If your skincare routine suddenly feels like it stopped working overnight… you’re not imagining things.

During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal shifts can dramatically change the skin. Collagen production slows, elasticity decreases, dryness increases, and breakouts can return even if you haven’t had acne since high school. Products that once worked beautifully may suddenly feel ineffective.

In this episode of The Iconic Midlife, host Roxy Manning sits down with esthetician and skin specialist Erica Marie Gatt, founder of EM Skin Studio in Hermosa Beach, to break down what’s actually happening to women’s skin during midlife—and what to do about it.

Erica has been featured in Vogue, Angeleno, and California Wedding Day, and is known for her custom facial treatments that combine clinical skincare with a holistic approach. She works closely with women navigating hormonal skin changes and has seen firsthand what truly works—and what’s just expensive hype.

This conversation covers the science, the myths, and the practical solutions that can help women take control of their skin during this stage of life.

In This Episode

• Why skin suddenly changes during perimenopause and menopause

• The hormonal shifts that impact collagen, elasticity, and hydration

• Why the skincare products that worked in your 30s may stop working in your 40s

• The biggest skincare mistakes women over 40 are making

• The treatments that actually improve midlife skin

• Where to invest your money in skincare—and what may not be worth it

• Simple, practical ways to support your skin during hormonal change

About Erica Marie Gatt

Erica Marie Gatt is a skin specialist and the founder of EM Skin Studio, a results-driven skincare studio located in Hermosa Beach, California.

Known for her personalized approach to skincare, Erica blends advanced facial treatments with a holistic understanding of skin health. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Angeleno, and California Wedding Day, and she has built a loyal following of clients seeking natural, radiant, long-term skin health.

Her treatments incorporate modalities such as HydraFacial, oxygen therapy, microdermabrasion, LED therapy, and dermaplaning—customized for each client’s unique skin concerns.

Connect with Erica

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ericamiegatt

EM Skin Studio:

https://www.instagram.com/emskinstudiola

Website:

https://www.emskinstudio.com

Join the Inner Circle: https://the-iconic-midlife-with-roxy-manning.kit.com/3433416614

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Let’s Connect

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Just like your hormones fluctuating, your skin fluctuates with your hormones. So it's always changing.

How often should we be changing our skin care?

I like to suggest stick with a skincare regimen for at least six months to see if it's working for you. What kind of lifestyle are they living? Are they having enough sleep? Are they drinking enough water?

It's so interconnected. I mean, skin, physical health, emotional health, it all ties in.

Spf. The reason why you don't wanna skip that even if you're inside, because the moment you get UV damage, it actually breaks down the collagen.

Are you constantly slathering spf?

Oh, yeah. Everything you put on your face, everything you do to your skin, you have to do it intentionally.

The old school myth was you have to use a retinol every single day. I am debunking that myth right now. You don't have to. When was the last time you got tested for your hormones? Or have you ever.

It feels like you are on a roller coaster that has like no end in sight.

People will say, like, I just don't have time to do that stuff.

I am guilty of it myself.

What you do at home is going to give you the best results.

Instead of like looking in the mirror and picking out what you don't like, look in the mirror and just say what you're grateful for and what you like about yourself. That helps with your confidence. When you are confident and you feel good about yourself, it shows and you glow.

Welcome back to the iconic midlife. If you've looked in the mirror lately and thought, why does my skin suddenly look different? Not worse, not broken, just unfamiliar.

This episode is for you. Because perimenopause and menopause don't just shift our hormones, they shift our skin.

Collagen drops, elasticity changes, breakouts, resurface, Texture feels different. And suddenly the products that work for 15 years don't. Today I'm joined by someone who truly understands this phase from the inside out.

Erica Marie Gatt is a skin specialist and the founder of EM Skin Studio in Hermosa Beach. She's been featured in Vogue and Angeleno.

And she's known for her custom results driven facial treatments that blend clinical precision with a holistic philosophy. She works with real women navigating real hormonal transitions. And she sees firsthand what actually works and what's just expensive noise.

Today we're talking about what's really happening to your skin.

In perimenopause, the biggest mistakes women over 40 are making where to spend your money and where not to and what you can realistically do, starting now, to future proof your face. This is practical, this is honest. And yes, we're also getting a little spicy. So let's get into it. Welcome to the iconic midlife.

Erica, I am so excited that you are here. We have so much to talk about. Yes.

Thank you so much for inviting me to being a part of this amazing support group that you're creating for women. I feel like that it is a support group for us. I'm really excited.

Thank you. That is so important to me because I feel like we have so many things going on in our lives.

One of the things that I regularly get messages on is skin issues. Like, that is a thing that is, like, plaguing women in midlife like, crazy.

I know from my personal experience, you know, I dealt with, like, just a whole range of. Of issues, from like, dryness to breakouts to hormonal changes to, like, puffiness. And then it's just. It's so crazy how much it changes.

I almost feel like I'm going through, like, a second adolescence or something, skin wise, you know, because there. There's so many changes happening. But, yeah, I mean, I think perimenopause can be insane.

And I think that was, like, the first, like, entree into, like, the skin issues for me. So I know perimenopause is this, like, kind of black hole that we're all dealing with. Right.

So what do you think when a woman, like, enters perimenopause? What are, like, the first signs of changes that are happening and, like, what are the things that maybe she's missing?

So like you said, it's just always changing, and that is because our hormones are always fluctuating and that makes your skin always change.

So I definitely think that everyone's timeline is completely different, but you start to notice a difference in your late 30s and you start to feel, like, you mentioned more creepy. You feel, like, not as bouncy. You feel like you need more hydration and you can't get enough.

