Beauty

How Your Hormones Affect Your Skin

Published

1 year ago

24 July 2025

Ever wondered why your skin breaks out before your period? That “pregnancy glow” isn’t a mirage after all? It might not be your beauty regimen’s fault — it could very well be your hormones. Yes, those tiny messengers in your bloodstream have a bigger impact on your skin than you might think.

Dry spots are replaced with dark spots and premature lines, your hormones are typically in charge behind the scenes.

Puberty: When It All Starts

hormone levels start to rise. As your body’s androgen levels rise, your oil glands become more active, producing excess oil that can clog your pores and lead to breakouts. The excess oil can clog your pores, leading to breakouts.

For many, these teenage breakouts settle down over time. However, for some women, hormonal fluctuations can continue to trigger acne well beyond the high school years.

Your Cycle This Month: Skin on a Schedule

If you’ve ever noticed breakouts popping up right before your period, you’re definitely not imagining things. In those days leading up to your cycle, estrogen and progesterone levels take a dip while testosterone stays steady — and that shift can throw your skin off balance.

Your skin might get drier, which can lead to clogged pores, especially around your chin, cheeks, or jawline. It’s all part of the hormonal rollercoaster your body rides each month — and your skin’s just along for it too.

Not poor hygiene, dirty skin, says Dr. Ifeoma Adeyemi, a dermatologist in Lagos. “It’s how hormones shift throughout the month.”

Pregnancy: The Glow and the Grit

During pregnancy, rising estrogen and progesterone levels—along with increased blood flow—can give your skin that characteristic “pregnancy glow.” But not all transformation is so. Many women experience melasma, those blotchy dark spots prone to showing up on the face as a result of a mix of hormones and sun, appear on many women during pregnancy. The good news? It’s totally normal—and with the proper skincare and daily sun protection, you can manage it.

Menopause: When Skin Needs Extra Love

As estrogen levels drop at menopause, your skin might become drier, thinner, and more delicate. You might discover that it does not bounce back the way it used to, and your face loses a bit of its natural plumpness. It’s all normal, but it also means that your skin can use a little extra moisture and care.

Estrogen keeps the skin hydrated and stretchy, says Dr. Adeyemi. So when estrogen declines, skin loses the healthy, young look.

When Hormones Go Off-Track

There are times when hormones can go off balance and affect your skin. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), for instance, can cause higher androgen levels, leading to chronic acne, facial hair, and hair thinning in women

Disorders with the thyroid — restless or underactive — can also impact your skin. It may get drier, coarser, or cold-sensitive.

So, What Can You Do?

Start by paying attention. When you notice a pattern — for instance, when you get breakouts during the same time every month or when skin issues do not heal with normal products — then you are likely to explore a bit deeper.

A consultation with a dermatologist is a good first step. Dermatologists can advise on whether your skin problems follow a hormonal pattern, and can refer you to an endocrinologist or women’s health doctor. Treatment might include topical creams, hormonal therapy, diet changes, or stress management, since cortisol (your stress hormone) also affects your skin.

Conclusion

Good skin isn’t just about what you put on your face; it’s also about what’s happening inside your body. What you put on your face; Hormones play a big role in how your skin looks and feels, often without you even realising it.

Beauty

Venita Akpofure Debuts Bold New Blonde Hair

Published

2 weeks ago

24 September 2026

Laju Odogwu

Photo: Instagram/@veezeebaybeh

Venita Akpofure has gone blonde. The actress and reality TV star shared the new colour in a set of four Instagram photos on her page.

The hair is a golden honey blonde, darker at the roots and lighter toward the tips. She wore it shoulder-length and swept to one side, with loose, rounded waves that curled outward at the ends. The waves are thick and bouncy, so the hair sits wide around her face. The volume sat at the crown and sides, and the sweep lifts the hair off her face to show off her pearl drop earrings.

Photo: Instagram/@veezeebaybeh

At the all-white party where Venita debuted her blonde hair, she wore a sleeveless white feather mini dress with a high halter neck by Everyday by Andra. The feathers covered the dress from the neck to the hem, and ended at the upper thigh. Frontiers Brand handled her styling for the night, and she carried a glittery silver clutch. The colour is a big switch for Venita, who is known for going with darker shades.

