5 perimenopause lessons Drew Barrymore taught me

Drew Barrymore has never been one to shy away from the camera. Ever since she appeared on our screens starring as the cheeky and cute six-year-old Gertie in E.T, Drew has been fearless about showing her realness, whether it’s on or off screen.  

And today, grown-up Drew has the most inspiring and refreshing mindset towards aging and perimenopause, and she often shares important midlife lessons for us all to learn from.

1. Perimenopause is a time of resilience not struggle 

Just last month, in a bid to show her authenticity and willingness to demystify the realities of perimenopause, Drew pulled out her hair extensions on live TV while interviewing Pamela Anderson who was a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show.  

“Sorry, if we’re really going to be honest here,” Drew said in the clip while pulling out her extensions, “another really awesome symptom of perimenopause is you start to lose your hair.”

Drew’s honesty about her perimenopausal hair loss journey reaffirms that showing self-acceptance and self-compassion is the way to approach changes at midlife. Instead of seeing perimenopause as a hurdle, Drew treats it as a new stage to embrace and a time of resilience rather than struggle.

2. Be open with friends about symptoms

Previous to her candid hair admission, Drew has been having open discussions about her perimenopausal symptoms for over a year now. Last March she spoke to Gayle King on CBS Morning about how she realized that she was in perimenopause when she “started having my period every two weeks.”

Drew even shared the experience of her first perimenopausal hot flash while interviewing Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler on her TV show.

READ: Nobody told me menopause would impact my friendships 

Drew’s willingness to laugh and share her perimenopausal symptoms with her friends is proof that being open about them allows the journey to be much less intimidating. 

© Manoli Figetakis

3. Champion self-care and wellness

Drew often chats about how she has learned to prioritize self-care during perimenopause, whether that means taking time for mental health, investing in skincare rituals, or adopting healthier lifestyle habits. 

She has also opened up to Instagram about her new role as brand ambassador for a wellness supplement that promises to offer relief from perimenopausal symptoms.

Dr. Kellyann &ME Peri + Menopause is a daily supplement made up of several natural ingredients that promise to support metabolism, ease hot flashes and night sweats, and help with anxiety and sleep. 

Drew explained in a paid partnership Instagram post, that the supplement is giving her “insanely incredible results” and that she has “gotten my power back and I just feel great.”

4. Embrace aging and encourage your daughters to do it too!

Drew empowers all women to see the beauty in aging and is encouraging women of all ages to embrace their so-called ‘imperfections’, whether they are in perimenopause or not. 

In a Tik Tok video sponsored by the beauty brand, Dove who was launching their #Faceof10 campaign addressing the issues of teen girls using anti aging skincare, Drew bedazzled her face with glitter, jewels and stickers while championing aging. 

“If you’re lucky, you will actually get to age,” she says in the video. “Let’s never fear getting older, because that is a privilege, we have to figure out messaging that empowers women and also lets young girls know that they have so much road ahead of them.”

© Steven Ferdman

5. Give yourself a break

Drew opened up about the state of her mental health during perimenopause with actress Gabrielle Union on her TV show. Admitting that she was “struggling so much” mentally. 

“You go through an emotional rollercoaster, and you don’t know what’s happening, and there aren’t indicators there to help it make sense to you, so you just do whatever it is you can to be calmer so that you will be better for yourself, as well as those around you.”

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