So you should absolutely have an amazing skin care regimen. You don't have to have, like 10 steps, but definitely think cleanse, treat, protect, and then at nighttime, cleanse, treat, protect, and hydrate.

That's very, very important to help create that collagen elasticity, so. So you can help keep your skin super bouncy and tight.

And I have a lot of women come in all the time for the same issues, and I've been seeing them for years, but I can see a difference in their skin.

Okay, so do you think. Let me ask you this, because we talk about facialists, and you are an amazing facialist. I've had one of your facials before. And what I.

You're welcome. You're welcome. And what I love about your facials is it's very customizable.

Like, you really look at somebody's skin and you say, hey, this is what you have going on. This is what we should do. And you have all these really cool treatments, which is amazing as well.

But for, like, let's say somebody is listening at home. What is there, like, a certain rotation or schedule that she should be getting facials?

Like, should people be getting facials once a month or more often or less often? What do you think about that?

I definitely think getting facials every four to six weeks is the best. Because if you are seeing someone that is working more on that cellular level, you are creating that collagen.

Because since our collagen is slowing down the older we get, you need to speed that collagen up. And that is why getting facials, it's huge to create that collagen. And not just a fluffy facial. So you're not going in there for massage.

You're actually getting results.

But I feel like you can totally do a hybrid of doing facials, doing lasers, doing microneedling, but mixing them in between so you're not overdoing it to your skin.

You know, I think a really good way of looking at it, too, is putting more deposits into your collagen bank, because that is something that we really get depleted of as we get older. You know, like, you're saying the collagen just seems to go.

So from your perspective, what do you think are some of the best ways to kind of get that collagen back in our skin?

Anything with peptides and growth factors, that's going to really help trigger those collagen fibers to create more. And LED lights. That is something to do. I even like to do it at home all the time because it really helps create those collagen.

Like, you said, you want to create more collagen.

So it's, like, all about. I know. We're always chasing that collagen. You know what I did recently? I did Morpheus 8. And that was.

The person who was giving it to me was saying that, yes, this is. Think about this as, like, you're, you know, trying to get more collagen, like, into your face. Like, that's how you should look at it, right?

Yes. So everything you put on your face, everything you do to your skin, you have to do it intentionally. You shouldn't just do something just to do it.

It kind of goes with like skincare products. So you want to be intentional with it. So, so you want to get those medical grade products so really just help create those, the collagen.

But also too like it's not necessarily even what you're doing on your face. It's also too what you're doing like with, for your lifestyle. Drinking enough water, eating, you know, really clean.

Because everything has a lot to do. Anything you put into your body has a lot to do with the way your skin looks.

Yes. Like that skin gut connection is so strong. Right. It's like you can tell.

And I feel like when I go off the rails, when I start eating, like maybe less healthy, it does show up in my face. Like the breakout.

Breakouts start more, you know, I feel, feel more dull and dry and it feels like it even happens quicker now in midlife than it ever did before.

Yeah, absolutely. And that's why I also tell people when I do have clients come in and they're like, I don't know what's going on. And I've seen them for years.

The first thing ask them, when was the last time you got tested for your hormones or have you ever? You know, that's a huge thing because knowledge is power. So you want to go to your ob gyn, you want to get your blood test.

There's also a test called the Dutch test and that is a really big one because it actually tests some hormones that are not tested with your blood test. So you can see them hand to hand.

Yes. Okay. So people have been talking about the Dutch test. I haven't done it yet, but I'm very interested in doing it.

Have a friend that's a functional doctor and she like swears by it. So regardless if you're on the HRT or not, it's a good thing to do to see where your hormones are. So it is a, a urine test. You do it.

There's a couple different ones. The one I'm doing, it's a mapping slash cortisone levels.

So it shows you what your cortisone levels and the hormones and then you do it every day for 21 days. And then you have to mail it in and then they give you all of the information that you need.

And then if you bring it to your functional doctor, they can put your blood test together and your Dutch test together and see what's going on it's so interconnected.

I mean, skin, you know, physical health, emotional health. It all ties in going back to this midlife woman.

I'm envisioning her, she's coming into your practice and she says, I've got dull, you know, dry, crack, crepey skin. And you're like, looking at her face and you're analyzing it. What are, like the first three things that you are looking for?

Like, when you're sort of going down the diagnostic list, like, what are the things that you're. You're looking at?

So the first three things that I'm looking for is one, I always ask them while I'm looking, I'm talking too, so they know that I'm not just staring at their face and like, thinking I want them to feel comfortable. So we do talk about the hormones. Like, have you got tested? I'm also looking at what kind of lifestyle are they living? Are they having enough sleep?

Are they drinking enough water? Are they also using the correct products for their skin?

Because it could be something as easy as changing up the skin care, because they've been using that skin care for so long and it's no longer working.

That is a good point. I feel like so many people have kept the same skin care they've always used for years and years and years and years.

How often should we be changing our skin care? Is it like something where we should be changing it regularly? How. How do we know when we should change it?

Just like your hormones fluctuating, your skin fluctuates with your hormones, so it's always changing. I like to suggest stick with a skin care line regimen for at least six months to see if it's working for you.

If it's not working anymore, then that's when you change over to your. To a different skincare line. It could be a treatment or it could be a moisturizer.

And when I say treatment, I mean like an exfoliant or a vitamin C. Like a serum.

Okay. Like a syrup. Serums are really important. Like the vitamin C serum, right?

Yes.

So stack it for me. Tell me. Like, let's. Let's do like a. Like a mock sort of like skincare routine.

