Those of you who follow me on Instagram may have already seen it pass by: soon I will be launching a new, product line with Marion Maakt : Skin Flow .

These four innovative serums are tailored to the needs of our female skin during the different phases of the menstrual cycle. All four contain specific ingredients that are 100% natural. Just as you would expect from Marion Maakt .

In this blog, I take you back to how this idea came about. And I'll also tell you exactly what to expect from Skin Flow.

Skin Flow: how it all began

The seed for Skin Flow was planted in my head about 4 years ago. At that time, I had just stopped my hormonal birth control. And that had an immediate impact on my skin. When I did still take the pill, I already noticed that my skin changed according to the end of my cycle, but now these changes only became more obvious. At times my skin felt dry and tight, and on other days I had acne attacks. When I started looking into it, I noticed that these "symptoms" were related to the phase of my cycle I was in at that time. 

That even our skin is so subject to hormonal fluctuations was a real eye-opener for me. 

And it turned out I was not alone: all around me I heard more and more stories from other women about the impact of their cycle on their skin. In the meantime, I had already launched our 100% natural moisturizer and cleanser. But I wanted to offer my skin and that of other women additional support, in addition to cleansing and moisturizing. And so the idea for the 4 Skin Flow serums: one for each phase of the female cycle.

Skin Flow: boost your skin based on your cycle

Just an ultra-short biology lesson as an interlude. A woman's menstrual cycle lasts an average of 28 days, and consists of 4 different phases:

1. the menstrual phase (3-7 days): the time when you have your period.

Your skin in this phase: estrogen and progesterone levels drop, making your skin feel more sensitive and look duller & grayer.

2. the follicular phase (3-7 days): new follicles mature in your ovaries.

Your skin in this phase: estrogen levels increase again and your skin becomes stronger again. So ideal to remove dead skin cells and strengthen your skin barrier.

3. the ovulation phase (3-4 days): your ovaries release an egg to be fertilized.

Your skin in this phase: your estrogen reaches a peak, making your skin extra receptive to actives that work on wrinkles, pimples, spots and scars.

4. the luteal phase (10-14 days): your body checks whether or not the egg is fertilized.

Jhe skin at this stage: the hormone progesterone increases, but decreases again once our body realizes that we are not pregnant. Our skin produces more sebum, which clogs our pores and causes us to develop acne .

Skin Flow serum 1 - Stay Balanced: soothes & hydrates

Stay Balanced gives your skin a major boost during your period. We have selected a few gems of active ingredients that will bring your skin back into balance. Think of borage oil, argan oil and extract of the Myrothamnus plant, all known for their anti-inflammatory and protective properties. 

Advantages:

• Calms & rebalances
• Bye bye dull, dry and irritated skin. Hello, healthy skin!
• Reduces superficial & chronic redness from acne and rosacea

Skin Flow serum 2 - Glow Booster: removes dead skin cells.

Have your rules ended? Then it's time to bring order and tackle your dead skin cells. Glow Booster will give you a hand with that. This serum is full of natural fruit acids, which will exfoliate your skin. Thus, you help stimulate the production of collagen, which automatically makes your skin look a little fresher. Extra plus: you also give your skin barrier a boost. In this way, you ensure that your skin remains in top condition in the long run as well.

Advantages:

• Gently exfoliates and removes dead skin cells
• Works preventively against pimples & blackheads
• A boost to your collagen production

Skin Flow serum 3 - Bright'n Up: makes lines, spots & scars less visible

During the phase of ovulation, many women are at their best. Chances are that during this period of your cycle you are bubbling with energy and feel like you can take on the whole world. We'd like to extend that radiant feeling to your skin. That's why we developed Bright'n Up: a serum that helps you get a beautiful glow. For example, we chose Bakuchiol, a 100% natural ingredient extracted from Babchi seeds and popular in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Do you suffer from acne scars or age spots? Then you're going to get great results with this herbal alternative to retinol.

Advantages

• Gives your skin a younger appearance
• Noticeably fades scars from pimples or age spots
• Provides a natural glow

Skin Flow serum 4 - Beyond Blemishes: anti-acne

That our periods are almost upon us again is often literally visible on our faces. Our skin produces more sebum, which clogs our pores and causes us to develop acne . Enter Beyond Blemishes, our mattifying and anti-acne serum that will fight impurities on your skin. The serum includes plant-based salicylic acid (to clear your pores) and probiotics (which rebalances your skin). Result: mattified skin that also looks more even.

Advantages

• You can tackle acne breakouts in a mild but effective way
• You suffer less from clogged pores
• Your skin does not shine and looks matte

Who is Skin Flow really for?

I developed Skin Flow for all women who want to give their skin an extra boostall month long.

The serums are ideal if you:

• (sometimes) suffer from pimples, wrinkles, dry or flaky skin
• Looking for a gentle way to rebalance your skin that also works long-term
• want to soign your skin a little extra, in addition to your usual cleanser and face cream

Whether you:

• Uses contraception or goes through life pill-free
• Menstruating, pregnant or menopausal

We took into account the needs of the skin during the cycle because we felt a great need for this. At the same time, we tailored our serums to a wide range of skin types. Thus we created an accessible product for everyone who wants to pamper their skin.

How should I use Skin Flow?

"Marion, my cycle is longer than 28 days, is not as regular, or I just have acne around my ovulation phase instead of just before my rules, can I use your serums? "

You certainly can! On the box in which the 4 serums are packaged, you will be able to read the explanation of which serum to use in which phase. For convenience, we took 4 weeks. For each week 1 serum. Of course, the cycle is not so delineated. Each phase passes gradually into the other or lasts shorter/longer for some women than others. You can completely choose when to switch to the next serum or use the serums in a different order. Read carefully what properties each serum has (in the leaflet) and simply feel when your skin needs another serum.

Little spoiler: I often use the serums interchangeably and 2 different ones every day (one in the morning and in the evening). Just because I'm such a fan and can't choose, hehe. But invariably, I'm going to use Beyond Blemishes more often towards my rules and Stay Balanced during my period. You're sure to find your perfect routine!

All 4 or just one? You do you, girl!

Want to test the Skin Flow serums for yourself? You can do so in the following ways:

• In a set of 4, giving your skin optimal boost throughout your cycle
• In a duo set to combine your 2 favorite serums with each other - Pure: anti-acne set, Balance: anti-redness set, Glow: anti-aging set, Hydrate: moisturizing set.
• Stay Balanced, Glow Booster, Bright'n Up and Beyond Blemishes are all 4 also available separately