For years, the skincare industry has treated hydration as a simple equation: more hyaluronic acid = more hydrated skin. But skin, especially skin experiencing hormonal change, is more complicated than that. What worked in your 20s and 30s will not be effective in peri to post menopause. XOMD was intentionally formulated to support the biological systems that help skin attract water, retain moisture and maintain a healthy, resilient barrier. That’s why our approach to hydration looks different.
Beyond Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid has become nearly synonymous with hydration. As a humectant, it can attract and bind water, which is why it appears in countless moisturizers and serums. But it isn’t the only way to hydrate skin and at XOMD, we intentionally take a broader approach.
Rather than building our hydration story around hyaluronic acid, our formulations harness ingredients including beta-glucan and glycerin to help support lasting hydration, comfort and barrier function without relying on silicones. The goal isn’t simply to make skin feel temporarily moisturized, but to help skin actually function better.
Beta-Glucan: Hydration with More to Offer
Beta-glucan is a naturally derived polysaccharide known for its ability to support hydration while helping soothe and comfort the skin. That combination is particularly important for skin undergoing hormonal change. Beginning in perimenopause and continuing through menopause, shifting hormone levels can affect the skin’s ability to retain moisture and maintain barrier integrity. Skin begins to feel drier, thinner, more reactive or simply different than it did before.
Beta-glucan helps address hydration from multiple angles.
- Attract and retain moisture
- Support the skin barrier
- Soothe dry, stressed or sensitive-feeling skin
- Improve the feeling of softness and suppleness
- Support skin recovery and resilience
Instead of thinking about hydration as simply adding water to the skin, we think about creating an environment where skin is better equipped to hold onto it.
Glycerin: The Hydration Workhorse
Sometimes the most effective skincare ingredients aren't the trendiest.
Glycerin is one of them.
Glycerin is a powerful humectant that attracts water and helps maintain hydration within the outer layers of the skin. It also plays an important role in supporting normal barrier function, something that becomes increasingly relevant as skin changes with age and hormonal fluctuations.
For XOMD, glycerin makes sense because it aligns with our larger formulation philosophy: support the skin's natural biology rather than simply masking the symptoms of dryness.
Paired with ingredients such as beta-glucan and our proprietary OX Factor™ technology, it becomes part of a more comprehensive approach to hydration, barrier support and skin resilience.
What We Leave Out Matters
Hormone-Smart Skincare isn't only about what we put into a formula, it's equally about making thoughtful decisions about what we leave out.
XOMD formulations are intentionally created without ingredients necessary to achieve the performance, sensorial experience and skin benefits we want from our products. That includes dimethicone and other silicones used primarily to create slip, smoothness or an occlusive feel.
Silicones can make skin feel instantly silky, but our philosophy is to focus on ingredients that contribute directly to the hydration, barrier and biological support we're looking to provide.
In other words, we don't want to simply create the feeling of healthier skin, we want to support healthier-functioning skin.
Why Hormones Change the Hydration Conversation
This distinction becomes increasingly important during perimenopause and menopause.
Hormonal shifts can influence sebum production, barrier function, collagen, elasticity and the skin's ability to maintain hydration. The moisturizer that worked beautifully at 35 may no longer give skin what it needs at 45, 50 or 60.
That's where Hormone-Smart Skincare changes the conversation. XOMD was created to consider the biology behind changing skin, not just the visible signs that appear on its surface.
Our formulas combine purposeful hydrators and barrier-supporting ingredients with OX Factor™, XOMD's proprietary neurocosmetic technology designed around oxytocin signaling in the skin. The result is a different philosophy of hydration:
Attract moisture.
Retain it.
Support the barrier.
Calm stressed skin.
Address the specific biology of hormonally changing skin.
Your Skin Doesn't Need More Hype. It Needs Smarter Hydration.
Hydrated skin isn't simply skin with more water sitting on its surface.
Healthy-looking hydration depends on how well skin attracts moisture, maintains its barrier and minimizes Trans-epidermal water loss.
XOMD doesn't formulate according to what's trending. We formulate according to what changing skin needs. We create new categories, and we give you products that meet you where you are.
Beta-glucan instead of relying on hyaluronic acid. Glycerin for proven humectant support. No dimethicone or unnecessary silicones. OX Factor™ to address the hormonal biology behind changing skin. It's hydration with intention. It's skincare designed to work with your skin, not against it.
That's truly Hormone-Smart Skincare.