So I'm waking up in the morning, so tell me what to apply in what order.

I love a good eye cream. So you put your eye cream on and this is in the morning.

Oh, should we be washing our face in the morning or no.

Okay. So if you're not using a active, like if you're not using a retinol or an aha. You do not have to fully wash your face in the morning with a cleanser.

What you can do is you can just rinse it off with water or a washcloth and that'll help preserve your oil. So you're not super dry throughout the day. Especially since, like you mentioned earlier, you do get dry. And it's just like a battle that we all face.

Next, I would say use like a vitamin C in the morning. That's going to help protect your skin even more so to the sun. Like is clinical.

For instance, they have an ingredient, they have zinc in their vitamin C and that's like a double layer of protection. And then also to the anti oxidants really help brighten your skin. Next, the famous one everyone always talks about is the spf.

So the reason why you don't want to skip that even if you're inside is because the moment you get UV damage, damage, it actually breaks down the collagen, so accelerates the aging.

I know, that's such a bummer. I'm like. Because I love this. I mean, the sun is like, you know, it feels nice to sometimes go outside and like do a little time in the sun.

Exactly. It just makes you feel so good. And I play fish, so I'm in the sun all the time.

So how do you. Your skin looks amazing though. What do you.

Do you.

Are you constantly slathering spf?

Oh, yeah. Like I should show you a picture. I'm literally covered from head to toe.

Like, I have a hat on, I have a mask on, I have my sunglasses on, I have gloves, I have long sleeve pants. It's like my husband's like, wait, you look like you're trying to hide from someone. Yeah.

But yeah, so with that being said also too, if you're going to be out in the sun, do not wear a retinol or an aha or a BHA the night before because it will make your skin sensitive this time.

Oh, that's a good point. So no retinols, no acids. Like what about hyaluronic acid?

So that is actually one of the best things you can do. I highly suggest you do that because it is just protecting your skin barrier, hydrating your skin barrier.

And then for the nighttime, that's when I think you should cleanse. Cleanse with a cleanser.

Are we talking double cleanse? Double cleanse? Because.

Okay, do you double cleanse?

So I double cleanse.

I.

Only if I have makeup on, I do just to first get the like the layer of makeup off.

First with like an oil based cleanser and then I use like a regular cleanser after that because I feel like I don't, I don't feel like my skin and maybe it's the one I'm using, I don't know. But like when I just do the oil cleanser just to get the makeup off, my skin still doesn't feel clean, you know?

Yes, I know, I know. And I do think. Do you wear makeup? You don't mind me asking?

Yes, yes, I do. I do. Not every day. Like if I don't have to be on camera or I'm not going to like an in person meeting. I don't.

I try to take breaks from it, but if I do. Yes, if. I mean, if I'm doing those things, then yes.

Okay, so that's when you double cleanse.

Okay.

Okay. And then when you don't double clean or when you don't wear makeup, do you still double cleanse?

No, I don't.

Okay, so you're doing it right. That's exactly what I suggest people to do.

Yay. Yes. I love passing quizzes.

Yes, you are. You got an A so far.

Amazing.

But I will tell you, be careful. And I tell people this all the time, be careful with the oil cleansers.

The oil cleansers can actually clog your pores and make you a little bit more congested. Sometimes those molecules just sit on top of the skin. So if you're not cleaning them off well enough, you'll start to notice more bumpiness.

You'll feel like your pores are congested. So I always tell people, be very careful with what cleansers you are using.

Good point. So do you recommend a certain oil cleanser or like a makeup remover kind of a thing?

The PCA oil cleanser I truly love. I feel like that's a really good one. And then. Or like instead of an oil cleanser, I like to do like a micellar water without oil.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, Otisite has a good one. I think Odyssey, they have a very good one. I love that one. It's very clean, very fresh.

Okay, that's good to know. So then once we've cleansed at night, what's next?

And then I suggest to don't over exfoliate. So when I say so, you'll treat the skin. So treating the skin, you'll exfoliate once or twice a week. And everyone's skin is so different.

So you can use a retinol, you can use a glycolic, a lactic Mandelic, anything that will help with your skin goals so you can achieve your skin goals.

So if you're experiencing darkness, like if you have pigmentation or melasma, if you use kojic acid, that will be like your treating serum that'll help get rid of or lighten that pigmentation. If you feel like you're breaking out. Salicylic is a really great product. Retinol is really good because retinol does everything.

But I feel with retinol, people overuse it. So that is why I don't. That's not my first recommendation. It's like a myth. You have to use a retinol for anti aging. Right. But that's not true.

There's other things you can use to help with getting rid of fine lines and getting the goals that you want.

Yes. So, okay, when you say they're overusing retinol, are they using it too frequently?

Yes.

Oh, okay. Okay.

So I have some people that, you know, the old school myth was, is you have to use a retinol every single day. Have you heard this?

Yes. Yes.

I am debunking that myth right now. You don't have to, but you still want to do exfoliation.

So if you don't want to use a retinol because you feel like you don't want to do it, you don't have to. You could totally use something different.

Oh, nice. Okay, so then we do. We've put like the, the acid or the active on and then what do we do?

So that's one to do one to two times a week. And then the other days I would use a peptide and or a growth factor. So a peptide is really great because it does create collagen.

It does make your skin more plump and tight.

And a growth factor does the same thing, but it helps the nourish your skin barrier, makes your skin barrier just very like healthy, rejuvenates itself. And with these skin products that I'm talking about, you don't have to spend $500 for a product.

You can go as little as like 50 to $70 to get a great product. So for instance, there's an amazing peptide serum from Face Reality that's I think like $27. And I actually really love it. And it's medical grade.