The blonde hair was a wig from Laposhair, styled by Hair Smiles. Opulen Dabota did her makeup in neutral tones with a glossy lip, and Gwendilara handled her photos.

Photo: Instagram/@veezeebaybeh

She captioned the post with “If you’re going to ruffle feathers, at least look good whilst doing it.” She added, “Sweet enough to approach. Dangerous enough to reconsider.” and she also thanked Pretty Mike of Lagos and Tosin Akinbo. The caption did not say if she plans to keep the colour beyond the party.

The blonde waves happens to also be a big change for Venita, who is known for going with darker shades. Back in June, she posted some photos with her dark hair pulled into a high ponytail.

Beauty

Meet Nigeria’s Miss World 2026 Representative, Tamunosoye Karibi-George

Published

2 months ago

12 August 2026

Destiny Echobu

Photo: Instagram/@soye_kg

Tamunosoye Karibi-George is a 26-year-old Nigerian beauty queen currently representing the country at the 75th Miss World festival in Vietnam, competing for the international title.

Karibi-George earned the national crown on June 6 at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, where she won the crown after competing against 19 other contestants under the theme “Pride, Power, and Purpose.”

Photo: Instagram/@soye_kg

Although she represented Bayelsa State in the national competition, Karibi-George is a native of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She is a communications professional who studied at Madonna University, Okija, and is an associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

She had already gained international pageant experience before winning the Miss World Nigeria crown in 2024.

A key part of her profile is her work with children with disabilities and special needs. Through her initiative, Beyond Labels, she advocates for inclusion, dignity and opportunities for children. The project aims to create spaces where children can develop their talents and pursue their ambitions.

Photo: Instagram/@soye_kg

Her advocacy has continued to promote the cause since winning the national title. In June, she met with the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, to discuss ways of expanding Beyond Labels and creating possible partnerships for the initiative.

Karibi-George arrived in Vietnam ahead of the 75th anniversary edition of the Miss World Festival, which runs from August 9 to September 5, 2026. The grand final is scheduled for September 5 in Nha Trang.

Photo: Instagram/@soye_kg

She takes over the Miss World Nigeria title from Joy Mojisola Raimi, who represented Nigeria at the previous edition, reaching the Top 20 and finishing among the Top Five contestants from Africa.

Ahead of her departure, Karibi-George described the trip as an opportunity to represent Nigeria’s culture and values while continuing to promote the Beyond Labels initiative.

Beauty

Laetitia Ky Is Turning Natural Hair into Sculptural Art

Published

2 months ago

11 August 2026

Fadire Olusola

Photo: Instagram/@laetitiaky

Laetitia Ky has transformed natural hair into a unique art form. The artist uses her hair to create sculptures exploring African identity, feminism and women’s experiences.

She was born in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in 1996, and grew up surrounded by women who braided their hair. Ky learnt braids from a young age before entering in fashion. After high school, she gradually returned to wearing her natural hair and began experimenting with different styles.

Photo: Instagram/@laetitiaky

Ky’s work gained attention through social media al media, where she began sharing photographs of her sculptural hairstyles. She has since turned her hair into objects, figures and other forms.

Ky uses her natural hair together with extensions, thread and wire to create her sculptures. Depending on the design, a piece takes 30 minutes to six hours. She then captures the finished work using a camera and tripod.

Photo: Instagram/@laetitiaky

Her inspiration is connected to African hair traditions. Ky has seen images of historical African hairstyles and was amazed by their complexity.

Moreover, her art talks about the complicated relationship many Black women have with their natural hair. Ky has described growing up in an environment where straight hair was a standard influenced by colonial ideas. She eventually turned that experience into an exploration of natural hair, identity and self-acceptance.

Photo: Instagram/@laetitiaky

Ky has used her hair to address subjects including sexism, violence against women, politics and problems affecting women and girls.

Ky has collaborated with Marc Jacobs, creating hair sculptures for promotional images featuring the brand’s products.

Photo: Instagram/@laetitiaky

Ky works can be found in her book Love & Justice, which shows photographs of her hair sculptures. In one project, she worked with her younger sister Florencia, creating sculptural hairstyles that represented their close relationship and trust.