How has aging, perimenopause, or menopause affected your style and hygiene ?

[MomWithChinHairs]

Today I had my hair cut and dyed. My hair was long and the natural hair was dark brown. It's now a pixie cut and it's dyed blonde. There were a few factors for the change, one of them is perimenopause and aging. I was getting some grey hairs. My hair was frequently sweaty.

Unless it's a special occasion, I have abandoned dresses, jeans, and skirts. I wear leggings for my fluctuating weight. I were tank tops because of hot flashes, night sweats, and other sweating events.

I feel like I can't do my makeup anymore. So many wrinkles and age spots. My pores are so big and my face is easily sweaty.

Not only that my body, face, and skin is different but my style is changing. Then there is the hygiene aspect for the sweating and body odor. I shower more and use stronger deodorant but I'm scared I'll get smelly around people if I'm not vigilant. This is an interesting time in my life.

@Holluschickie not everyone. I am actually completely against it.

Huh
people are on Mounjaro because they are obese. Because they ate too much over a long period of time. Nobody is on Mounjaro just because of menopausal weight gain.

And insulin resistance in certain ethnicities post menopause. I am of the ethnicity that may qualify at a lower BMI even when we don't ' eat too much" because of that. I am prediabetic at BMI 24.

But this seems to have gone off the topic of S and B, so I will leave it at that.

Am I the only person who still has enough hair for 3 people post menopause?? My hairdresser says it's like trimming a hedge, it grows like crazy. I just figure I'll never have a cold head... at the moment it's cut like Emma Thompson's character in Down Cemetary Road and I'm very happy with spiky hair.

Never taken HRT, haven't noticed any issues with sweating, body odour, or anything else though my anxiety levels did increase as I went into my 50s. My skin has got drier and I'm no longer a size 10, but I work out a fair bit and mostly don't feel any different than I did in my 40s. I've spent my entire life living in jeans and trainers so don't expect that to ever change!

I've always loathed wearing makeup and mainly just stick to tinted moisturiser and eyebrow tinted gel as all the hair on my body seems to have taken up residence on the top of my head so it's a bit sparse elsewhere...

I’m 52 and have always dressed in an ‘alternative’ way, but I would say in the last 5 years or so I have really upped my alternativeness, with ever changing hair colours and body mods!

currently I have bright yellow hair and actually think I look pretty good. I am on HRT and have lost some weight recently.

Very similar to @fiorentina on pg1 - exercise now includes heavy weight-lifting + yoga + swimming; diet is more protein & veg, less carbs, and keeping on top of being hydrated. I barely drink alcohol. As much sleep as I can get. HRT has been a lifesaver for energy levels and mood.

Hair is a little thinner but it's always been very thick so the difference isn't too bad yet. I spend more now on a decent colour & cut, and also getting my nails done. Going to start getting my eyebrows microbladed in the new year. Keeping a set of tweezers in every bag is fine so far for keeping spiky hairs at bay, but open to electrolysis. I'd never go down the fillers route (would rather save for an actual face lift) but also open to a little Botox if that feels suitable. I know everything is changing so I'm keeping an eye to the horizon on what other adjustments I might want.

Skincare - tret through Skin + Me, serums, and heavier moisturisers, also staying on top of body lotion + oily baths. CC cream + eyeshadow sticks over powders, sheer buildable lipstick over cream/mattes. Clothes - less dresses, more horseshoe jeans and fitted tops (to show off my new muscles). Also finding I'm more drawn to woody/incense and citrus perfumes over florals - not sure if that's a changing body chemistry thing.

I'm late 40s, and I feel so much stronger and more attractive now than I did in my mid-30s when I was softer and less confident. Love clothes and make-up, love working out, and have spent a lot of the past 2 years properly getting in shape - cannot fathom wanting to go down the 'fuck it' bag lady route. I work with young people (early-mid 20s) and comparing myself to them will only lead to doom, best thing is to be the best thing for my age as possible.

I am a late peri/meno person, I didn't notice any difference until early 50's. Went in HRT mid 50's.

Biggest change was giving no fucks. Stopped wearing make up, stopped highlighting my hair. I am very blonde anyway, and you know what, no-one noticed! I am now basically platinum blonde.

I am lucky with my skin, No7 creams suffice. My skin is still quite oily. But..... My neck is terrible. A hangover from lots of sun when I was younger and allergies to suncreams available at the time. I also have a lot of moles and SK's which I get zapped every so often.

Clothes, I wear what I have always worn. I'm still stuck in the 1980's, which at the moment means I am bang on trend 😂

Tried on a dress I’ve had from the early 00’s at the weekend. Haven’t worn it for yonks, but think I still look pretty good in it!😎

Nothing stealthy about this boast. Spent far too many years crippled with self doubt and criticism. Will age has come confidence and a ‘fuck it’ attitude which I wish I’d had 20 years ago.

The dress

You look great @bettyfloormop. Such a cute dress! I could match your legs but my mid section lets me down.