Oh, that's good to know. So is that something you can buy just like in the drugstore or is it like online or how do you buy it?

Definitely online. We carry it here at EM Skin Studio too.

You can even Google, like whatever's close to you, but dermatologist, esthetician's office, offices, but not the drugstore. I would say stay away from the drugstore. I know. It's so easy.

But, like, you know, I would say if you can't get into an esthetician's office or a spa or anything, you can literally go to, like, derm store or go to the actual website and purchase it from there. And then, like, the growth factor. My favorite. I don't know if you've tried this or not. It's the Skin Medica tns. Have you heard of it?

No, but I know Skin Medica, but I have not tried the product. Oh, it's good, is it?

Yes. You put it on and your face just feels, like, tight.

Oh, I love that.

I love that. You'll be using stuff like that on the days you're not exfoliating.

Okay. So use that on the days you're not exfoliating. Okay.

Yeah.

Okay.

And then I would suggest a really nice moisturizer. So I like. I love. My favorite. I've been in love with it for, like, 10 years. Is. Is clinical, the reparative emulsion. Have you tried that one?

No, I haven't tried it.

Oh, my gosh. We need to get you a good place, you know? So that one I love because it's not too thick and it's not too thin.

It's, like, perfect for those people that don't want, like, a lot on their face or okay with whatever, because it's very silky, and it just makes your skin look just so dewy and fresh. It's pretty amazing.

And can you use that morning and night?

You can.

If you use it in the morning, you have to make sure you use your sunscreen because it has a little vitamin A in it, which is a little retinol, but it's botanically derived, so it will. It doesn't make your skin super sensitive to the sun, but I highly suggest to do it because it is still

a vitamin A. Oh, good point. Good point. Okay, let's talk in office treatments, because I know you have so many.

Fine.

I think when we were in there doing the facial, like, you tried all these cool things, and I was like, what's that? What's that? That's amazing. Yeah.

Are there some, like, in office treatments that you think are really effective when it comes to dealing with perimenopausal, menopausal, and hormonal skin changes?

I specialize in anti aging, which is connected to perimenopausal and your Skin changing and stuff like that. So we, like you mentioned, we have a lot of state of the art machines.

And when I do look at your skin and I figure out what's going on with it, I'm able to an amazing treatment for one skin. So we have like, I love the Janeo machine. That's a really great treatment. Have you heard of that one?

No. What is that? Tell me.

Okay, so when you came in, we did one of the parts. So I have all these machines, but, like, each machine has a couple different modalities to it.

So I'm able to pick and choose which modality I want to use. So we actually use the lymphatic part, if you don't mind me talking about it.

Yes. Yeah, please, please.

We did the lymphatic of the Janao on your skin. So the full Geneo treatment is exfoliation. So it has these little oxy pods to help create oxygen from underneath your skin.

So you're working on that cellular level. It is creating that collagen elasticity.

And then we do the lymphatic part, which we did on you, and that gets rid of the toxins, the inflammation, because inflammation actually causes aging. I don't know if anyone knows that, but that's.

That's why it's very important to get rid of the inflammation and give yourself a nice facial massage or when you do go get a facial to make sure you are getting that facial massage.

And then it has a really nice ultrasound therapy where you can put peptides and collagen, which absorbs into those cells to plump them up to make them feel like you'll look very youthful. The LED lights are huge. Microcurrent is my number one anti aging treatment that I truly believe that works because.

Have you heard of the microcurrent?

Yes, I've used the new face.

Okay. Love that.

I love that. Right? But the one, the medical grade one, is probably even better.

Oh, yeah. It's like the new face on steroids.

Wow.

Oh, my God. Amazing. It's so good because it's a workout for your face. So it literally plumps up your cheeks and plumps and just like contours everything.

And it just really makes your muscles strong and that's why you want to do it often, too. So doing it in office is amazing, but also doing it at home, like the NuFace, that's a really good one. The zip is really good too.

And it also gets rid of inflammation, which is awesome.

Oh, nice. I'm like, that's the next frontier Totally.

And the cool thing about this stuff that you could do in office is you can actually buy a lot of them at home. Obviously they're not going to be as intense and powerful as the ones in office, but you can absolutely do them at home. And consistency is key.

So you'll get great results.

Yeah. Okay, let's talk about that.

I love the idea of, like, being able to buy similar, you know, mechanisms to do at home, because let's face it, not everybody maybe has the time or the money to go get a professional, you know, facial regularly.

So if they can do it at home, like, what are some of the best at home treatments that you've seen that can kind of replicate that fresh from the facial, you know, feeling?

I can do so much. But what you do at home is going to give you the best results because that combination works wonders.

But to answer your question, definitely the microcurrent, that's number one. You should do that. And then the LED lights. The LED lights are amazing.

And then if you don't want to use anything with technology, like electricity, you can totally use like a gua sha or a face roller or even ice. That's a really good one, too. And if you don't have time, because I feel like a lot of people say, like, I just don't have time to do that stuff.

Do you hear that?

Yes. And I, I am guilty of it myself.

This is what I tell people. Before you go to bed, set a timer on your phone for 15 minutes before you have to get out of bed.

When your alarm clock starts, goes off, you put the LED lights on your face. You can pray, you can meditate, you can do whatever you want during that, like, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and then get up.

And you already did your LED lights for the day, Right?

And then for the microcurrent or the gua sha, when you're doing that, you can do that as you're applying your skincare products, so you're getting that out of the way too. So it could just be like a part of your routine so you don't have to set time aside for it, but you're actually just doing it as a routine.

