The products featured in the story were distributed at a recent Hey Perry menopause event, which Everyday Health cosponsored. Products were selected on the basis of recommendations from members of the Hey Perry online community. They were not vetted by medical experts.
Hormonal changes during menopause and perimenopause — the time leading up to menopause in which the ovaries release eggs less frequently and produce less estrogen — can bring on a range of uncomfortable symptoms.
These symptoms aren’t always permanent, and there are tons of ways to ease things like bladder leaks, vaginal dryness, and thinning hair. Here are eight products that can make the transition easier.
Asutra Melt Pain Away Body Butter
A meta-analysis of 16 studies that included more than 18,000 women, published in 2020 in the journal Neural Plasticity, found that more than 70 percent of perimenopausal women reported musculoskeletal pain, which can affect the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, nerves, or muscles. They also found that post-menopausal women had a risk for musculoskeletal pain similar to perimenopausal women, but that the rate of pain was much lower in women who were premenopausal.
This lotion made our list because it includes capsaicin, a topical pain reliever derived from chili peppers. According to the Mayo Clinic, capsaicin can specifically relieve a type of pain called neuralgia (shooting or burning pain in the nerves). A randomized clinical trial published in 2020 in the journal Health and Nursing found that topical capsaicin could be used in place of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat musculoskeletal pain. The study included 119 patients who were admitted to the emergency room with acute pain and no fractures and were either given a topical NSAID cream or a topical capsaicin cream. The creams were administered to the patients in the emergency room, and they were sent home with samples and told to reapply and record their pain on a scale of 1 to 10 over the following 72 hours. At the end of the study, nearly 85 percent of people in the capsaicin group reported pain reduction of more than 50 percent, compared with 60 percent of the NSAID group.
$26 at Asutra.com
Become by Femography Clothing
Become’s entire line of tops, bottoms, sleepwear, and intimates are designed to keep you cool during hot flashes — one of the most iconic symptoms of menopause. Become clothing is made from silky, breathable fabrics that are meant to reduce odor from sweating, wick moisture, cool the skin, and remove heat instead of trapping it against the body.
Hot flashes can last for years during the menopause transition, according to the National Institute on Aging. The sudden bursts of internal heat are caused by hormonal shifts during and following menopause, according to the Mayo Clinic. There are both hormonal and nonhormonal treatments that can take the edge off, but dressing appropriately for hot flashes will help you through it, too.
Prices vary; BecomeClothing.com
The Grownup Moisturizer by Caire Beauty
Caire Beauty is a Black- and women-owned business with a line of skin-care products geared toward older women. This moisturizer doesn’t address symptoms of menopause, per se, but rather signs of aging that also occur around the time menopause does.
As we get older, the outer layer of our skin thins. Changes in connective tissue cause the skin to lose strength and elasticity, according to the MedlinePlus. Over time, exposure to sun and environmental pollutants also causes oxidative damage to the skin. According to a study published in 2021 in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, oxidative stress “can exacerbate skin pigmentation and aging, inducing changes in skin complexion homogeneity, wrinkling, sagging, dryness, and roughness.”
Among other ingredients, this face, neck, and chest moisturizer contains hydrating hyaluronic acid, as well as vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant, which can counteract some of the oxidative damage accrued through years of sun and pollutant exposure, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
$42–$88 at CaireBeauty.com
The Crown Pleaser Thickening Hair Mask by Stripes
The actor Naomi Watts created Stripes when she was caught off-guard by early menopause. “I'd wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. My skin was dry and itchy. My hormones were all over the place. I remember feeling so confused and alone, like I didn’t have control over my own body,” she wrote on the company's website.
Hair loss is a common symptom of menopause, whether that be thinning hair or a complete loss of hair in patches. According to Cleveland Clinic, that’s because during menopause, estrogen and progesterone (the female hormones) levels fall, amplifying the effects of androgen (the male hormone). This causes hair follicles to shrink and produce finer hairs that are more prone to falling out. Hair treatments like this one, that specifically focus on thickening and moisturizing hair, can help hair look and feel more like it did before menopause.
$40 on Iamstripes.com
Revaree by Bonafide
Vaginal dryness is another uncomfortable symptom that can occur during, before, and after menopause, says American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). When this happens in the vaginal canal, it can make sex painful and lead to other problems such as tears and infections.
These vaginal inserts are a hormone-free option that can help provide relief from vaginal dryness. They’re meant to be used at night every two to three days and contain hyaluronic acid, a slippery substance the body makes on its own. Hyaluronic acid is good at retaining water, which makes it a powerful moisturizer, cites the Cleveland Clinic.
$42–$62 per month at Hellobonafide.com
SweetSpot Labs Rescue Balm
Vaginal dryness isn’t just in the vaginal canal; dryness can also affect the vulva and outer skin, which can cause irritation, burning, and pain during sex, according to ACOG. This lotion is hypoallergenic and designed to be used externally on the vagina and anus to relieve itching and dryness.
$25 at Sweetspotlabs.com
Oh My Glide Play Oil by Stripes
This is another external vaginal moisturizing product designed to be used anytime, but especially during intimacy. Primarily a lubricant, it shouldn’t be used with latex products, and it contains coconut oil, which can be a problem for those who are allergic to nuts.
$40 on Iamstripes.com
Go Go Liners by Womaness
Fluctuating hormone levels can also cause potential bladder leaks. According to the North American Menopause Society, the drop in estrogen levels before and after menopause can cause the lining of the urethra to thin. At the same time, aging can cause the surrounding pelvic muscles to weaken. This combo can lead to surprise urine leakage. These liners are discrete, which makes them packable, but stronger than panty liners, which aren’t meant for bladder leaks. They’re also made from sustainable, nontoxic materials.
$8.99 for 22 at Womaness.com
Kara Smythe, MD
Medical Reviewer
Kara Smythe, MD, has been working in sexual and reproductive health for over 10 years. Dr. Smythe is a board-certified fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and her interests include improving maternal health, ensuring access to contraception, and promoting sexual health.
She graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University with a bachelor's degree in biology and earned her medical degree from St. George’s University in Grenada. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She worked in Maine for six years, where she had the privilege of caring for an underserved population.
Smythe is also passionate about the ways that public health policies shape individual health outcomes. She has a master’s degree in population health from University College London and recently completed a social science research methods master's degree at Cardiff University. She is currently working on her PhD in medical sociology. Her research examines people's experiences of accessing, using, and discontinuing long-acting reversible contraception.
When she’s not working, Smythe enjoys dancing, photography, and spending time with her family and her cat, Finnegan.
