To mark the beginning of this new chapter for twelveLab, our Madrid pop-up store also opened up a space to talk about the skin, understand its processes and learn how to care for it with greater awareness.
One of these conversations was with Mariona Planas, creator of @diariodeestilo, and Pedro Catalá, our formulator. The starting point: how hormonal changes affect the skin and how we can support it through skincare.
Drawing on her personal experience, Mariona brought some of the questions that arise during perimenopause and menopause to the conversation: changes in firmness, radiance and skin sensitivity, as well as how to adapt our routines and what we can realistically expect from the products we use.
What is happening to our skin?
This was the question that sparked the conversation.
Beyond addressing each change individually, the conversation explored the importance of understanding what the skin needs at this stage and, above all, what we can realistically expect from a skincare routine.
Mariona raised the topic of loss of firmness: can skincare help restore some of that firmness, or do we need to reconsider what we expect from a formula?
The same perspective was applied to radiance. Skin that once felt plump and luminous can begin to look duller. But does radiance necessarily come down to hydration? Are we addressing the same need, or two different ones?
Listening to Skin as It Changes
Sensitivity, redness and changes around the eye area broadened a conversation centred on understanding how the skin evolves and what it needs at each stage.
Adapting a routine means establishing new priorities, choosing the right ingredients and understanding what each formula can realistically achieve. This becomes especially relevant at a time when the skin’s needs may change and the way we care for it needs to evolve with them.
The conversation between Mariona Planas and Pedro Catalá returned to one of the ideas at the heart of twelveLab: observing, understanding and formulating according to what the skin needs.
How can skincare support these changes?
Hormonal changes can bring previously less noticeable skin needs to the forefront. During the conversation, Pedro Catalá, our formulator, focused on observing the skin and adapting care to what it needs at each moment. The philosophy behind twelveLab begins with the same question: what does the skin need, and what can each ingredient truly contribute?
Firmness and Lines
When firmness becomes a concern, we can look for formulas specifically designed to improve its appearance. Phyto Retinol Serum combines 2% Bidens pilosa, targeting texture, firmness and radiance, with 6% peptides that enhance the tightening effect and improve the appearance of lines.
Hydration and Loss of Plumpness
Skin that feels drier or tighter may need additional support to retain water. Ideal Moisture Hyaluronic Serum combines five types of hyaluronic acid with Saccharide Isomerate, a plant-derived sugar that binds to keratin and helps retain water. The formula also contains cherimoya, selected for its soothing action and the comfort it provides to dry and sensitive skin.
Sensitivity, Redness and the Skin Barrier
When sensitivity, discomfort or redness appear, B12 Calm Serum focuses on soothing the skin, providing comfort and supporting its balance. When the concern is more closely related to a weakened barrier and lack of lipids, Filaggrin Barrier Booster Oil provides lipid support, comfort and flexibility through unsaponifiable oils, phytosqualane and rice bran oil.
Ultimately, as skin changes, the way we care for it may need to change too: observing what it needs at that moment and choosing each formula with a clear purpose. Every stage of the skin deserves to be understood, not fought against. Listening to it, understanding how it evolves and adapting the care to its needs is the best way to support it respectfully. That's how we formulate at twelveLab.