That's a good point. Especially like waking up, I waking up 15 minutes earlier just to, like, do the LED mask.

Yeah, right.

Yes. I'm like, that's a new cheat code. I'm like, I like that.

And then it gives you time for yourself, you know, like, it's nice to have, like that moment just to, like, lay there. And not only is it giving you amazing benefits, but it actually does something to your mood. It makes you feel happy.

Yes, yes. It feels like you're doing something that will make you feel and look better. So that makes you happy.

Like you're saying, I mean, if you look good, you feel good, you know, it's, it's just you have to, you are your own investment, so you have to give yourself the attention it needs.

Yes, that's true. That's a very good point too. What about like at home, micro needling? Do you like that? Is that kind of tricky?

I know you have to be very careful for, from like the cleanliness side of things, like you don't want to like puncture your skin with dirty needles.

I would say I'm not into it. The only reason is because like you said, the cleanliness, like, it's, it's so dangerous if you do it.

And some you didn't clean your skin properly or if it was just sitting there and it wasn't properly cleaned, can cause bacteria spread. You can cause skin conditions or issues. I definitely think that that is something you should leave up to the professionals.

We talked about this a little bit earlier and that is HRTS now. You know, some women opt to do it, some don't. It's a personal choice and that's totally fine.

And everyone should do their own research and talk to their own doctors to see if that's, you know, the way that they should go or not.

But in the women who you've seen before HRTs and then start the HRT and then they come back to you after they've been on it, do you see a difference in their skin texture and the way it looks like? Do you actually see a difference?

I do.

For instance, about three months ago I had a client, she's been coming to me for about five years and recently she's been experiencing less volume in her face and the, you know, she just feel like the texture of her skin is a little off. So we talked about it. I told her to go get tested and then she did. She actually got on some hrt.

I think her estrogen was actually declining drastically. So they put her on an estrogen patch and they gave her an estrogen compound formula like a moisturizer.

And she actually started putting it on her skin to help it detect. And she came in two months later and I looked at her skin and I'm like, she didn't tell me anything, by the way. I was like, skin looks amazing.

Like, what are you doing? And she said she went to the doctor. She took my advice and then got on some hrt. So it was pretty remarkable.

And we were both so happy about it because I love, like, seeing results and.

Absolutely. Oh, my gosh, I'm so glad you're bringing that up because that is something I've been seeing all over social media is estrogen based facial creams.

And like, the fact that people are using it on their face and on their skin. I mean, what do you think about that?

You do, do you think they're effective in that way to kind of create, you know, like a more youthful appearance or like less, you know, less effects of the menopause and perimenopause?

Yeah, I really do. I, I see it. Like, I'll even have a lot. I have a lot of women that come in and said, oh, my doctor told me to do this.

And I haven't even told them to go get tested because they've already been tested. Because I'll be like, wait, what's going on with, like, the under eye, the creepiness under the eyes or the fine lines? Oh, what are you doing?

Like, did you get Botox or filler or something? And they're like, no, I'm just using the, the compounded moisturizer with the estrogen in it. So I do think it's very, very effective.

What do you see? Like, what specific symptoms are you seeing that these creams are targeting and really improving?

Definitely fine lines and wrinkles and then the texture of the skin.

Oh, okay. I'm like, I might need to start that because I have started hrts.

Like, I have the patch and the progesterone and I'm doing a little testosterone cream too. But maybe, I don't know, maybe that, that's the next, the next step is doing the estrogen facial cream, you know?

Yeah. I mean, your skin looks amazing. Everything you're using is like, like wonderful.

Oh, thank you. That is so sweet.

I'm like, I feel like I try to do, like, you know, as much as I can and then I try to, like, also take supplements and, you know, eat as well as I can. Oh, by the way, supplement wise, what do you think is good for skin, especially in midlife?

Definitely evening primrose.

Primrose.

Evening primrose is a fatty acid, but it also really nourishes your skin. So I just joined the 40 Club.

Oh, yay. Happy birthday.

Thank you. But I do feel like I started getting symptoms when I was like 37. I started getting night sweats and I'm

like, what's going on.

Like, it was interesting, but now, because I. I didn't know that it was a thing perimenopause. You could start in your late 30s, but it really does. That's why I got super involved with, like, trying to figure out what it is and all this stuff.

And that's why I was so happy that you were creating this amazing podcast to talk about it, to share the information. But then now I just turned 40, and I feel like my mood swings are, like, crazy. And I'm like, wait a minute.

I feel like I'm, you know, PMSing all the time now.

I know that's exactly what it feels like. It feels like you are on a roller coaster that has, like. Like, no end in sight.

Like, it's just like up and down and all around and, like, circles and turning. And then, like, it. You know, your partner, like, in. In my case, my husband, is just like, oh, my God. Like, I don't know what I'm waking

up to, you know, and they, like, breathe, and you're like, can you please stop?

Yes. Or chewing

the.

Chewing loudly every time gets me. I'm like, yeah. Like, it just gives you the heebie jee.

You're like, why do you have to do that? Yes. Yes.

It's like, I mean, maybe like, even 15, whatever years ago, like, I wouldn't have even thought about it, but now it's like. It's like, literally like an amplifier in my ear.

Yes, totally.

It's just so bad.

I know. Are you taking Dong Quai?

No. Do I need to? What is that?

It's the best. I swear by it. So I take it when I'm PMSing, and I realize I think I need to start taking it more.

So it really is a female ginseng, so it helps your mood.

Oh, does it really?

Yes. I highly recommend it. You can get it at, like, Lazy Acres. You can get it at Whole Foods. I even, like, their.

