(Coenzyme Q10 · INCI: Ubiquinone)
Antioxidant defence · Helps skin look revived & radiant · Supports radiance · Gentle · Sensitive-skin suited · AM & PM safe
5 min read · Studied topically for over two decades
CoQ10 for menopausal skin is about helping tired-looking skin regain its sense of vitality. Coenzyme Q10, listed on ingredient labels as ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble antioxidant naturally present in skin, valued topically for its antioxidant character and its role in the range's self-renewing antioxidant network. Its natural levels are understood to decline with age and environmental exposure, which is exactly why it belongs in a menopause-conscious routine.
Why menopausal and perimenopausal skin changes
The skin's own antioxidant reserves, CoQ10 among them, decline with age and are further depleted by UV exposure and pollution. As those defences thin, skin becomes more vulnerable to the free-radical damage that shows up as dullness, uneven tone and a loss of vitality. Menopause compounds this: the same hormonal shift that reduces collagen and lipids coincides with lower antioxidant capacity, leaving the barrier more exposed. Replenishing CoQ10 topically is one way to help skin look better equipped to defend against that stress.
What CoQ10 does for menopausal skin
- Antioxidant defence: helps defend against the visible effects of environmental stress from UV and pollution.
- Helps replenish skin's look of vitality: in topical studies, Q10-containing formulas raised ubiquinone levels within the epidermis (Knott et al., 2015).
- Radiance & energy: helps skin look revived, radiant and energised — the natural partner to Cordyceps in the mushroom complex.
- Radiance: helps skin look more rested, even and vital.
- Gentle and well-tolerated: suits sensitive, reactive and menopausal skin, and layers easily with other actives.
What the research shows
Coenzyme Q10 has been studied topically for decades. A 2015 study in Biofactors (Knott et al.) found that applying Q10-containing formulas raised ubiquinone levels within the epidermis, increased the skin's antioxidant capacity, and reduced free radicals in stressed skin. Earlier work (Hoppe et al., 1999) described CoQ10 as a cutaneous antioxidant and examined its role in defending against the oxidative stress linked to photo-ageing. Both frame CoQ10 as a way to help skin look better equipped against the stress it accumulates over time.
Ingredient profile
- INCI: Ubiquinone
- Also known as: Coenzyme Q10, CoQ10, Q10
- Type: fat-soluble antioxidant, naturally present in skin
- Source: cosmetic-grade CoQ10 is typically fermentation-derived
- Mechanism: antioxidant defence; part of the self-renewing antioxidant network with vitamin C and vitamin E
- Concentration in Philogeni: 0.7%
- Suited to: all skin types, particularly sensitive and menopausal skin
Featured in
Start with the Resilience Balm, our most-loved formula, which carries 0.7% CoQ10 alongside bakuchiol and the mushroom complex in a solid balm. Or explore the Bio-Lipid Concentrate, an anhydrous facial oil where CoQ10 sits within a lipid-rich base at 0.7%. In both, it works as part of the M-Veil active core, alongside vitamin C and vitamin E in a self-renewing antioxidant network.
Common questions
What does CoQ10 do for skin?
CoQ10 is an antioxidant that helps defend skin against the visible effects of environmental stress and supports skin's look of radiance and vitality. In topical studies it also raised the skin's own Q10 levels (Knott et al., 2015).
Is CoQ10 the same as ubiquinone or ubiquinol?
CoQ10 exists in two forms: ubiquinone (the oxidised form) and ubiquinol (the reduced form). Both are coenzyme Q10. Ubiquinone is the more common cosmetic form and the one listed on our ingredients.
Can I use CoQ10 with other actives?
Yes. It is gentle and layers well with vitamin C, bakuchiol, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
Is CoQ10 good for sensitive, menopausal skin?
Yes. It is well tolerated, and a considered part of the antioxidant network that helps skin look more resilient with age.
References and further reading
- Knott A, et al. (2015). Topical treatment with coenzyme Q10-containing formulas improves skin's Q10 level and provides antioxidative effects. Biofactors, 41(6), 383-390. PubMed
- Hoppe U, et al. (1999). Coenzyme Q10, a cutaneous antioxidant and energizer. Biofactors, 9(2-4), 371-378. PubMed
At a glance
- Common name: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
- INCI: Ubiquinone
- Type: fat-soluble antioxidant
- Concentration: 0.7%
- Cosmetic function: antioxidant defence, supports the look of radiance
- Found in: Bio-Lipid Concentrate, Resilience Balm
- Status: vegan (fermentation-derived), suited to sensitive skin
An antioxidant your skin already knows, part of a self-renewing network that helps skin look brighter, firmer and more resilient. Shop the Resilience Balm or explore the Bio-Lipid Concentrate.