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LET'S TALK ABOUT

the chaos behind my period skin

By Nina, hormone-fueled, pimple-prone and emotionally attached to her mist

No one warned me that getting your period would also mean your skin gets a personality disorder once a month. One day I’m glowing, the next I’m battling hormonal breakouts like it’s 2013 and I’ve just discovered makeup wipes. Pimples that hurt. Oil that doesn’t quit. Random dry patches that show up just to be rude. And let’s not even mention the chin cyst that announces my cycle before my tracker does. So I decided to get curious, not just frustrated. Why does my skin go full chaos mode during my cycle? And more importantly: what can I actually do about it?

LET'S TALK ABOUT the chaos behind my period skin

Your hormones called. They’re the plot twist.

Turns out, your skin isn’t trying to ruin your life. It’s just reacting to the hormonal rollercoaster happening behind the scenes.

Here’s the simplified breakdown:

  • Before your period (aka luteal phase): Estrogen drops, progesterone rises → oil production ramps up, pores clog, skin gets inflamed.
  • During your period: Estrogen + progesterone = low → skin is dry, dull, sensitive.
  • After your period: Hormones start rising again → skin is glowier, calmer, more resilient.

Translation? Your skin needs totally different things depending on the week. Which explains why your “holy grail” routine suddenly stops working mid-month.

What I actually do (Instead of panicking)

I used to throw every acid, patch, and clay mask I owned at my face when I broke out pre-period. Spoiler: it made things worse.

Now? I’ve got a gentler plan. One that listens to my skin, not fights it.

Week before my period (Breakout Week):

  • I swap in a barrier-friendly jelly cleanser that calms without stripping
  • I go easy on actives, but keep niacinamide and zinc to balance oil
  • And yes, I mist like it’s a reflex (because inflammation = dehydration too)

During my period (Dry/Sensitive Week):

  • I avoid anything exfoliating
  • I use a jelly cream with hydrating, cooling ingredients like panthenol or aloe
  • I keep things simple and skinimalist, no layering chaos

Week after (Bounce-Back Week):

  • This is when I reintroduce my glow-boosting actives
  • I still stick with jelly textures, because they’re always a yes

The takeaway? Your skin isn’t inconsistent . Your cycle is.

Once I stopped blaming my skin and started syncing with it, things got easier.

I stopped punishing my face for reacting and started adapting instead.

Now, I treat my cycle like a skincare map:

I prep before the storm, soothe during it, and ride the glow after. No guilt. No panic. Just support.

Because the truth is: hormonal skin isn’t a flaw. It’s just biology. And when you give it what it needs — hydration, calm, softness — it stops fighting back.

So if your skin changes with your cycle… maybe your routine should too.

Trust me: your barrier will thank you. Your pimples might even chill.

And that mist you can’t live without? Don’t ever let her go.