Key Takeaways

• Skin may feel drier, look less firm, or react more easily during perimenopause, and one product rarely covers all three, so matching each step to the change you notice tends to work better than hunting for a single answer.

• For skin that feels dry, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests a moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid or Glycerin, and all eight formulas below list at least one of them.

• If your skin has started to react to products it used to tolerate, a fragrance-free formula may be a gentler place to start. Seven of the eight entries here list no fragrance in their ingredients.

• For the look of firmness, a moisturizer with Retinol or Peptides may be worth adding, introduced slowly if your skin has been feeling more sensitive.

• Daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is part of the AAD’s guidance for this stage, and it may help keep visible dark spots from becoming more noticeable over time.

What Changes in Skin During Perimenopause, and What Skincare Can Do

Perimenopause, the stretch of years leading up to menopause, is when many people first notice their skin behaving differently. A moisturizer that used to be enough may leave your face feeling tight by noon, a cleanser you’ve used for years may start to sting, and your skin can look less firm than it did.

Skin changes at plenty of points in life, and this is one of them. A 2026 review in Clinics in Dermatology counts dry-looking skin, visible sagging, and more visible wrinkling among the changes it describes during this transition, and the American Academy of Dermatology notes that skin can become more easily irritated around the same stage. So there isn’t one “perimenopause product.” What tends to help is matching each step to the change you’re seeing: a comforting, fragrance-free moisturizer for visible dryness and reactivity, a Retinol or peptide step for the look of firmness, daily SPF, and body care for dryness that doesn’t stop at the jawline. Skincare works on how your skin looks and feels. For questions about perimenopause itself, talk to a doctor.

The eight products below cover face care, body care, and the SPF step. We compared them on what they offer dry-feeling skin, whether fragrance appears in the ingredient list, ingredients for the look of firmness, format and where each one goes, and price per size.

At a Glance

• ALASTIN Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer with TriHex Technology®: a face moisturizer with Peptides, Oat Kernel Extract, and no fragrance listed, for dry-feeling, easily irritated skin

• Paula’s Choice CLINICAL Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer: a night moisturizer with Retinol, Vitamin C, and five Ceramides for the look of firmness

• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Moisturizing Cream: a short, preservative-free formula for skin that reacts easily

• Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane: a lighter everyday cream for readers who find rich formulas heavy

• EltaMD UV Daily Hydration+ SPF 50: a hydrating daily sunscreen with Zinc Oxide and Hyaluronic Acid

• The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum: a low-cost hydrating serum to layer under any moisturizer

• Nécessaire The Body Lotion (Fragrance-Free): a Niacinamide and peptide lotion for dry-feeling skin on the body

• StriVectin Crepe Control® Tightening Body Cream: a butter-rich body cream for crepey-looking skin on the arms, legs, and elsewhere on the body

How We Compared These Products

We read each product’s ingredient list and directions on the brand’s own site. We did not test them on skin.

• What it offers dry-feeling skin: the AAD suggests a moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid or Glycerin when skin feels dry, so we looked for humectants like these, plus richer ingredients, such as Shea Butter or Squalane, that help skin feel more comfortable.

• Fragrance in the ingredient list: the AAD recommends a fragrance-free moisturizer for skin that becomes easily irritated, so we checked every full ingredient list rather than the front of the box.

• Ingredients for the look of firmness: the AAD mentions Retinol and Peptides for readers bothered by the look of sagging or wrinkles, so we noted which formulas carry either and how the brand says to use them.

• Format and where it goes: a face cream, a serum, a sunscreen, and a body lotion do different jobs, and visible dryness can reach the arms and legs, so the list covers all four.

• Price per size: the entries run from $13 to $98, and a product you’ll use twice a day is only worth it if you can keep buying it.

Perimenopause Skincare Compared

Prices and sizes are from each brand’s US site in September 2026.

1. ALASTIN Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer with TriHex Technology®

This face moisturizer is the closest match on the list to all three changes this guide is built around: ALASTIN lists dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles, and sensitive skin as its skin concerns. The formula pairs Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, part of what the brand calls TriHex Technology®, with Oat Kernel Extract, Linoleic Acid, and Phospholipids over a base of Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride and Glycerin. No fragrance appears in its ingredient list, which may matter if your face has started reacting to products it used to handle without complaint. ALASTIN directs one pump morning and evening, so it’s easy to slot in after a serum and before SPF.

Best for: Dry-feeling, easily irritated skin, when you’d also like Peptides in the moisturizer step.

Key ingredients: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Oat Kernel Extract, Linoleic Acid, Glycerin.

Price: $98 for 2.0 fl oz (59.1 mL).