Just, like, their generic brand is good, but when you're starting to feel, like, annoyed of him, like, coughing or just, like, whatever, you could just literally take in a Dong Kwai. It doesn't alter anything. It just makes you feel normal. And it's literally such a game changer.

Everyone I speak to and they tell me about the mood swings, I'm like, oh, girl, you have to try this. And they. They swear by it, too. Now people are like, I need more.

Okay, let's say there's a woman, like, on a limited budget, or she only wants to spend a certain amount of money and she's going into the facialist and she's. And she's in perimenopause, menopause and having these hormonal skin changes. What should she spend her money on in the facial office?

Like, are there certain treatments? Like, whether it be lasers, peels or microneedling. What, what of all those things, what do you think is the most effective to treat those things?

I think doing a hybrid of all of those treatments is very effective.

So I definitely think mixing and matching, like, so every other month get your facial and then every other month get a laser or get a microneedling or a chemical peel. And there's so many to choose from. So that's why you have to be very careful on who your provider is.

You want them to help guide you, to get you the results that you're trying to achieve.

Yes, there are so many. I was just going to say, like, even lasers alone, you know, there's so many to choose from.

What, so are there certain lasers that you think are the best or the most effective?

Definitely, if you're okay with the downtime. I definitely say the CO2 laser. I see the most results. I've had a woman come in recently and she's like 75.

She had, you know, pigmentation, fine lines. She came in and it looked like she had brand new skin. Just from one.

The non ablative. Is that what it's called? Or the ablative? Like, there's one that's more drastic, right?

Yes, she got the more drastic one. It was gnarly. She said it was very painful. She was down for two weeks. She was swollen.

The thing is, I told her when she called me to say that she was going to get it done, I said, don't look in the mirror until you're healed because then you start to think like, oh, my gosh, what did I do to myself? Is my skin gonna ever heal? So CO2 lasers is pretty intense and I do love the way that it looks and I see huge results.

And that's something you don't have to do those that often, right?

No, you don't. But I do feel like, though, if you're gonna do a Moxie or an IPL or bbl, then you should do

a series of thumbs.

So those are not as aggressive as the CO2 laser, but they do give you results and you'll be more dry, a little bit flaky, but then you just put a lot of moisturizer. Moisturizer on your skin.

Yeah, there's not a lot of downtime with Those lasers, Right. Like the ones that are a little more mild, so you just kind of treat, put moisturizer on.

What about some of these other treatments, like the RF treatments, like the radio frequency and like Morpheus 8 and stuff like that? What do you think about Those?

So the Morpheus 8 is supposed to be really good for your neck and your chest and like your lower face. I think they work really well. I see great results. But you have to do a series. You have to do a series between three to six.

But when you are doing these treatments, give yourself at least six months to see the results. Because sometimes you're your skin and your collagen, it takes a minute to really get those results because your skin's healing itself.

And the rf, I don't. I mean, I feel like the RF is. I don't know. I don't really see that great, great of a result, at least with the clients that came in.

But the prf, do you. Have you heard?

No, tell me.

Prf, it's where they inject plasma into your skin.

Oh, is that like the vampire facial?

Sort of, yeah.

Okay, so.

Okay, so the vampire facial is where they take your blood, they spin it, and then put it on your face and do microneedling. That's vampire facial. And that's a wonderful treatment, too.

But my favorite what I do, and I've been doing it for about three or four years, is they take your blood, they spin it, and they inject it in areas that you feel like you're losing collagen and you're feeling less volume. And I love it.

Really, like, affect it. Like, it's like the results are really worth it. Yeah.

Because it's working from underneath. So when they inject it, you're going to be puffy too, because it's like your plasma. Right. But it is creating more collagen.

It's creating that cellular renewal. And you definitely have to do a series of that. And so I just do it like, I did it every three months for about a year and a half.

Oftentimes in midlife, our skin gets dull. It's like the polar opposite of glowy and dewy. What do you think is, like, the best way we can get the glowy dewy look?

So definitely drink a lot of water, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables because that will really help create that collagen, make you look very youthful. And then obviously get facial treatments every four to six weeks and then mix in your lasers or microneedling and then have hydrate.

So I love the Bio Dance Dance. What is it called? Bio Dance mask. Have you heard of those?

No. Tell me.

Oh, my gosh. If you're feeling super dry and, like, dull, you put Bio Dance mask on, leave it on for four to six hours, and then take it off. And it looks.

It's so dewy, so glowy. It's one of my favorites, and I recommend that for everyone. Or, like, the exfoliating pads from is clinical. Those are incredible.

You use that one time and your skin looks super glowy. So I think, to answer your question, all in all, definitely lifestyle skincare products and treatments.

Yes. And everyone says sleep, which when I was younger, you know, like, I was like, like, not good about getting sleep.

I'm like, now I prioritize it so much more. I'm like, I've got to get my, like, beauty rest at night because it shows up.

So if I am tired or, like, I did not get enough sleep, I can see it the next day, and it's jarring, you know?

Right. Do you get, like, puffy and, like, circles just feel kind of, like, gone?

Yes. I just feel like if it's dull, it's, like, dry, you know, just like the wrinkles are much more prominent when I don't get, like, good sleep. Yes.

Yeah, I know. Well, I will tell you this fun tip.

If you feel that way, you can't get enough sleep, literally, go into your freezer, grab a piece of ice, and start moving the ice all around your face. And that'll help calm everything down, brighten everything. It actually really helps. Helps. And then there's ice rollers.

You can get, like, a roller and put it in the freezer, and that helps, too. Eye patches are amazing. Do you use eye patches? I do.

