“Menstrual cycles are a vital sign of our overall health. This is something that Western medicine, biomedicine, Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine can all agree on: Periods are a monthly report card about what’s going on in our bodies,” says menstrual wellness expert, psychologist, and herbalist Lulu Ge, founder of the menstrual and hormone care brand Elix. “Rather than viewing them as a burden, if we get curious about them, we can unlock so much more potential and information about how to live our lives.” But we also talked about how you can care for your skin during your cycle—here, her best tip. And the most common reaction for folks who see clogged pores and shiny T-zones is to reach for drying or exfoliating products (like astringent toners, scrubs, or acids). But Ge says this is the time you should actually be going gentler on the skin—not harsher. “When you start your period, your skin is at your most sensitive. So this is actually the time you should take a break and give your skin some space to rest,” she says, noting that you should do the same for yourself too. And after your period—when you’re seeing an influx of estrogen—is “actually a great time for all the peels and treatments to bring out that fresher side of your skin,” she says. “It’s actually when your skin can handle it too. That way, you’re not overdoing it and causing further irritation to the skin.” For more menstrual health tips, tune in to the episode here.
