What Your Skin’s Telling You About Your Hormones & Energy Levels

Our skin is more than just a protective layer — it’s a reflection of what’s happening inside our bodies. In traditional Chinese medicine, the face is seen as a map: every line, breakout, or patch of redness is like a clue pointing to your internal health and energy flow. And as we enter our 40s (hello perimenopause, hormonal shifts, and energy fluctuations), these skin messages become even more important to understand.

Let’s dive into what your skin might be telling you — about your hormones, your energy levels, and the simple steps you can take to restore balance.

Breakouts in Adult Age: Hormonal Chaos or Energy Blockages?

You might have thought that spots were something you’d left behind in your teens. Many women experience adult acne, particularly around the jawline, chin, and mouth. In Chinese face reading, this lower-face area links directly to the reproductive system and hormonal balance.

• What it signals: Fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone (common in your 40s), high stress, or sluggish digestion.

• Energy perspective: Stagnation in the liver or kidney meridians can show up as stubborn breakouts.

• What to do: Support hormone balance through nourishing foods (think leafy greens, omega-rich oils), reduce stress where you can, and add gentle circulation-boosting practices like gua sha to encourage lymphatic flow.

Dryness: A Sign of Yin Deficiency

If your skin feels tight, flaky, or rough despite using creams, this could be more than just surface-level dehydration. In Chinese medicine, dryness is often linked to a yin deficiency — meaning your body lacks the cooling, nourishing, and moistening energy it needs.

• What it signals: Hormonal changes, especially declining oestrogen, which naturally reduces skin oils and elasticity.

• Energy perspective: The lungs and kidneys are connected to hydration and yin balance; when these energies are depleted, skin loses its plumpness.

• What to do: Focus on hydrating inside and out — sip warm herbal teas, eat water-rich foods (like cucumber and pears), and use a hydrating essence or oil serum to lock in moisture.

Redness & Rosacea: Fire Energy Rising

Persistent redness, flushing, or rosacea can feel frustrating, but they’re important signals. In face reading, redness indicates excess heat in the body.

• What it signals: Stress, perimenopausal hot flushes, or inflammation caused by diet (spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol).

• Energy perspective: This is often “fire” energy rising, particularly from the liver or heart, overwhelming your system.

• What to do: Calm the heat by choosing cooling foods (such as green leafy vegetables, melon, and mint), prioritising rest, and practising a calming face massage to soothe and strengthen the skin barrier.

Sun Spots: The Story of Energy Flow Over Time

Pigmentation and sun spots usually become more visible in your 40s. In Chinese face reading, darkened areas are thought to reflect energy blockages or accumulated stress over time.

• What it signals: Past sun exposure, hormonal shifts (especially oestrogen fluctuations), or slow cell renewal.

• Energy perspective: Spots on the cheeks often link to the stomach and lungs — suggesting digestive weakness or difficulty processing stress.

• What to do: Protect your skin daily with SPF, use antioxidant-rich skincare (like lingonberry or berry extracts), and gently exfoliate to encourage healthy turnover.

Dehydration: Energy Not Circulating

Dehydration is different from dryness — it’s a lack of water in the skin rather than oil. You’ll notice dullness, fine lines, and a feeling that no cream is quite enough.

• What it signals: Not drinking enough water, too much caffeine/alcohol, or barrier damage. In your 40s, declining hyaluronic acid production in the skin makes this worse.

• Energy perspective: In Chinese medicine, dehydration often points to imbalances in the stomach and spleen energy — the systems that help distribute moisture.

• What to do: Drink fluids steadily through the day, eat foods like oats and root vegetables that nourish spleen energy, and layer hydration with a water-based essence followed by oil to seal it in.

Dull Skin: Low Qi

When your skin lacks that healthy glow, it’s often your body’s way of saying your qi (life force energy) is running low.

• What it signals: Stress, fatigue, poor sleep, or overwork (sound familiar?).

• Energy perspective: In face reading, dullness across the whole face indicates weak qi — your body isn’t circulating enough energy to bring colour and radiance to your skin.

• What to do: Prioritise rest, consider gentle breathwork or yoga, and boost your circulation with regular gua sha or acupressure massage. Topically, choose products rich in vitamins C and E to revive glow.

Sagging Skin: The Natural Decline of Collagen & Qi

Loss of firmness and elasticity is one of the most noticeable changes in our 40s. From a Western perspective, it’s linked to reduced collagen and elastin production. From a Chinese medicine view, it reflects declining qi and kidney energy.

• What it signals: Ageing, stress, and reduced hormone levels (oestrogen is key for skin plumpness).

• Energy perspective: The kidneys govern vitality and longevity; when their energy declines, it shows as sagging or slackness in the face.

• What to do: Support collagen with nutrient-rich foods (bone broth, beans, seeds), practise regular face massage to lift and tone, and use firming oils or balms to restore suppleness.

Listening to Your Skin

The beauty of Chinese face reading is that it teaches us to view skin not just as a cosmetic issue, but as a guide to our inner wellbeing. Your skin is whispering clues about your hormones, your energy, and even your stress levels.

Instead of fighting these changes with endless products, think of it as a conversation. Nourish your body, balance your energy, and choose skincare that supports — rather than overwhelms — your skin.

Growing older isn't about losing youth. It's about reconnecting with your body’s wisdom and working with it to glow in new, deeper ways.

Sending love,

Jenny, the founder of Jenny Nordic Skincare

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