I would love to say that there are traditional or state-of-the-art skin-care products out there that positively address the changes that occur in perimenopausal and menopausal skin, but there aren’t. There is simply no information available to suggest that applying soy extract, black cohosh, or evening primrose oil to skin can mitigate any of the changes taking place in the epidermis and dermis, and definitely not in comparison to taking those substances orally. None of those substances are a problem if they show up in skin-care products, but their benefits are most likely not any different from those of other anti-inflammatory and antioxidant cosmetic ingredients.
The truth is that the real basics for skin care continue to apply to perimenopausal and menopausal women alike: sun protection, treating the skin type you have (not all menopausal women have dry skin, wrinkles, skin discolorations, or skin disorders), considering using Retin-A or Renova, and using gentle skin-care products. If you have dry skin, use an emollient moisturizer laden with antioxidants, skin-identical ingredients, and cell-communicating ingredients. The use of hydroquinone or arbutin-based skin-lightening products is another important option. But there are no cosmetics you can apply to skin that can alter the actual condition of your skin caused by the depletion of hormones.
Pharmaceutical options, such as over-the-counter products containing USP progesterone or prescription-only estrogen creams, can be applied topically and there is some research showing they can have benefit for skin. But here again you need to discuss this with your physician because these products are not without warnings and potential risks.