The skin-health connection

I’ve been learning a lot about HRT recently (which is a whole other newsletter), but one of the things that really struck me is that it’s often administered transdermally, ie. with a patch, gel or spray that absorbs the oestrogen through your skin. The fact that something you put on your skin has such an impact on the hormones in your whole system made me think again about what’s actually in the products that I have slathered all over my face and body every day since I was about 12. 

To be honest, I never really gave a thought to the chemicals on my skin (our largest organ) until the first time I was pregnant. All of a sudden, I was concerned that the cream I was rubbing into my tummy to prevent stretch marks might be absorbed by my growing baby. Realising what a wild west the world of beauty ingredients can be, I pitched an investigation into it at a monthly magazine ideas meeting. 

My editor r…