The missing link in menopausal skin
The Microbiome–Menopause Connection
The menopause journey isn't just a change in your hormones, it changes your skin's microbiome.
This is why your skin can suddenly feel drier, more sensitive, more reactive and harder to settle during perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.
“Once you understand the connection, everything changes.” – Desré Tate, Founder
Myth
Skin changes during perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause are solely due to ageing and hormonal decline.
Fact
Emerging science has identified changes in the skin microbiome associated with menopause, beyond the changes traditionally attributed to ageing.
Why That Matters
The microbiome helps support hydration, skin comfort, barrier function, inflammation regulation and skin resilience. When the microbiome changes, your skin can suddenly behave differently.
The Microbiome-Menopause Connection
ALL STAGES OF
MENOPAUSE
Hormonal changes and collagen loss
SKIN FUNCTION
CHANGES
Oil production, hydration and barrier function are affected
MICROBIOME
CHANGES
The skin’s microbial mix begins to shift
SKIN BEHAVIOUR
CHANGES
Visible changes, drier, more sensitive and more reactive
1 CHANGING HORMONES. CHANGING SKIN.
Is this you?
Whether your skin has already begun to change or you're approaching perimenopause and wondering what to expect, you're in the right place.
For some women:
- The moisturiser you've used for years no longer feels hydrating enough.
- Redness and irritation appear more easily.
- Products that never caused problems suddenly sting or irritate.
- Breakouts return when you thought they were long behind you.
- Thinning skin becomes more noticeable.
- Fine lines and loss of elasticity seem to appear more quickly.
The common thread is that skin begins behaving differently than it once did.
If you've ever looked in the mirror and wondered why your skin suddenly seems to have changed overnight, you're not imagining it.
This isn't simply ageing skin. It's changing skin.
2 WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS
Science confirms what many women feel
In 2024, researchers identified the first direct association between menopause and changes in the facial skin microbiome independent of ageing alone.
Significant differences were found between pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women of similar age.
Researchers also found differences in the types and diversity of bacteria living on the skin.
The skin microbiome is emerging as an important part of understanding what happens to skin through menopause.
Research source: Frontiers in Aging, 2024
3 WHAT IS THE SKIN MICROBIOME?
Your skin has its own ecosystem
Like your gut, your skin has its own microbiome, a delicate ecosystem of beneficial bacteria, fungi and viruses that work in balance to support healthy skin.
THE SKIN MICROBIOME HELPS TO:
Protect against external irritants, pathogens and water loss
Regulate inflammation and sensitivity responses
Help support the skin barrier
Maintain pH balance and hydration
Support healthy skin renewal and resilience
If you'd like to explore how these changes show up in skin during perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause, read more about menopause skin concerns.
How Does Microbiome Skincare Work?
Just like the healthy gut story, you'll often come across terms like prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. The same applies to the skin and each plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall health of your skin, strengthening the skin barrier, and promoting long-term skin health.
Prebiotics - The Food
Prebiotics are nutrients that help feed and support the beneficial bacteria living on your skin. Think of them as food for your skin's microbiome, helping to support the skin barrier, hydration and overall skin comfort.
Probiotics - Live Microorganisms
Probiotics are live beneficial microorganisms that can interact with the skin and its microbiome, helping to support the skin barrier and calm inflammatory responses that can contribute to irritation and discomfort.
Postbiotics - The ByProduct
Postbiotics are beneficial compounds produced by microorganisms. They help support hydration, soothe and comfort the skin and support healthy barrier function, without the need for live microorganisms in the formulation.
4 PRESERVING THE FORMULA WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE MICROBIOME
Every ingredient matters
Every skincare product needs a preservative.
Without one, bacteria, yeast and mould can grow inside the product, making it unsafe to use.
As we developed Nu Allumé, we knew supporting the skin's microbiome meant looking beyond the headline active ingredients.
It meant considering every ingredient in the formulation, including the preservative system.
That's why we developed our formulations around a microbiome-conscious preservative system, one designed to keep the formulation safe and stable while respecting the skin's natural microbial ecosystem once applied.
Because when you're formulating for menopausal skin, it's not just about what's added to support the microbiome. It's also about making sure nothing works against it.
Skincare built for menopausal skin can't simply moisturise. It needs to actively support the ecosystem that helps skin function at its best.
5 A NEW APPROACH TO MENOPAUSE SKINCARE
The world’s first skincare built around the Microbiome–Menopause Connection
For decades, menopause skincare has focused on hydration, collagen and visible signs of ageing.
While these remain important, emerging research is revealing another important piece of the puzzle: the skin microbiome.
Hormonal changes don't just influence the skin directly. They also influence the environment where the skin microbiome lives.
Once that environment changes, the skin can begin behaving differently too.
When you recognise that shift, formulation priorities change and the entire approach to menopausal skincare changes with it.
That's why Nu Allumé became the first and currently the only skincare brand in the world built around the Microbiome–Menopause Connection.
Created specifically for women experiencing perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause, every formulation was designed with one understanding at its core:
Shop The Range
Explore Our Microbiome Focused Formulas And Experience The Difference
Nu Allumé Postbiotic Papaya Cleansing Crème
Nu Allumé Aloe & Snow Peach Postbiotic Day Moisturiser
Nu Allumé Postbiotic Berry Night Moisturiser
Nu Allumé Rosella Radiance Prebiotic Serum