Five Micro-Algae-Powered Actives to Support The Skin Through Menopause

October marks Menopause Awareness month to raise awareness and support for those navigating their journey, held annually on the 18^th October.

As one of our valued partners, we teamed up with ALGAKTIV to discover the needs of those experiencing menopause in relation to the effects on their skin and five micro-algae-powered actives to help during the transition.

But first, what is Menopause?

Menopause is defined as experiencing 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, leading to the permanent end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Although it can happen sooner (perimenopause), in the UK and US typically occurs between ages 45 and 55 (with an average of 51 years).¹

What are the effects of Menopause?

As oestrogen declines and cortisol rises, there are many bodily changes, from hot flushes, sleep issues, mood changes and vaginal dryness². Not to mention the effects this can have on our skin.

How Does Going Through Menopause affect the skin?

We have natural oestrogen receptors in the skin that govern many things from collagen synthesis, fibroblast activity, hyaluronic acid, to barrier-lipid synthesis and antioxidant defence. When Oestrogen levels fall and cortisol rises it effects cell renewal, causes erosion in the collagen and elastin matrix, depletes barrier lipids and aquaporins, structural density and repair capacity fall, and melanocyte signalling turns erratic.

Especially with regard to Collagen during this transition, it’s claimed that 30% of skin collagen is lost within the first 5 years after menopause (most of it in the first 1–2 years)³

Five Micro-Algae-Powered Actives to Support The Skin Through Menopause

There are five pillars that ALGAKTIV have explored to navigate the changes of Menopause on the skin, and these are:

1.       Regeneration

2.       Dermal Rebuilding

3.       Hydration & Plumping

4.       Barrier Recovery

5.       Hormonal & Age-Related Pigmentation

Regeneration with ALGAKTIV Exometics G^TM

 If we look at regeneration as the first pillar, this is where ALGAKTIV Exometics™ G comes to the rescue. Its vegan biomimetic exosomes that resupply the growth factor and antioxidant signalling that the loss of oestrogen no longer provides.

Tested on women 35-55 years old (same window as menopause begins), it resulted in +229% skin firmness, +311% skin elasticity (both by day 28) and 2.2 years younger periocular wrinkle depth in 14 days (vs biological age curve).

Dermal Rebuilding with ALGAKTIV®  RetinART

Next up is ALGAKTIV® RetinART, a RARβ-selective bio-retinoid that rebuilds collagen I/III without the irritation. As menopausal skin is both thinner and barrier-compromised, a classic retinoid could run the risk of ‘retinol burn’ when all RAR receptors are activated. With ALGAKTIV® RetinART, it selectively and partially activates only RARβ (the remodelling receptor), leaving RARα/γ (permeability, sensitisation) untouched. Essentially, you get the benefits of rebuilding collagen without irritated skin. It has also been proven to outperform retinol in a study on 40-year-olds, with 0 volunteers reporting irritation and 25% better firmness and wrinkle depth improvement vs retinol when using ALGAKTIV® RetinART (day 28).

Hydration & Plumping with ALGAKTIV® Collage

When it comes to menopause, the water-channel and lipid architecture of the skin is compromised due to a decline in oestrogen. ALGAKTIV® Collage is there to help restore the water-holding architecture that oestrogen used to maintain.  Vegan collagen amino acids provide essential building blocks while boosting native collagen production as well as protecting the skin barrier and ensuring long-lasting hydration. Results have shown in a 28-day study on 40- 60-year-olds significant hydration within just 10 minutes, +59.5% barrier integrity, +25-27% AQP3 / AQP5  water-channel content and +40.4% Collagen I (ex vivo).

Barrier Recovery with ALGAKTIV®  RestoreSKN

Throughout Menopause the barrier is compromised for an array of reasons but when we look deeper some of our skin cells experience a sudden shift. Instead of dividing and renewing like normal, healthy cells, they enter a state called cellular senescence. Think of these as zombie cells. They refuse to die, they stop doing their job of repairing your skin barrier, and they stay highly active in the worst way possible. They begin secreting a chemical cocktail known as SASP (Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype). This chemical cocktail contains specific enzymes (called MMPs) which target Collagen Types I and III (the scaffolding that keeps your skin firm) and elastin (what makes your skin snap back). They break the skin’s inner bridge holding both the dermis and the epidermis together and stall your skin’s self-defence, leading to chronic dryness, increased sensitivity and slow healing.

This is where ALGAKTIV® RestoreSKN comes in. Think of this high-performance active ingredient as a cellular reset button for menopausal skin. Instead of just treating the surface, it dives deep to reprogramme skin cells and kickstart their metabolic energy, boosting the natural production of collagen and elastin from within. Exciting new data shows that this smart ingredient directly targets those pesky "zombie cells." It helps clear out cellular clutter, cools down chronic "inflammaging," and coaxes your skin back into a healthy state of self-renewal. It is the ultimate tool for helping your skin repair, rebuild, and rediscover its bounce.

Hormonal & Age-Related Pigmentation with ALGAKTIV® LightSKN

During menopause, hormonal shifts frequently trigger uneven skin tone and dark spots, commonly referred to as menopausal melasma or age spots. With ALGAKTIV® LightSKN Propanediol, it offers advanced microalgae technology for brighter, more even-toned skin. Derived from a particularly amber species, it intelligently modulates melanin production and visibly reduces the appearance of dark spots, while also helping to preserve the natural skin tone and evenness.

So now that we’ve covered all five pillars of skin changes in menopause and how these powerful microalgae actives can support the skin through this transition, we hope this helps in your next formulation to support those in their menopause skin journey.

If you’d like help with creating and selecting the best menopausal ingredients for your next formulation or need help with a brief or product you’d like to launch into the UK market please get in touch. At Adina, we specialise in advice on ingredient selection, formulation guidance, what’s trending in the market, regulatory advice, UK manufacturing and more.

Sources:

1 - https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/17-NEW-BMS-TfC-What-is-the-menopause-JAN2026-A.pdf

2 - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause-and-perimenopause/symptoms/

3 - Brincat MP et al., Climacteric (2005)