ANTI-AGEING/WELL-AGEING
Empowering women to look
better without looking younger Healthy ageing, also more commonly known as the well-ageing movement, is inspiring global beauty brands and cosmetics manufacturers to create inclusive beauty products that support skin health. The movement is also relevant to menopausal beauty where cosmetic products are designed to address the skin and hair concerns of midlife women, resulting from the lack of estrogen. By Abby Vorster
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n the past, women dreaded menopause; the topic was taboo and there was little to no support for women going through this life stage. Over the past five years, the cycle of silence surrounding menopause has been broken by campaigns for better education, support and care on the topic. What’s even more noteworthy is how the negative conversation around menopause has evolved to encompass more positive and uplifting messages, in line with society’s changing perception of ageing. Instead of slowing the process, which is considered anti-ageing, consumers are more interested in being at their healthiest as they age. For women, this is particularly true during menopause, which women experience between their 40s and 60s. Statistics show that 50% of the global population will experience menopause – which means there is a massive target market for menopausal beauty, skin and hair care products formulated to make the process more comfortable.
EXPLORING THE THREE STAGES In order to address the skin and hair care needs of menopausal women, it’s important to understand the three stages of the journey. The first stage is perimenopause. This is when estrogen fluctuations occur, and symptoms are at their most intense. According to healthcare experts, there are more than 34 recognised symptoms, some of which include fatigue, mood swings, hair loss, headaches, dry and itching skin and changes in body odour. Perimenopause starts as early as age 45 and can continue for an average of seven to
Did you know? The top three menopausal symptoms of African American women are sleep difficulty (85%), hot or cold flashes (57%) and forgetfulness (50%). In comparison, feeling hot or cold is top (72%) for Caucasian women, followed by allergy symptoms (65%) and forgetfulness (60%). Source: WGSN
ten years before menopause occurs. This is when 12 full months have passed since a woman’s last menstrual cycle – the very next day is known as menopause and it only lasts one day. Thereafter, women enter post-menopause. This third and final stage occurs daily after reaching menopause and lasts for the rest of a woman’s life. The cycle from the first to final stage causes hormones to fluctuate. The decrease in estrogen levels contributes to a decline in collagen, causing skin to lose firmness, become thin and saggy, and results in changes in skin texture. It also affects the hair cycle with less hair produced in the growth phase, and it causes hot flashes.
INGREDIENTS AND IDEAS FOR NPD As a global producer of fragrances, flavours and cosmetic ingredients, Symrise offers a full basket of technologies for menopausal beauty collections. Symrise recommends its Frescolat range to modulate hot flashes. These ingredients are grouped according to the
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MAY 2021 // WWW.PHARMACOS.CO.ZA