I love eye patches. I feel like, especially when I'm puffy under my eyes, I get so puffy. If it's not, like, super crepey, it's, like, puffy.

It's like, it goes back from, like, creepy to puffy. And I'm like, what am I doing to get rid of this? But that is. Yes. I love eye patches, especially from the freezer.

Yes. Oh, they're so good.

Yes, yes. The best. It's very, like, cooling. You know, I love that you mentioned your older clients.

You said you had the client in her 70s, and, you know, I'm sure you see clients of all ages.

But we, as women, like, in our 40s and 50s, what are some things that we can do now to ensure that our skin remains, you know, healthy and, you know, supple? And glowy and dewy. As we even get older in our, you know, 60s, 70s and beyond, it

kind of goes back to the same thing. Living a healthy lifestyle, getting your sleep, drinking a lot of water, hydrating, using those bio masks, using like the Brana eye patches or.

And being really good on your treatments at home stuff is huge. And then also too, I tell my clients, we're changing. We're all changing. That's what we all have in common.

Our skin's not going to always look the same.

So instead of like looking in the mirror and picking out what you don't like and that you're like so bummed out about that because it's changing, look in the mirror and just say what you're grateful for and what you like about yourself. And I feel like confidence that helps with your confidence.

And I feel like when you are confident and you feel good about yourself and you're telling yourself the things that you like, like about yourself, you. It shows. So it shows and you glow. And I feel like, I don't know, I just feel like that is very important.

Obviously it's easier said than done, but it's definitely something that we can try to do.

Yes, I do think happiness on like joy radiates, you know, it's like, comes from your. Comes out of your skin, like out of your body. Just your mental and emotional well being is so important to your, like the you look, you know?

Absolutely. I was watching one of your videos, which I love.

Oh, thank you.

You're welcome.

But I really loved how you were talking about how the celebrities are because for so many years we were told like, once you get to a certain age, you're done, you know, And I love that we are actually embracing this. We're embracing this beauty of confidence and wisdom. And, you know, I think that the older we get, the more beautiful we get.

I just wanted to know from your expertise, what is like one expensive, sort of overhyped skincare trend. Trend that you think midlife women should stop doing?

I think filler.

Ah, I'm so glad you brought that up. I've actually never done filler because it scares me. You know, I've seen too many, too many bad filler stories.

Yeah, exactly. And I feel like a lot of these injectors are saying you have to get filled every six months and then it starts to change your natural beauty.

And not only that it spreads. It doesn't just stay in that spot.

It's.

It's kind of. I just, I want it to be done.

I Want everybody to stop doing it because there's other alternatives, which is nice that you can do instead of getting that filler.

What do you think are some good alternatives?

So Sculptra is a really good alternative. That is hyaluronic acid being injected and then doing the microcurrent, because microcurrent will help lift everything back to its place.

So, like, I'll start to get, like, you know, in this area, I feel, like, a little bit more gaunt or whatever. So I'll just, like, literally do my microcurrent. And I feel like it kind of, you know, masks it for a minute.

But then the PRP injections, that's why I started doing PRP injections, because I'm like, I don't really want to do filler, and I feel like it really helps.

What would you want to tell, like, younger girls in their 20s, 30s, as they're coming up, about how they should treat their skin so that in midlife they've got great skin?

I would say even though you're having so much fun in the sun and it just feels so good and nothing matters, you can't see what it's doing to your skin.

Reapply your sunscreen and wear your big brimmed hat, because when you get sun damage and it actually breaks down your collagen and catches up to you later on in life. And I actually know that from experience because I would go tubing down the river in Arizona for, like, five hours without reapplying with my hat on.

And now I'm suffering from melasma. But, you know, so everything you do, all of the choices that you make when you are 25, it does catch up to you. But thank goodness for technology.

We're able to, like, you know, fix it.

Exactly, Exactly.

You know, but.

Yes, but you're right. All the 20s and 30s out there wear your sunscreen and your hats and. Yeah. Try to get some good sleep. No.

Yes. Try to get some good sleep.

Right.

Don't have too much fomo.

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And alcohol, too, because alcohol affects. Affects, like, skin quality as well.

So it really does.

Right. Those late, like, partying nights. And you know what? I. I enjoyed every single one of them. But, you know, I can tell.

Yes.

I can tell that I still, you know, I mean, I can. I see it on my face, you know. Yeah. It adds up.

Even if you have, like, a glass of wine, the next day, you're like,

oh, my gosh, how did I have,

like, four of them in my 20s and feel okay? Afterwards.

Yes, yes, it's true, it's true. I know. It's such a world of difference now. My God, alcohol. Yes. I can feel it so much more now.

But also, oh, my gosh, you know what I would tell these 20s and 30s girls coming up is wash your face at night. Like wash the makeup off your face. Right?

Yeah, absolutely. Because that's going to prevent like your breakout. It's going to help, you know, make you do that for the rest of your life.

It'll give you a good routine.

Yes. Like always wash your face. Like, that's one thing. I can't fall asleep if I have not washed the makeup off my face at night.

Same, you know.

Right. Like, even if I've had a couple cocktails or whatever, I'm like, I've got to wash my face

so dirty. You're like, okay, yes.

Like, I can't put my head on that pillow. You know, it's like, yeah. The thought of makeup all over it, I just can't. It's like the germaphobe.

Yes, no, for sure. Absolutely. And change your pillow every like, you know, at least once a week.

Yes, yes. Oh, that's. Yes.

That's another good point is change your pillowcase because that also can hold bacteria and oil and everything that can cause the breakouts.

