Sharon's 6 Top Tips For PCOS
With over 3 decades of experience specialising in treating skin conditions, these are MV Founder Sharon McGlinchey's Top Tips she wishes everyone with PCOS knew.
1. Embrace Compress Cleansing
For skin navigating the ups and downs of PCOS; congestion, imbalance, and sensitivity - the way you cleanse can make all the difference. Foaming and wash-off cleansers strip the skin of it’s natural barrier, and unsettles the delicate microbiome, leaving your complexion more reactive than before.
Instead, pair our Gentle Cream Cleanser with the Compress Cleansing Cloth and discover the ritual of warm compressing. Held softly against the face, the cloth works as if by magic - steaming, softening, and infusing to gently reset hormonally reactive skin.
The warmth gently encourages blood flow and capillary exercise, while the movement of the cloth works to remove product, impurities, and cellular waste, soothing both skin and senses.
Take the time to hold, breathe, and press for a slow count of five before sweeping the cloth away. One simple change, and skin prone to PCOS flare-ups will begin to find clarity, calm, and harmony.
2. Customise Your Moisturiser
Skin doesn’t stay the same, and neither should your moisturiser. For those with PCOS, skin can shift day to day - sometimes feeling dehydrated and sensitive, other times congested or oily. The key is learning to meet your skin exactly where it’s at.
Our concentrated moisturisers are designed for this kind of intuitive adaptability. Feeling thirsty in cooler weather? A full pump of Rose Moisturiser delivers rich, comforting coverage. Experiencing congestion or a heavier texture feels too much? Use just half a pump (or less) of Rose Soothing & Protective Moisturiser, and blend it with two spritzes of Rose Hydrating Mist to create a bespoke, lightweight lotion.
3. Buffer & Balance
Meet Pure Jojoba, your new secret weapon for hormonally reactive skin. This unique liquid wax is bio-compatible and mirrors the skin’s own sebum, helping to regulate and balance excessive oil production while keeping congestion at bay.
Pure Jojoba is also a gentle buffer, forming a protective shield when layered beneath other products. On days when your skin doesn’t need full moisturiser coverage, it functions as a superfine hydrator - completely non-comedogenic, lightweight, and soothing.
Use it to calm flare-ups, balance breakouts, or simply restore harmony to skin prone to sensitivity, dehydration, or congestion.
4. Ditch Agressives
Hormonally reactive skin thrives on gentleness. Harsh methods, ingredients, and products that disrupt your skin’s natural balance — think petrochemicals, high-pH foaming cleansers, and exfoliants that strip away the barrier. Over time, these practices create micro-traumas, weaken the skin’s resilience, and can propagate the inflammatory cycle, leading to congestion, sensitivity, or flare-ups.
Over-exfoliation is one of the most common causes of man-made sensitivity. Constantly removing both healthy and dead skin cells damages the acid mantle - your skin’s natural protective film of sweat, sebum, and water - leaving it vulnerable and inflamed. The skin microbiome , a community of beneficial bacteria that helps maintain balance and protect against irritation - suffers when the acid mantle is repeatedly stripped.
Ironically, much of the current conversation about restoring the microbiome exists because of these harsh habits. Supporting it with gentle, nourishing methods is one of the simplest ways to keep your skin calm, resilient, and balanced.
What Is The Hydrolipidic Film?
*A protective film that covers the entire surface of the skin. It is composed mainly of sweat, sebum and water, and its main function is to defend the skin against bacteria, acting as an external protective barrier.
5. Masking Is Your Secret Weapon
Give your skin a gentle boost when it needs repair, the Signature Mineral Mask is your secret weapon to fast-track healing. Rich in minerals such as silica, zinc, magnesium, manganese, calcium, potassium, and iron oxide, this mineral-rich clay nourishes and supports the skin while helping to:
・Balance
・Calm
・Clarify
・Decongest
・Support healing
Its soothing texture softens and refines, strengthens barrier-impaired complexions, and provides ultra-gentle exfoliation. Redness is reduced, tone is evened, and congested or hormonally reactive skin finds calm and clarity
6. Seek Holistic Support
Your skin is a reflection of your whole body, and hormonally reactive skin in PCOS often requires more than topical care alone. Connecting with complementary healthcare professionals can help you understand your unique presentation, identify triggers, and support your skin and overall wellbeing. Whether it’s a nutritionist, naturopath, or other trusted practitioner, a holistic approach allows you to address hormonal imbalances, lifestyle factors, and stressors that influence your skin story . By combining personalised internal support with mindful external care, you create the conditions for lasting balance, resilience, and healthy, radiant skin.
Explore Holistic Skintherapy For PCOS
What Is PCOS
Learn what PCOS is, how common it is, and how it’s diagnosed. Explore the typical symptoms, prevalence, and conventional treatment approaches for this complex hormonal condition.
PCOS: Causes & Holistic Insights
Take a deep dive into the root drivers of PCOS and explore natural, lifestyle-based strategies to support overall hormonal and skin health.
