Cindy Barshop.Photo:Jodi Fleshier
Jodi Fleshier
Each day, about6,000 womenin the U.S. reach menopause, defined as 12 months without a period — and many more deal with the symptoms of perimenopause in the years leading up to that. Thankfully society, and the marketplace, are beginning to take notice. In honor ofMenopause Awareness Day(Oct. 18), we turned to several women working in the menopause space to find out what they’d include in a “menopause survival kit.”
Cindy Barshop, RHONY alumna and founder of VSPOT
FormerReal Housewives of New YorkstarCindy Barshop, 59, launched VSPOT, an intimate spa for women focusing on sexual healthcare, in 2017. “I started menopause shortly after giving birth tomy twins[now 12],” she says. “It was such a whirlwind of hormones, changes and emotions being both postpartum and perimenopausal. My greatest challenge was the vaginal dryness and change in libido — hence why VSPOT was created. I wanted a non-surgical solution that could help these changes so that I could then go enjoy being a new mother to my beautiful babies.”
My Survival Kit"The biggest challenge women face is a lack of education, resources and solutions surrounding menopause. Many don’t know where to turn for their menopausal symptoms. We should all be armed with more education and resources, but for products, here are some that I would absolutely recommend every woman take with them."
Teri Adams, one of the stars of Menopause the Musical 2.Courtesy of Menopause the Musical 2
Courtesy of Menopause the Musical 2
Menopause the MusicalActress Teri Adams
My Survival Kit:
Womaness founders Sally Mueller and Michelle Jacobs.Courtesy Sally Mueller and Michelle Jacobs
Sally Mueller and Michelle Jacobs, Co-Founders of Womaness
In 2021, friends Mueller, 59, and Jacobs, 51, launchedWomaness, a line of creams, supplements and vibrators aimed at helping with menopausal symptoms and developed with doctors. Says Jacobs, “Menopause isn’t a terminal illness. You have every right to feel good.”
Our Survival Kit
“After almost three years of talking to women about how to deal with menopause, we’ve noticed a theme: Your toughest issues are what we call ‘the 4 S’s of Menopause.’ It’s true that this phase of life brings almost every woman a concern (or two) around skin, sex, sleep, and stress — but we’re determined not to let them slow us down. Here are some things that have helped us cope.”
1.Let’s Neck: Our roll-on neck serum Let’s Neck hydrates and lifts aging skin.2.Asutra Magnesium Oil Spray with Capsaicin: A topical magnesium oil for the aches that can come with age (think restless legs, arthritis, headaches, or chronic muscle and joint pain). And Venus Williams is a co-owner and chief brand officer.3. Made with coconut oil, ourCoco Blisshelps with dryness for ‘down there’.4. Although thePauseWell Fascia Stimulating Toolmay look like a facegua sha, this stainless steel massager is non-porous, washable, tough and will last for a lifetime. You can cool and even freeze it, a game changer for puffy skin.5. Our creamThe Worksuses ingredients usually reserved for facial creams to help with dry, crepey skin.6. Kristin van Ogtrop’s bookDid I Say That Out Loud?: Van Ogtrop is the former editor-in-chief ofReal Simpleand she gives a hilarious take on middle age and the aging process.7. Every bit helps when it comes to getting better sleep in menopause!The ingenious design of theLoop Earplugshelp do the trick.8. Industrial designer Ayse Birsle’sDesign the Long Life You Loveis a unique take on crafting the life you want as you age. Pro tip: Definitely getMy Long Lifethe book’s guided journal companion.9. TheInnersense Hydrating Hair Mask: An organic, indulgent and restorative solution for changing or drier hair that needs repair and extra hydration.10. Dryness all over in menopause can lead to more painful sex—and these stretchy, stackable, doctor-recommendedOhnut Depth-Limiting Ringsrings can help.
NYC Dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur.Suda Suthiwong
Suda Suthiwong
Dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur
Dr. Ellen Marmur , 54, is a board-certified dermatologist with her own practice in New York City,Marmur Medical. She is also a professor with The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and founder ofMMSkincare, a line of products for aging skin, which she launched in 2018. “Starting after 40 years old, women begin experiencing changes due to perimenopause. Fifty percent of women at 50 years old express concerns about skin and hair,” says Dr. Marmur. “Thinning, shedding, and brittle hair occur during perimenopause and menopause. For skin, wrinkles, redness, acne, dryness, melasma, and hyperpigmentation are common skin concerns that can flare up during this time due to your changing hormones.”
source: people.com