Thank you @Holluschickie.. yes honing the bod is much, much harder in peri! My middle definitely isn’t what it was, but I’m finding Pilates really helps to tone things up

That dress looks fantastic!

Age 62, I’m still in good shape but don’t wear revealing clothes anymore as I have lots of SKs all over my body. I have the figure for a bikini but not the skin. I can’t be bothered to do anything-there are far too many and my dh still finds me attractive so it is what it is. My style has definitely changed-as my frown lines get more defined, I’ve decided to embrace my age-so for the first time in my life, I’ve grown my fringe out-nothing to hide behind anymore! Make up is tinted moisturiser, hourglass mascara and lipstick. I dye my hair every few weeks with a semi ash brown colour. Style wise, I love winter dressing as knitwear, boots and wide trousers suit me. Summer less so as I don’t like to show too much skin- dry different to my forties where I would’ve worn a bikini every day if possible. Definitely less is more once I passed the menopause.

Lovely dress @bettyfloormop and you do indeed look good!
I'm late 50s and have recently refound my interest in clothes, colouring my hair etc after many years of just not having the energy or inclination, and today bought my first dress in a long time in TK Maxx. Really happy with it.

I’m loving reading the love and confidence from the women on this thread.
we are all bloody amazing.

Have you had your iron levels checked recently?? Your symptoms sound very like mine were, including the muscle aches, and fatigue leading to migraine. Taking iron supplements (prescribed, high strength) after realising my iron levels were low, put a stop to my symptoms in a matter of days.

I'm nearly 50 and no sign of peri yet that I've noticed. I henna my hair to keep it a similar colour to before the greys started to kick in!

I got pretty chubby over the course of having my children in my late thirties and early forties, but I've been slowly losing it since my youngest was born 5 years ago, and am now at my pre-baby weight again. So I look and feel better now than I have in over a decade. I've re-embraced the quirky style I had in my twenties. Loving the gorgeous photo upthread! I too have found a few things I had from about 25 years ago, and loving wearing them again!

My skin is good still (very fair, never smoked or sun-bathed), no jowls or wrinkles. I only use (natural) soap and a natural moisturiser on my face. I use natural deodorants like fussy too, and have for over ten years. I use a skin tint instead of foundation, and I always wear blusher and mascara. Eyeliner for more special occasions.

I walk every day, and swim every week. I intend to start using weights soon I think, especially after the weight loss.

I’m late 50s , post menopausal and I’ve changed very little . I’ve not opted for HRT , the menopause for me was a few hot flushes . I’ve never really worn make up and I’ve never coloured my hair so I’ve gone a very nice shade of blonde/ grey which most people think is dyed . The only real change I’ve noticed is that my hair doesn’t get greasy anymore and it really doesn’t look any different whether I wash it once a day , once a week or once a month - it seems to be self cleaning . I’ve lost over 3 stones in the last 14 months by eating low carb so feel pretty good about where I am ( normal bmi) .

I never put on weight, but obviously have other problems - my teeth started going home despite not drinking, smoking or eating sweets. Quite rapidly. 😖
The night sweats are the worst. Don't like tight clothes, the best would be not to feel them at all.
Cut my hair short.
That would be all, for now. Never any HRT. 🤢

I wear wigs anyways, never been attractive (somewhat of a blessing) and I'm an 80s girl anyways with a bit of punk thrown in and the only other concession I've made or would make is mostly wearing lower heels. The hair issue is really more down to the pandemic.

Forgot to mention, as to skin, can't see any issues tbh, no crows feet but being mixed race is probably why. I'm lucky not to look my age anyways but otherwise I do it on purpose.

I am with you on all this. Add in a prolapse and it’s even better.😢

Perimenopause is a nightmare for me, especially the hot flushes. Changes I’ve made:

• Stopped wearing dresses and skirts for work as I can’t bear tights
• Layered tops so I can take off a layer if I overheat
• Cotton bra liners
• Hair always tied up/back

Great idea for a thread op. I can relate to so much on here!

@Somethingsnapped would you mind sharing what face soap, moisturizer and skin tint you use?

My skin had definitely got drier and more itchy in the last year or so. I love bar soap to keep me fresh and use coconut or almond oil on my body to stop the itching.

I've just swapped from sure roll on to wild deodorant as my armpits were getting itchy too!

Even worse than menopause is when you have elderly relatives to care for, then you live in dirty trainers,leggings,scraped back hair and no frills… that when life gets hard….

I'm now 61 and can't have HRT tablets due to previous cancer. Can only use oestrogen cream "down there" to help with dryness. Sex life is almost non existant as the dryness makes it painful and I get frequent UTI's I no longer have a bum, it's moved round and is now the tummy I never used to have 😂. I look in a mirror and don't recognize myself. Ten years on I still get horrible sweats and feel as if I constantly need a shower. Oh and don't get me started on "urge" incontinence. I'm so paranoid I leak a tiny bit and other people can smell me. I hate hate hate this never ending menopause!