Dove’s New “TMI” Line of Menopause Products

The beauty brand Dove has teamed up with gynecologists, menopause experts and dermatologists to develop a new line of products called the Women’s Wellness Range, according to a recent news release. This launch is part of their “Made with TMI” campaign, which aims to lessen the taboo associated with women’s hormonal health.

Released yesterday, the collection includes three body washes and one leave-on balm formulated to address skincare concerns associated with hormonal shifts.

• Dove Glycolic Serum Wash—to address odor associated with hormonal sweat
• Dove Cleansing Oil—to moisturize dry skin often associated with perimenopause and menopause
• Dove Whole Body Wash—to cleanse and maintain vulva pH
• Dove Ultra Gentle Balm—for vulvovaginal dryness

"As an OB/GYN, I have seen so many women in intimate settings, and they still feel they need to censor their personal concerns in conversations because for generations, women have been taught to be quiet about discomfort, to downplay pain and to feel shame around natural parts of their health,” Jessica Shepherd, M.D., OB/GYN and menopause expert and line co-creator, said in the news release. “We're slowly seeing that shift and unlearning many of these traits, but the silence still lingers."

Because the skin is an endocrine organ, it undergoes major changes during menopause, a stage marked by hormonal fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone.

Estrogen specifically increases collagen and elastin production, which keep the skin hydrated and elastic. As a result, a drop in estrogen can lead to skin dryness and thinning. These menopause symptoms often receive less attention than vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes but still have a negative impact on quality of life.

While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be prescribed to women experiencing hot flashes, mood changes and night sweats, HRT is not currently recommended to treat dermatological complaints alone. This belief can be attributed to the results of the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial, which stated that HRT is linked to an increased risk for certain cancers. These results led to a dramatic decrease in women taking HRT, despite industry experts now questioning the legitimacy of the results.

Almost all (80%) of menopausal women experience vasomotor symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes, which can lead to increased body odor. The drop in estrogen levels means there are relatively higher levels of testosterone in the body, which can attract more bacteria to sweat, making it smell worse.

Dove is not the only beauty brand taking interest in menopause. Ulta Beauty and Sephora launched menopause categories on their websites in 2022 and 2023.

Celebrities have also taken note. Halle Berry’s wellness platform, Respin, rebranded this year to focus on menopause and perimenopause, offering community support, lifestyle coaching and personalized health plans. Naomi Watts also has released a line of menopause products through her brand Stripes, launched in 2022.

"The Dove Women's Wellness Range is the latest expression of the brand's long-standing commitment to real beauty, real care and real conversations," Ellen Shepard, senior research & development director at Unilever, said in the news release. "By leveraging Unilever's expertise in surfactant science, odor and sweat management and the microbiome, we're turning women's needs into advanced, personalized care."

The full collection is available exclusively on Amazon, with products starting at $19.99.