The Peri-Menopause

Perimenopause is the phase before menopause actually takes place. On the run up to menopause, ovarian hormone production begins to decline and fluctuate, this cause a range of different symptoms including:

• Hot flashes
• Breast soreness
• Weight gain
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Irregular periods
• Loss of libido
• Dry vagina
• Feelings of fatigue and exhaustion
• Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
• Feelings of apprehension or dread
• Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
• Muscle tension and aches
• Irregular or rapid heart beat
• Headaches
• Indigestion, heartburn bloating and gas
• Irritability or lack of patience

Disguising Hot Flashes

A hot flash or hot flush causes a sensation of heat that flushes over your body, particularly noticeable in your chest, head neck and face. Sweating typically occurs at the same time often followed by a chill feeling. Some women also experience rapid heart beat and feelings of anxiety.

Flashes can last anywhere between 30 seconds and several minutes. How often they happen varies. Because hot flashes can disrupt your social life and your work life, you may want to find ways to disguise them as much as possible. Using a foundation with a slightly olive tone will help hide traces of you're your chest face and head flushing on your face and neck.

The hot flashes that occur during perimenopause have been known to cause rosacea in some women. Rosacea is a skin disorder which manifests as skin redness and inflamed sores which may occur all over the face. A concealing foundation is the best choice for hiding the redness and dilated blood vessels of rosacea. Alight base with an SPF o f at least 20 sun protections and a gentle polyhydroxy (PHA) to help prevent and correct photo-damage are important factors in rosacea.

Hiding Signs of Fatigue

All too often dark circles beneath the eyes are a dead give away of a poor night's sleep. While treating the cause will stop them from coming back, meanwhile you will need to do something to cover them up. Concealer pens are the most convenient option. Just find one to match your skin tone and smooth it in. It you want something a little lighter you can use a powder or light foundation.

You can make your eyes look brighter after you have applied your make-up by using a pink pencil to draw 3 to 4 short strokes in the area between the bridge of your nose and the inner corner of your eye where dark shadows linger. Also, draw a light line from the outer corner of your eye up and toward the end of your brow. Do not over blend.