The One Thing To Know About Your 30s, From A Derm & Hormone Expert

With progesterone’s decline, you’ll likely start to experience drier skin (thanks to decreased oil production), increased dark spots, and fine lines. But it’s not just that—you and your skin may start to feel more stressed. 

“Progesterone is also known as the great calmer, right? It interplays with our neurotransmitter GABA, which helps to calm and relax the body,” says Barr. “So women in our mid to late 30s, this may be the reason you’re feeling more anxious and stressed. So you’re not really changing much—but all of a sudden you’re more anxious, you’re not sleeping as well—it may be linked to some of the changes that you’re seeing with your progesterone.”

And as we know, stress, lack of sleep, and anxiety dramatically influence our skin too: It can lead to premature aging, more sensitive skin, a compromised skin barrier, dullness, the list goes on. 

So when you get to your 30s, here are a few derm-approved tips to help: