My skin sticks to a very predictable schedule. A week before my period, or a few days before my cycle kicks off, my face basically rebels. Dryness, oiliness, blemishes, and dullness occur basically all at once on different parts of my face. I'm making it seem way more dramatic than it really is, but all my confidence pretty much goes out the window, and I rely fully on the power of my tinted moisturizer, concealer, and about three different serums to get it under control.
A week after, though, my face is back in action. Interestingly enough, I've learned that's what my skin is literally trying to signal biologically, unbeknownst to me. Pun intended.
It's always been something I noticed about my own skin. My period ends, and I feel back to my old self, and dare I say, more attractive. According to Dr. Rebecca Booth, this feeling I have is valid.
"Our cyclic hormones are designed to reflect fertility by subtly altering the appearance of skin throughout the month. Estrogen begins its climb on about the third day of a woman's period and the skin begins to improve with this rise," says Dr. Booth. So basically, Dr. Booth explains, the week before you ovulate — which is between the 7th and 14th day of your cycle — you get your glow on thanks to a peak in estrogen.
Around the 21st day of your cycle, estrogen falls and then that's when Dr. Booth says your skin might become more dull and prone to blemishes.
So what's this power estrogen has over our skin?
"Estrogen has a powerful effect on all types of cells that make connective tissue elements such as collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid," says Dr. Booth. "When estrogen peaks during the days right after a woman's period, and leading up to ovulation, the cells in the skin are stimulated to make more of these elements, resulting in a clear, glowing complexion. During this week, estrogen not only stimulates a glow but also keeps testosterone in check by shrinking pores. If estrogen and testosterone are out of balance, acne results and the changes can be dramatic, especially if the hormonal system is a little off balance," she says.
Well, Dr. Booth has actually developed a skin-care line called VENeffect, which seeks to utilize the power of plant estrogens, known as phytoestrogens, to mimic what estrogen does for the skin when it begins to drop naturally in your late 20s.
She continued to tell me that it's essentially mother nature's way of making sure you look and feel awesome during the time you're fertile.
Mind. Blown.
