MenopauseMenu guest blog post by Dr. Keira Barr of Resilient Health Institute.
Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the saggiest and wrinkled of them all?
Did you raise your hand just now?
No matter how diligently you follow a skincare routine, aging and hormones often take over. And if you have made it this far in life, no doubt there are a few more sags and wrinkles than your younger years. But that is something to celebrate!
Those changes in your skin are evidence that you have lived. Those lines from laughing your ass off at all the crazy things you have done with your family, friends, and yourself. The furrow between your brow from worrying about your loved ones and what is next.
How about boobs hanging lower from the gift of gravity? And if you have had kids suckling on them and deflating them like flapjacks, you understand better than anyone else.
Managing skincare along with everything else is crazy stressful. And I feel you because I am right there with you.
YOUR SKIN. YOUR STORY.
But here is the thing.
Your skin tells your story.
It tells the story of your past and your present, and is a canvas for your future. As your largest, visible organ, your skin is a reflection of your overall state of well-being. What shows up on your skin gives clues to what is happening underneath it all.
Consider this: Rather than seeing those dark circles, spots, and thinning brows as your body sabotaging your mojo, what if you saw these as messages? Messages that your body needs your loving attention. The same kind of attention you dote on your kids, spouse, friends and loved ones.
That is what your body is asking of you. The hot flashes, headaches, mood swings, skin dryness, and blemishes are memos. And during this taxing transition, your skin, body, and mind need all of your attention, compassion and love.
For example, those dark circles under your eyes that you are desperate to cover-up? These are a message from your body, informing you to tune in to what is happening in your life.
Some of us have a genetic propensity towards dark circles and probably have had them since childhood. But for most of us, their presence is an opportunity for self-reflection and up-levelling our self-awareness.
QUESTION YOUR SKINCARE
Instead of trying to cover up the blemishes and dark spots with make-up (check out my clean beauty tips HERE), consider asking yourself:
- How much sleep am I getting? Is it quality sleep?
- What time of night am I getting hot flashes and kicking off those covers?
- Do I have an evening ritual or am I going full steam ahead until I go to bed at night (working, bingeing on Netflix or scrolling social media)?
- What did I do today that brought me pleasure?
- If I pour that extra glass of wine, will it mess with my skin, my sleep and my hormones (the answer is yes, yes, and yes)?
- Am I nourishing my body in the way it needs and deserves to be nourished?
- How do I manage stress and anxiety?
Taking care of your skin in menopause isn’t just about what skincare products you use. It’s about how you nourish your mind, body and spirit. It’s about your thoughts, habits and ways of being. It’s your embodied experience of living in the skin you’re in.
Because the truth is, your mind, body and skin have an intimate connection, and they are communicating all the time.
So the big question is: What kind of conversation would you like them to be having?
Rather than trying to cover up the information your body is offering you, use it to your advantage. Get curious. Be inspired. You have the power to take charge of your health and your life. Create a version of yourself in mid-life that blows your mind!
IT IS TIME TO BE THE AUTHOR OF YOUR SKIN STORY.
The first step in the process of upleveling your skincare routine is taking notice. When you take notice of your daily thoughts, habits and routines you raise your awareness. And awareness is the gateway to transformation.
And in order to take notice, you need to have a willingness to read your skin’s story.
Currently, what story is it telling you? Once you take a compassionate and loving look in the mirror, you can make an intentional decision about whether you are happy with the story.
I’m not talking about erasing wrinkles, cellulite or “anti-aging.” I’m not down for being “anti” anything about ourselves at this stage of life.
I’m talking about going beyond skin deep and getting curious about what’s happening beneath the surface that’s influencing your embodied experience of living in the skin you’re in as a menopausal woman.
When you read your story from this lens, I invite you to decide if you keep the status quo or set about on an editorial journey.
Remember, you are the author of your story.
Menopause is only the end of your menstrual cycle. It is also the beginning of a whole new chapter of your life. And only YOU get to decide how you want to live it.
If you love your story, celebrate it! Shout it from the rooftops as you strut into rooms feeling sexy, bold, courageous and confident in your skin!
Not convinced that your story is your best-seller? Or perhaps, you are ready to create a new one? Then celebrate that as well! Because you have everything you need to jumpstart the process.
And if you don’t know where to start and need support to begin the editorial process, I’m here to help. Use this link to set up a complimentary Somatic Skincare session to see if working together would be a good fit to help you write your best-seller.
Dr. Keira Barr blends science with soul as a mind-body coach, breathwork guide and dual board certified integrative dermatologist empowering women around the world with the tools needed to help them gain the control, clarity, calm and confidence they crave during their midlife experience. As the host of the Skinny Dipping Prescription podcast and creator of the Skinny Dipping Method, she’s redefining skincare as the embodiment of our lived experience through no B.S. conversations, straight-up truths and tangible, actionable advice. Her work has been featured in MindBodyGreen, Better Homes and Gardens’, Reader’s Digest, Glamour, SELF, Oprah Magazine, and more.