Yeah. Can cause like dermatitis, which I see all the time, I bet.

Oh my God, so many things. What about silk pillowcases? Are you a fan of those? For skin? Yeah, okay, absolutely.

Silk or satin, you can actually find them at like Nordstrom's rack for like half the price or like TJ Maxx or something.

That's a great tip.

Yeah.

You don't have to pay like full, full price for those.

Exactly.

Okay, that's a good, that's a good point. Now, turning the tables a little bit on you, madam. I want to know what the 25 year old you was like and what advice you would give to her. Her.

Okay, so I had a lot of fun when I was in my 20s and when I was 25, I was living in LA for five years. I was doing makeup art. Makeup for the stars. I was doing a lot of print, I was going to a lot of parties, a lot of clubs. I had. I was.

And also too, I was a hustler. I had three jobs.

You did? What were you doing?

Well, I was definitely focusing a lot on makeup. But then, like on my downtime, I was working

at a.

At one time I was working at a restaurant, so I was a server. And then A facial studio. So I was doing makeup, working at a facial studio and I was working as at a restaurant.

So I was always working and I would find myself not sleeping because I wanted to go to that event. I wanted to network. I wanted to like have the best time of my life. Life. I did enjoy drinking, so I wish I drank as much.

But all in all it was, it was such a great time. I feel like LA back then it was just, I don't know, like you, you de gaffed, you didn't even care. You're just like wherever, you know.

Yes, it was such a good time, right? Yes, yes. It was like peak LA before, like such a full influx of like social media and people watching each other.

Like people actually went to have fun and not really worry about like is somebody watching me, you know?

Yeah, absolutely. So you felt like, felt safe kind of.

But then I was surfing a lot back then too and I wasn't reapplying my sunscreen and I was always at the beach and I just loved the sun. I feel like I did, I loved doing everything. I never said no to anything.

So I would say to my 25 year old self was definitely get surprised sleep and to reapply your sunscreen and maybe wear a hat out in the water while I was surfing.

Yeah.

You know, so what advice would you give to like a midlife woman at home right now who might feel really, you know, kind of stuck in her old skincare routine, wants to kind of revamp, you know, might want to try something new. What are like three things that you think that she should do to really kind of amp up up her skin routine?

A treatment serum to use, add that to the mix, do the microcurrent every day. And I would say maybe get a laser or get a facial treatment and try to get on a really good schedule with that every four to six weeks.

Good point. Yeah. Really invest in the skin, you know?

Yeah, yeah, I definitely think so. And don't forget your neck and your chest.

Good point. Oh, what, what about, you know, the skin on the back of our hands that shows like age spots and everything?

What is a good thing to do to kind of remedy that to like kind of get rid of the age spots and those skin issues so you

can, whatever you use on your face, you can actually use on your hands, which is kind of nice.

Oh, that's nice.

Right?

Okay.

And then they have the hand masks you can use a couple times a month or a couple times a week, whatever you want to do. Patchology, I think has some and a really good hand treatment. So I would do a hand cream retrove.

Has a really good hand cream that I like or goldfat in and it's all about the ingredients.

So if you have like pigment on your hands and you're trying to get rid of, definitely use a moisturizer that has like kojic acid in it or even a little vitamin A in it it to help with that and like help with the fine lines.

Good point. You know what I got too from Amazon, which I've been using. Are those driving gloves? Like when you're right.

Yes. That is so good. Are you wearing them often?

I, you know what I do, I do if I have them in my purse but lately I had been forgetting them so I just put them in the glove box now. So now I'm going to wear them more regularly.

I love that. That is actually because then you're like, oh yeah, I can wear it.

Because if you think about it, you're driving and the sun is hitting your hands every day.

Every day. And like even you know, through the windshield, I mean it, it adds up, you know, that's a lot of sun exposure, you know.

Definitely. Well that's a good one for sure. And sunscreen. Wear sunscreen on your hands if you're not wearing the gloves.

Oh, that's a good point. Yeah. You could put sunscreen right on the backs of your hands. That's easy day.

And what I do too is because I wear lotion every single day, I actually put sunscreen in my lotion. So I'll put sunscreen all over my body every single day.

Oh my goodness. Well, this has been so lovely, Eric. I'm so glad we got to chat.

I'm so honored that you invited me on here and I'm so excited.

I am so excited. I can't wait for everyone to hear all of these amazing tips, techniques and treatments and everything. You've such great knowledge about skin.

Can you tell everybody where they can find you?

My social media is. I have two, one for me personally, Erica Marie Gatt and then Em Skin Studio la.

Yes. Oh my gosh, you guys, if you're local to LA or you're going to be in LA anytime soon, go see her. She does amazing facials. I've had them myself.

They're totally customizable. She really looks at your skin and sees what you need. It's not a one size fits all. So definitely check her out because she gives amazing skin care.

And yes, definitely come back on Thursday for Erica's Game episode we're going to dispel all of the skin myths, talk about all things skin, so you don't want to check that out. And be sure you rate, subscribe and comment wherever you listen to podcasts so you can find more of these amazing conversations.

Thank you, Erica for coming on the Iconic Midlife. It was such a treat.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

If this conversation made you rethink your entire skincare routine, you're not alone. Midlife skin isn't about chasing 25. It's about understanding what's changing and working with your biology instead of fighting it.

If you found this helpful, share it with a friend who's staring at her bathroom counter wondering what happened to her glow. Make sure you're following the show so you never miss an episode.

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And remember when whether you're breaking cycles, setting boundaries, or just figuring it the out, you're not crazy. You're evolving. And that's iconic. I'll see you next time.