Presenter and podcaster Gabby Logan has a long-standing career in front of the camera, and now she’s turning the spotlight onto one very important topic: the menopause.
In our exclusive interview, Gabby, who is the star of our Menopause Digital Cover in partnership with Clarins, opens up about her personal midlife journey and why she’s advocating for future change.
Gabby Logan stars on our Menopause Digital Cover, in partnership with Clarins
Gabby, when did you start to experience menopause symptoms?
“I started doing a podcast called The Mid Point and one of my guests was Mariella Frostup, who has since written a book about the menopause. [She was talking about menopause symptoms] and I was thinking, ‘These sound really familiar.’ I wasn't getting hot flushes, but I was feeling low in energy and [having] anxiety, which I've never suffered from, and my hair and skin felt dry. Overall, my symptoms were more emotional than physical. And I was 47, so I started investigating it.
MORE: Visit our menopause hub for expert advice, tips, and real-life stories
“I booked an appointment to see a doctor and spoke about my symptoms. I realised, with her collaboration, that I was in perimenopause. I have had IVF, so my perimenopause symptoms probably came a little bit earlier [than usual]. But I thought right, I'm going to do something, because I don't want to feel like this, I want to feel better.”
WATCH: Gabby Logan gets real about the menopause
So, where did you turn for menopause support?
“There wasn't much in the mainstream media about the menopause and obviously it affects half the population. My mum always maintained that she never had a menopause, so she wasn't really much use in terms of knowing what was going to happen next.
"So, I just kept knocking on doors and speaking to people who understand the menopause. You might have to go to another doctor, just keep on trying until you get somebody who has some kind of empathy towards you.”
"Overall, my symptoms were more emotional than physical", said Gabby
Did you find a treatment that helped your symptoms?
“I wanted to use some bioidentical hormones to just feel a little bit more like me. Within a few weeks of taking them I immediately felt a lot better. But you are recommended a certain dose at the beginning, and I found my skin flared up, I got quite spotty and so was told to take the [bioidentical hormones] tester gel dose down, which helped.”
MORE: 36 symptoms of menopause and how to treat them
MORE: Clarins launches super innovative line for menopausal skin - and the reviews are amazing
What about any other changes to your lifestyle or diet?
“I was keeping up with all my supplements, taking omegas and vitamin D, because the thing that a lot of women don't realise is that your immune system goes down [with the menopause] because your body is losing estrogen and progesterone.”
"Women at this age of life don't want to shy away from career positions that they've worked so hard for," said Gabby.
You work in a male-dominated sports industry, have you been able to have a menopause conversation with peers at work?
“A lot of the men I work with have wives my age. We haven't really had many open conversations, but I'm not afraid to say something! I see more and more women saying: ‘Can you open the window? I'm feeling hot.’ So, there is a more relaxed approach to discussing [the menopause].”
Gabby Logan and HELLO! Editor-In-Chief Rosie Nixon pose for a photo as they discussed the menopause
Why do you think it’s important to speak out and break the menopause taboo?
“You might not be married to a woman, but you'll know one. This is a period of life that for a lot of women can cause all kinds of anxiety and issues that go well beyond the physical kind. [The menopause] is a conversation that had been shut down for so long. Families break down, women pull themselves away from the workplace and it’s a time of life when women should be using all of their skills and incredible experience to live their best life. Women at this age of life don't want to shy away from career positions that they've worked so hard for.
“That’s why I felt I wanted to talk about [the menopause publicly], because I don't want to lose women of that age from society. But also, because we deserve to have optimum health, energy and enthusiasm and keep doing brilliant things.”
Shop Clarins Super Restorative skincare for perimenopausal and menopausal skin
Formulated especially for skin that has become unbalanced due to hormonal changes, Clarins has launched two new hero day and night creams perfect for women going through the menopause.
Super Restorative Day Cream for All Skin Types, £77, Clarins
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Super Restorative Night Cream for All Skin Types, £81, Clarins
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Join HELLO! over the coming months as we explore the physical and emotional journey of the menopause with some special celebrity friends, offering expert skincare, makeup, and beauty tips along the way by Clarins.
Discover the new Super Restorative range now in Clarins stores as well as online at clarins.co.uk.
Photography by Shane Taylor