Menopause Changes Your Beauty Needs—Naomi Watts Is Addressing Them

Emily Levin

PublishedMar 31, 2026, 2:19 PM EDT

UpdatedMar 31, 2026, 2:19 PM EDT

Updated Mar 31, 2026, 2:19 PM EDTPublished Mar 31, 2026, 2:19 PM EDT

Stripes Beauty founder Naomi Watts is blurry in the background. in the foreground, her extended arm holds two Stripes Beauty products: a tub of lotion and a tall bottle of oil.

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Whenever you think you’ve got your skin figured out, it changes the game on you. You’re a peppy tween with the unblemished complexion of someone who has never heard of a 401K, and then boom: puberty acne, T-zone oiliness, and stretch marks anywhere you grow. Once you’ve figured that out, your twenties (when your collagen starts to nosedive) toss stress and alcohol into the mix. Your thirties bring fine lines and loss of elasticity, and the beginning of your skin’s biggest adversary yet: perimenopause.

Perimenopause’s (the years-long phase leading up to menopause) symptoms can include weight gain, hair thinning, plus skin and vaginal dryness. It’s no secret that menopausal women are a group that is historically ignored, but modern beauty and wellness brands are finally beginning to create products that help manage more perimenopause symptoms.

Stripes Beauty, founded by actress and women’s health advocate Naomi Watts, focuses on high-quality formulations made to tackle some of these symptoms. The brand harnesses scientifically proven, moisture-enhancing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ectoine, an amino acid found in organisms that live in mega hostile environments. And who knows mega hostile environments better than aging women in a society that overvalues youth?

Get a First Look

Recently, I’ve had a sneaking suspicion that my hair and skin needs had… matured. I tried five of Stripe Beauty’s bestselling formulas. Scroll down for a closer look at each product and my honest thoughts on how they performed on my midlife skin.

Full Monty Squalane Hydrating Vitamin C Body Oil

I love body oil. I find body oil easier to apply than traditional lotions and creams; it absorbs faster, and you can apply it when your skin is still a little damp. The Full Monty’s scent is herbal, slightly musky, slightly floral: very spa. This was my favorite Stripes Beauty product I tried. The non-greasy oil is infused with vitamin C to help firm and brighten discoloration, while the squalane keeps skin feeling nourished and crepe-free. Until I received this, I’d been incredibly derelict on my New Year’s resolution to moisturize more (and not just my face). Fortunately, this fuss-free formula only takes a few seconds to cover every inch of skin, and my thirsty skin drinks it right up.

Vag of Honor Hydrating Gel for Intimate Moisture

Described as a “tall glass of water for ‘down there,’” The Vag of Honor is very thin and watery–like serum designed to treat external vaginal dryness. It’s meant to be applied to the vulva, labia majora, and outsides of the labia minora only. While I haven’t experienced many of these symptoms yet, the review section features glowing reviews from women who use this product to relieve dryness-induced itching.

Oh My Glide Play Oil

Menopause can reduce sexual drive, so finding new ways to connect with a partner or yourself is valuable. This formula had an olive-oil-y consistency (and kind of an olive-oil-y scent as well). It’s formulated with oils that wouldn’t seem out of place in a kitchen: grapefruit seed, avocado, and coconut oil. Oh My Glide is a play oil, not a lubricant formulated for internal use. In other words, no putting it inside or on anything that’s about to go inside.

The Crown Pleaser Ectoine Densifying & Hydrating Hair Mask

This anti-thinning hair mask is super thick—if you were eating it, you’d need to use a fork. The scent is herbal and lightly floral, and it lingers long after rinsing without competing with your perfume. You only need to keep it in for five minutes for it to work its magic, which is short enough that I don’t feel (that) bad just decompressing under the hot running water. It rinses out without leaving hair greasy or compromising volume. My hair was noticeably smoother and more manageable after just a single use, and after a few uses, it felt slightly thicker.

Rich & Tight Skin-Tightening Lotion

Rich is right. This lotion is extra-thick, unscented, and somehow non-sticky. It contains a blend of peptides and plant-derived active ingredients to deliver a one-two punch to skin that has lost its firmness. I applied this to my hips, tummy, chest, arms, thighs, and tush: all the areas where weight fluctuations have given my skin some slack. While the results are subtle, I’ve noticed that my skin looks less crepey and more taut since I started using this daily. Unfortunately, this formula is currently out of stock (it really is *that* good).