Menopause Survival Kits: What Experts Use

Each day, about 6,000 women in the U.S. reach menopause, defined as 12 months without a period — and many more deal with the symptoms of perimenopause in the years leading up to that. Thankfully society, and the marketplace, are beginning to take notice. In honor of Menopause Awareness Day (Oct. 18), we turned to several women working in the menopause space to find out what they'd include in a "menopause survival kit."

Cindy Barshop, RHONY alumna and founder of VSPOT

Former Real Housewives of New York star Cindy Barshop, 59, launched VSPOT, an intimate spa for women focusing on sexual healthcare, in 2017. "I started menopause shortly after giving birth to my twins [now 12]," she says. "It was such a whirlwind of hormones, changes and emotions being both postpartum and perimenopausal. My greatest challenge was the vaginal dryness and change in libido — hence why VSPOT was created. I wanted a non-surgical solution that could help these changes so that I could then go enjoy being a new mother to my beautiful babies."

My Survival Kit
"The biggest challenge women face is a lack of education, resources and solutions surrounding menopause. Many don’t know where to turn for their menopausal symptoms. We should all be armed with more education and resources, but for products, here are some that I would absolutely recommend every woman take with them."

Menopause the Musical Actress Teri Adams

For 17 years, Adams, 56, has played the role of “Iowa Housewife” in the national touring company of the hit show Menopause the Musical, which has been seen by 17 million people in 16 countries since its debut in 2001. She's reprising the role in the show's sequel, Menopause the Musical 2: Cruising Through ‘The Change’, which premiered this year. "I’m a 56-year-old actress with the misfortune of going through menopause for over a decade, starting at an early age as a result of breast cancer and a subsequent total hysterectomy," Adams says. "Luckily, I survived cancer, and I survived menopause. The hot flashes and "clammy" skin really affected me the most — feeling like an oven on the inside. It would just happen at random times, waking up and feeling like you have wet the bed only to discover you are just drenched in sweat. The beautiful thing about menopause is knowing you are not alone. There is a camaraderie, a sisterhood, amongst women that have experienced menopause and come out the other side."

 My Survival Kit:

Sally Mueller and Michelle Jacobs, Co-Founders of Womaness 

In 2021, friends Mueller, 59, and Jacobs, 51, launched Womaness, a line of creams, supplements and vibrators aimed at helping with menopausal symptoms and developed with doctors. Says Jacobs, “Menopause isn’t a terminal illness. You have every right to feel good.”

Our Survival Kit

“After almost three years of talking to women about how to deal with menopause, we’ve noticed a theme: Your toughest issues are what we call ‘the 4 S's of Menopause.’ It’s true that this phase of life brings almost every woman a concern (or two) around skin, sex, sleep, and stress — but we’re determined not to let them slow us down. Here are some things that have helped us cope.”

1.    Let's Neck: Our roll-on neck serum Let’s Neck hydrates and lifts aging skin.
2.    Asutra Magnesium Oil Spray with Capsaicin: A topical magnesium oil for the aches that can come with age (think restless legs, arthritis, headaches, or chronic muscle and joint pain). And Venus Williams is a co-owner and chief brand officer.
3.    Made with coconut oil, our Coco Bliss helps with dryness for ‘down there’.
4.    Although the PauseWell Fascia Stimulating Tool may look like a face gua sha, this stainless steel massager is non-porous, washable, tough and will last for a lifetime. You can cool and even freeze it, a game changer for puffy skin.
5.    Our cream The Works uses ingredients usually reserved for facial creams to help with dry, crepey skin. 
6.    Kristin van Ogtrop’s book Did I Say That Out Loud? : Van Ogtrop is the former editor-in-chief of Real Simple and she gives a hilarious take on middle age and the aging process.
7.    Every bit helps when it comes to getting better sleep in menopause! The ingenious design of the Loop Earplugs help do the trick.
8.    Industrial designer Ayse Birsle’s Design the Long Life You Love is a unique take on crafting the life you want as you age. Pro tip: Definitely get My Long Life  the book’s guided journal companion.
9.     The Innersense Hydrating Hair Mask: An organic, indulgent and restorative solution for changing or drier hair that needs repair and extra hydration.
10. Dryness all over in menopause can lead to more painful sex—and these stretchy, stackable, doctor-recommended Ohnut Depth-Limiting Rings rings can help. 

Dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur

Dr. Ellen Marmur , 54, is a board-certified dermatologist with her own practice in New York City,Marmur Medical. She is also a professor with The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and founder of MMSkincare, a line of products for aging skin, which she launched in 2018. "Starting after 40 years old, women begin experiencing changes due to perimenopause. Fifty percent of women at 50 years old express concerns about skin and hair," says Dr. Marmur. "Thinning, shedding, and brittle hair occur during perimenopause and menopause. For skin, wrinkles, redness, acne, dryness, melasma, and hyperpigmentation are common skin concerns that can flare up during this time due to your changing hormones."

My Survival Kit:

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