Worth knowing: It’s the most expensive entry here, at roughly three times the price of the La Roche-Posay cream at #3, which also lists no fragrance.

2. Paula’s Choice CLINICAL Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer

If the change you notice most is the look of firmness, this night moisturizer folds a Retinol step into the last product of your routine. Paula’s Choice names 0.1% Retinol on the product page, and the ingredient list adds three forms of Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Ascorbate, and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate), five Ceramides, Cholesterol, and Squalane. That combination lines up with the AAD’s suggestion to consider a product with Retinol or Peptides if the look of sagging or wrinkles bothers you, and Paula’s Choice describes the texture as a creamy-smooth lotion. No fragrance is listed. The brand says to use it at night and follow with SPF 30 or higher during the day.

Best for: Readers who want the look of firmer, smoother-looking skin from a moisturizer that includes Retinol.

Key ingredients: Retinol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Squalane.

Price: $50.40 for 1.7 fl oz on the brand’s site when we checked, marked down from $63.

Worth knowing: Paula’s Choice advises against using it at the same time as other Vitamin C or Retinol products until you see how your skin responds, and suggests using it less often if sensitivity shows up, so it may call for a slow start.

3. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Moisturizing Cream

When your skin has started to object to almost everything, a shorter list can be the easier one to live with. This cream has 20 ingredients, and La Roche-Posay says it’s formulated without preservatives, parabens, fragrance, or drying alcohol, sold in airtight packaging with valves designed to keep air and contaminants out. Squalane, Shea Butter, Dimethicone, and Glycerin sit near the top of the list, and it includes Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, which the brand calls Neurosensine and says is used to help skin feel soothed. La Roche-Posay tested it on allergy-prone, very sensitive skin and directs it to the face and neck after cleansing.

Best for: Skin that reacts easily and a routine you want to keep simple.

Key ingredients: Squalane, Shea Butter, Glycerin, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester.

Price: $31.97 for 40 ml.

Worth knowing: It’s a comfort-first formula with no Retinoid, Vitamin C, or Ceramides on the list, so if the look of firmness is also a goal, you may want to pair it with a serum.

4. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane

Some faces get drier in perimenopause without wanting a heavy cream, and Kiehl’s describes this one’s texture as lightweight and non-greasy. Kiehl’s formulates it with 4.5% Squalane plus Glycerin, and also lists Glacial Glycoprotein and Pro-Ceramides. The brand calls it fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and tested on sensitive skin, and no fragrance appears in the full ingredient list we checked. Directions are simple: a dime-sized amount, morning and night, after cleansing. It comes in more sizes than anything else here, so it’s easy to try small first.

Best for: Everyday hydration in a lighter texture when richer creams feel like too much.

Key ingredients: Glycerin, Squalane, Apricot Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil, Olive Fruit Oil.

Price: $39 for 1.7 fl oz (50 ml); other sizes run from $26 to $115.

Worth knowing: It lists several plant oils, including Sweet Almond and Soybean Oils, which is worth checking if your skin has disagreed with one of them before.

5. EltaMD UV Daily Hydration+ SPF 50

The AAD’s guidance for this stage includes daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, applied to all skin clothing won’t cover. This sunscreen adds a hydrating step to it. Its active ingredients are Zinc Oxide 11% and Octisalate 5%, its inactive list includes Sodium Hyaluronate and Petrolatum, and EltaMD lists it for normal and dry skin. The brand labels it fragrance-free, and none appears in the ingredient list. EltaMD says to apply it 15 minutes before sun exposure and to reapply at least every 2 hours.

Best for: A daily SPF step that also helps dry-feeling skin feel more comfortable.

Key ingredients: Zinc Oxide 11%, Octisalate 5%, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol.

Price: $45 for 1.7 oz.

Worth knowing: It pairs Zinc Oxide with a chemical filter, Octisalate, so it isn’t a mineral-only formula, and with Petrolatum high on the list it may feel richer than oilier skin prefers.

6. The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Hyaluronic Acid, along with Glycerin, is what the AAD names as especially helpful in a moisturizer when skin feels dry, and this serum is the least expensive way on the list to add it. The INKEY List describes 2% Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid, and the ingredient list pairs it with Glycerin and two Peptides, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1. There are 14 ingredients and no fragrance. The brand reports that in a 4-week consumer study of 22 people, 82% agreed their skin felt firmer, smoother, and more elastic. You apply 2 to 3 drops to damp skin after cleansing, morning and evening, and it layers under any moisturizer on this list.

Best for: Adding hydration under a moisturizer on a small budget.

Key ingredients: Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1.

Price: $13 for 30 ml.

Worth knowing: The INKEY List says to follow it with a moisturizer, so it adds a step to your routine.

