54 TESTING
proves more fitting than ‘anti-ageing’, considering the skin holistically: such care stimulates microcirculation, supports collagen, hydrates and redefines contours while delivering emotional and sensory benefits, hence evaluation integrating perception and quality of life. Menopause and the exposome constitute
cumulative ageing processes; intrinsic hormonal ageing combines with reversible extrinsic factors (sun, tobacco, pollution, diet, stress), the disturbances accentuating intrinsic and photo- induced signs alike. Certain brands claim scientific precedence:
Vichy launched its first menopause skincare line in 1992, supported by 30 clinical studies involving more than 1,500 women and nine scientific publications to date. Its range is structured by hormonal stage, with Peri Menopause and Post Menopause Day and night creams designed to restore hydration, plump the skin and improve firmness.
Evaluating the performance of skin care targeting menopausal skin To demonstrate the efficacy of such skincare clinically, protocols have been adapted: panels now include pre-menopausal and menopausal women presenting with targeted signs such as dryness, slackening and heightened sensitivity, and rely on international, multi-ethnic studies that capture the diversity of skin types. Five principal categories of testing are deployed:
■ Consumer tests and self-assessments ■ Sensory or emotional analyses ■ Biometrological studies covering hydration, resistance and biomechanical properties ■ Clinical scoring ■ Biology and biomarkers Evaluation benefits from combining subjective
perception with objective measurement: questionnaires identifying the most frequently experienced changes, cross referenced with instrumental data and expert assessments, afford a holistic, evidence-based reading of the genuine impact of hormonal fluctuations. In the Skinobs database, evaluation managers,
can for free find more than 200 methods related to this question and contact more than 500 testing laboratories worldwide for in vitro and in vivo studies of dermocosmetics or ingredients performances. At the molecular level, the expression of
hydration related genes such as filaggrin and aquaporin 3, or of markers associated with androgenetic alopecia, is monitored. At the biomechanical level, suppleness, rigidity and tissue resistance are quantified to measure the tightening or firming effect. Non-invasive imaging, such as LC-OTC,
Confocal Microscopy, from the centimetre to the nanometre scale, visualizes the epidermis, dermal density, thickness, collagen fibre organisation, water, lipids and the dermo epidermal junction. The design of each protocol in conjunction with contract research organisations, including inclusion criteria, measurement kinetics, treatment conditions and instrumental method, remains decisive.
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE October 2026 Characterizing the menopausal timeline
in vivo represents a further priority. Although post- menopausal alterations are well documented, perimenopause remains poorly characterised in vivo.
The biometric study conducted by Clarins
addresses this gap by examining 121 Caucasian women aged 30 to 65 years, stratified into four groups, namely pre menopause, perimenopause, early menopause (≤5 years) and late menopause (>5 years), with a targeted comparison of perimenopause versus early menopause. The non-invasive parameters assessed,
comprising sebum, transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum hydration, mechanical properties and standardized facial imaging, cover the functions most sensitive to oestrogen deficiency and illustrate the need to characterize the transition as a non-linear continuum rather than as a simple pre to post menopause dichotomy. Beyond biomechanical and barrier parameters, hormonal fluctuations act upon the synthesis and distribution of melanin, thereby modifying complexion. These pigmentary disorders constitute a dermocosmetics target in their own right, calling for dedicated efficacy evaluation strategies.
Conclusion These approaches converge towards precision personalization, supported by next generation of omics technologies that map hormone skin interactions at the systems level. They enable the
identification of predictive biomarkers, molecular signatures and functional pathways underpinning personalized formulation, microbiome modulation and clinically substantiated claims. Whether addressing ageing, radiance,
biomechanical properties or hydration, evaluation methods increasingly favour higher resolution, wider measurement areas, and non-invasive, contactless techniques, with algorithms and statistics emerging as decisive future contributors. By combining classical biometric measurements with advanced devices and specific biomarkers, this hormonally intelligent cosmetic science deepens understanding of skin structure and function, fostering life stage adapted, evidence based positive ageing.
References 1. Le Pillouer-Prost A., Kerob D., Nielsen M., Taieb C., Maitrot Mantelet L. Skin and menopause: women’s point of view. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (JEADV), 2020, vol. 34, n°2.
2. Sherman S. Defining the menopausal transition. Am J Med. 2005;118(12 Suppl 2):3-7.
3. Labrie F, Luu-The V, Labrie C, Pelletier G, El-Alfy M. Intracrinology and the skin. Horm Res. 2000;54:218-29
4. Slominski A, Zbytek B, Nikolakis G, Manna PR, Skobowiat C, Zmijewski M, et al. Steroidogenesis in the skin: implications for local immune functions. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2013;137:107-23
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