’t already include ceramides, plant oils like squalane, and cholesterol, it might be worth upgrading to one that does.
These ingredients mimic the key components of your skin barrier, and as oestrogen declines, so too does our natural production of these lipids. I’d also look out for Ectoin (great for skin stress and resilience) and ideally peptides for long-term skin support.
*** We’re making a fantastic moisturiser that includes all these components and more—I can't wait to share this with you, we're getting close!
You might start preferring a richer product texture overall.
This isn’t always about the active ingredients (like the ceramides and peptides mentioned above)—it often comes down to the functional ingredients used to create the skin feel, viscosity and “weight” of a product.
I don’t know about you, but isn’t that how we choose a product most of the time? If we don’t like the texture and feel of something, we’re not going to use it.
Texture is very subjective and can change depending on what your skin is going through. What feels light to me might feel rich to you (or vice versa), and that’s completely normal.
One way to easily increase the richness of your routine at home is to simply add a few drops of a face oil, like Glow in a Bottle, into your moisturiser or serum. I usually add 3–4 drops, and it just gives the product more spread and a more comforting feel on the skin.
(I also sometimes add a drop or two to my foundation, especially in winter. It gives such a beautiful, glowy finish.)
This is one way we work on the texture and richness of product in the lab—but here you can easily do it yourself.
Note: I don’t recommend adding face oil to your sunscreen, Retinoid, or any prescription products.
Another favourite of mine: leaving our beloved balm-to-oil cleanser—Radiance Reveal Cleansing Balm—on my skin for 10–15 minutes before rinsing.
I’ll do this in the evening while getting ready for bed or doing something else, and my skin always feels noticeably softer and more supple afterwards.
It’s a little bit of care that goes a long way.
Dry skin isn’t just about what you put on your face—it’s also about what’s happening beneath the surface.
Nutritional gaps, hormonal changes, and even low-grade inflammation can all contribute to skin that feels tight, flaky, or rough.
Here are some science-backed ways to nourish your skin from within:
Your skin’s lipid barrier relies on fats—especially omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
These help reduce inflammation and improve skin smoothness and hydration.
What to eat: Oily fish (like salmon and sardines), flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, avocado.
Supplements to try: Fish oil, krill oil, or algal oil (plant-based) with EPA/DHA.
Ceramides form over 50% of your skin’s barrier lipids—but levels drop with age.
Eat more: Brown rice, sweet potatoes, soy, beets.
Consider: Oral phytoceramide supplements (from rice or wheat extract), shown to improve hydration and elasticity after 4–6 weeks.
Dry skin often goes hand-in-hand with dehydration.
Tip: Don’t just drink more water—add electrolytes (like magnesium, potassium, and sodium) to improve water retention in your tissues.
Vitamin E – Protects skin lipids from oxidation (almonds, avocados, sunflower seeds).
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) – Sulphur-rich compound that supports barrier repair and collagen.
Vitamin C & Glycine – Critical cofactors for collagen and healthy skin structure.
Zinc & B Vitamins – Help reduce inflammation and maintain healthy oil production.
This is a question I get a lot: “How do I actually add lipids to my skin?” Let’s break it down.
Lipids are natural fats in your skin that help form the barrier layer—your skin’s defence against the outside world. The three main types are:
Ceramides
Cholesterol
Free fatty acids
Together, they make up the lipid matrix, which keeps moisture in and irritants out.
As we get older—and especially during perimenopause—our skin makes fewer lipids. This leads to:
Dryness and rough texture
Flakiness and itchiness
Increased sensitivity and redness
Topical skincare: Use moisturisers and face oils rich in:
Ceramides (skin-identical)
Phytosterols (from plant oils)
Cholesterol
Omega-rich oils like jojoba, macadamia, and squalane
Look for formulations that mimic skin’s own lipid structure—ideally in the 3:1:1 ratio of ceramides:cholesterol:fatty acids, as this has been shown to best support barrier recovery.
Face oils, like Glow in a Bottle, don’t “replace” lipids in a strict biological sense, but they help supplement what your skin is lacking, reinforce the outer layer, and prevent water loss.
Dry skin isn’t just about lack of water—it’s often a sign your skin needs more fatty (lipid) content.
Whether through your face oil, a richer moisturiser, or through the foods you eat and supplements you take (or all of the above), the goal is the same: to rebuild your skin's resilience from the outside and inside.
As I'm getting older I learn more and more that this is the best approach and the days of me relying on only skincare products alone are long gone.
One of the best parts of this more holistic inside-outside approach is that my whole body benefits, not just my skin.
When you care for your skin with intention and consistency, it becomes less about fixing a problem—and more about building long-term strength and health for beautifully ageing and changing skin.
Part 3 of our Estrogen-Depleted Skin Series tackles a frequently asked question: does HRT actually help your skin?
In this piece, I share my own decade-long journey navigating conflicting HRT advice, a hysterectomy with no follow-up care, and the experience of being caught between doctors who disagreed.
I also break down the science: what estrogen was doing in your skin, why women lose approximately 30% of their collagen in the first five years after menopause, what the clinical evidence says about HRT and skin, the truth about topical estrogen face creams (including the unregulated ones you can buy on Amazon), and what to do if HRT is not part of your picture.
Once you understand why your skin feels in flux or has changed - the collagen loss, the compromised barrier, the dehydration that won't shift — the next question is: what do you actually do about it?
This piece is the practical answer. We walk through the skincare routine framework that works for hormonally changing skin, the core active ingredients doing the real structural work, and how to build a routine around your specific priorities - whether that's dullness, sensitivity, firmness or hormonal breakouts.
We also cover the lifestyle factors that directly affect how your skin behaves, and the honest conversation about shifting from fighting your skin to genuinely supporting it through this transition.
Part 2 of the Estrogen-Depleted Skin Series.
Understand why your skin suddenly feels different during perimenopause and menopause.
Learn how estrogen depletion and decline affects collagen, hydration, barrier function, and inflammation - and why this phase deserves its own conversation beyond 'normal ageing.'
Part 1 of the Estrogen-Depleted Skin Series.