7. Nécessaire The Body Lotion (Fragrance-Free)

Shins, arms, and hands can feel as dry as your face, and the AAD’s advice to moisturize after bathing covers them too. This lotion brings face-style ingredients to the body: 2.5% Niacinamide, Glycerin, Shea Butter Glycerides, Jojoba Seed Oil, and five Peptides, plus Sclerocarya Birrea (marula) and Meadowfoam Seed Oils. The Fragrance-Free version has no fragrance in its ingredient list, and Nécessaire describes the formula as dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic. As a lotion, it spreads quickly over large areas.

Best for: Dry-feeling skin on the body, especially if scented body lotions have started to bother you.

Key ingredients: Niacinamide, Glycerin, Shea Butter Glycerides, Jojoba Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1.

Price: $30 for 200 ml (6.8 fl oz); $15 for 70 ml and $52 for 450 ml.

Worth knowing: The Body Lotion also comes in scented versions, so check that you’re buying the Fragrance-Free one, and it’s made for the body.

8. StriVectin Crepe Control® Tightening Body Cream

For readers noticing crepey-looking skin on the arms, legs, or elsewhere on the body, this is the most targeted body option here. StriVectin packs Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 and Caffeine into a base of Shea, Murumuru, and Cupuaçu Butters, with Jojoba Seed Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate further down the list. StriVectin reports that in an expert-grader evaluation of 35 people who used this cream with its Crepe Control® Exfoliating Body Scrub, 94% showed an improvement in the look of crepiness after 4 weeks of consistent use. The directions are to massage a generous amount onto clean, dry skin twice daily, concentrating on the areas that concern you.

Best for: Crepey-looking skin on the body, if you want a richer cream for those areas.

Key ingredients: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Caffeine, Shea Butter, Murumuru Seed Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate.

Price: $59 for 6.7 oz; $89 for 10 oz.

Worth knowing: Parfum (Fragrance) appears in its ingredient list, and the AAD suggests a fragrance-free moisturizer for easily irritated skin, so a patch test first may be wise. The reported result also comes from using the cream alongside the scrub.

How to Choose Skincare for Perimenopause

• Start with the change you notice most: if visible dryness is the headline, begin with a moisturizer like ALASTIN or Kiehl’s; if it’s the look of firmness, the Paula’s Choice formula is the one with Retinol; if it’s reactivity, the La Roche-Posay cream keeps the list short.

• Check the full ingredient list for fragrance: the AAD notes that products labeled “unscented” or built on plant botanicals may still carry fragrance-related ingredients, so read the list rather than the front of the box.

• Introduce one new product at a time: the AAD’s home test is to apply a product to a quarter-sized spot, such as the bend of your elbow, twice daily for 7 to 10 days before using it more widely.

• Match the format to the area: a serum layers under a face moisturizer, SPF goes on last in the morning, and a body lotion or cream covers arms and legs. The difference between adding water and sealing it in is explained in our guide to hydrating versus moisturizing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best skincare for perimenopause?

There isn’t one best product, because skin can change in several ways at once. A routine that tends to cover the common changes pairs a fragrance-free moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid or Glycerin, a Retinol or peptide step if the look of firmness matters to you, daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, and a body moisturizer.

Why might skin feel drier during perimenopause?

The AAD notes that around menopause, skin can lose some of its ability to hold water, which may leave it feeling quite dry, especially when the air is dry. It suggests a mild cleanser instead of soap and applying moisturizer after bathing and whenever your skin feels dry.

Should I switch to fragrance-free skincare?

It may help if your skin has started to react more easily. The AAD suggests a fragrance-free moisturizer to help reduce irritation. Seven of the eight products here list no fragrance in their ingredients; the StriVectin body cream is the exception.

Is Retinol a good idea if my skin has become more sensitive?

It can still be an option, introduced slowly. The AAD notes that some ingredients, such as Retinol, can irritate skin, particularly sensitive skin, and Paula’s Choice suggests using its Retinol moisturizer less often if sensitivity shows up. Using it a few nights a week at first is one way to see how your skin responds.

Do I need a separate product for my body?

Often, yes. Face formulas come in small sizes that don’t stretch far over arms and legs, and visible dryness can show up there too. The Nécessaire lotion is a fragrance-free option for everyday body dryness, and the StriVectin cream is built for crepey-looking areas.

Do I need sunscreen every day during perimenopause?

The AAD recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day, on all skin that clothing won’t cover. A hydrating formula like the EltaMD entry can make that step feel more comfortable on dry-feeling skin.

Related Reading

• What’s behind crepey-looking skin, and what may help

• Hydrating versus moisturizing, and why your skin may need both

• Face moisturizers for sensitive-feeling skin, compared