Navigating “hormonal chaos”: Bioelements unveils skin care for menopause

Bioelements has launched its Pause + Effect skin care line for women experiencing menopause, addressing skin issues that arise from hormonal changes.

Suitable for perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal women, the line works to strengthen the skin barrier, restore elasticity, preserve a youthful appearance, and support firmness through multi-level moisture.

“For too long, skin care has chased a 24-year-old’s glow, leaving one of the most powerful, informed, and underserved groups of women behind — those in perimenopause and menopause,” Emma Nowakowski, education curriculum manager at Bioelements, tells Personal Care Insights.

“These are women navigating hormonal chaos while their skin undergoes biological changes no ‘anti-aging’ formula ever prepared them for, including the measurable loss of key skin biomarkers tied to hydration, elasticity, and barrier integrity.”

This gap in the market led Bioelements to develop science-backed formulas for the skin during this life stage.

For every lifestage

The line includes two products — the Iconic Hyaluronic and Peptide Architect — specifically engineered to address the biology of menopause-related skin changes.

Nowakowski details the company’s previous skin care lines and how they led to the new launch.

The line includes the Iconic Hyaluronic and Peptide Architect.“We have designed a line of formulas that advocate for healthy skin at every age.”

“Our Sensitive Skin + Barrier Repair line is designed for compromised skin barriers. Acne + Pore Activists was developed with corneotherapy principles of barrier protection, and our vc10 collection that proved brightening can happen without irritation.”

Nowakowski argues that some product lines try to shoehorn existing products by marketing them as menopause solutions. Therefore, traditional products become less effective during menopausal life stages, as the skin has an increased need for hydration and collagen support that the products were not initially formulated to address.

“Ingredients in standard products might not be sufficient to combat the heightened sensitivity and dryness experienced during menopause,” says Nowakowski.

Targeted innovation

Bioelements Pause + Effect skin care line is formulated with ingredient technologies, including multi-molecular hyaluronic acid blends. These ingredients penetrate the skin at different depths to help replenish and defend the skin’s water reservoirs.

The skin care range utilizes trifluoroacetyl tripeptide-2 at 2%, a biomimetic tripeptide that mimics the skin’s natural proteins to accelerate and improve collagen synthesis. This helps delay the skin-related biomarkers experienced during peri- and menopause.

Nowakowski adds that the company’s Progeline Amino Acid works by inhibiting the production of the protein progerin, which accumulates inside the cells.

“The targeting tripeptide helps reduce progerin, so we can restore elasticity, firmness, reduce wrinkles, and delay signs of aging.”

Growing market

Nowakowski explains that the menopause skin care market began to gain traction in 2023, as awareness and consumer demand for tailored solutions increased.

“Key drivers in this growth are the destigmatization of menopause from an open dialogue in the media, which has significantly reduced the stigma around menopause. This is creating a new generation of menopausal women (Gen X),  who are significantly more vocal and have the most abundant purchasing power than previous generations,” she says.

The menopause skin care market began to gain traction in 2023.Nowakowski states that Gen X has a shifting mindset from anti-aging to pro-aging, resulting in an encouraging approach to menopausal care.

Other brands are also stepping in to fill the gap in menopause solutions. Earlier this year, Dove launched its first skin care range for perimenopausal and menopausal women, featuring life-stage-tailored personal care products developed with gynecologists, menopause experts, and dermatologists. The brand said 43% of women over 45 in the US actively search for skin care that supports their changing needs.

Other side of aging

Another market shift is in the other direction. Younger consumers are seeking anti-aging solutions and other personal care products.  

“There is now a much younger demographic of consumers seeking preventative skin care solutions, with more awareness compared to Gen X, who often waited until visible signs appeared,” says Nowakowski.

Younger consumers, such as Gen Alpha, are exploring skin care and cosmetics earlier than previous generations.

A recent study found that tweens and teenage girls who follow beauty advice on TikTok may harm their skin by adopting intensive routines typically meant for adults. The results showed that girls aged seven to 18 use, on average, six skin care products and have a routine exceeding 10 minutes, using products mainly created for mature skin, which brings a high risk of irritation.  

“Knowledge and cultural influence from social media, influencers, and celebrity transparency about procedures have normalized both skin care and aesthetic treatments at a younger age, but at what cost to their future selves?” says Nowakowski.