The 31 Products We Prioritize for Balanced Hormones and Clear Skin

The Lineup is a monthly series where we’re giving you an inside peek at the beauty lineups of cool fashion people, editors, makeup artists, hairstylists, and estheticians—all the people we trust the most. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at all the can’t-live-without products that make their worlds go 'round.

Wellness encapsulates many topics in one single word. We usually hear about the latest diets, workout routines, celebrity detoxes, and even eccentric biohacks, but hormones are a vital component of holistic wellness that’s often left out of the conversation. If you need a quick refresher, hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol (among many others) are chemical messengers that carry out essential body functions. So yeah, it’s very important to keep them in check. I struggled with hormonal imbalances for years due to an eating disorder, and it affected everything from my period to my sleep schedule to my skin and hair health. And while I don’t necessarily plan on starting a family soon, fertility is also another factor that's impacted by hormones.

Alex Taylor, the co-founder of clean-supplement brand Perelel, had a similar experience to me. She developed an autoimmune disease because of the extreme pressure she was under professionally. “My naturopathic doctor, my internist, and my endocrinologist encouraged me to make some lifestyle changes, especially if I ever wanted to get pregnant one day,” she says. In 2018, Taylor and her future co-founder Victoria Thain Gioia were both pregnant and less than satisfied with their prenatal vitamins. They were surprised that they couldn’t find a natural, sustainable prenatal that had the all nutrients they needed without the unnecessary additives and excessive packaging.

So they decided to partner with an ob/gyn to found Perelel and create clean supplements that support each stage of hormonal and reproductive health. They quickly expanded to offer supplements that help with conception, sleep, PCOS, and now periods—Cycle Support ($41) is the newest addition to their supplement family. Made to align with each phase of the menstrual cycle, it works to balance hormones and ease those common PMS symptoms like fatigue, bloating, cramps, and mood swings. “By understanding where I am in my cycle, I have better context as to why I may be feeling a certain way—both physically and emotionally,” Taylor explains. “I wish I had this awareness growing up. I think I would’ve been a lot more compassionate and felt less shame about what is a normal part of my life as a woman.”

Perelel’s mission is to create a world with healthier and more supported and informed women—and Gioia and Taylor have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to both wellness and beauty. I was impressed by their preventative skincare regimens and in-depth supplement routines. Keep reading to see their favorite products for clear skin and balanced hormones.