Suzy Mooney is the owner of About Face in Tuggeranong, Canberra. She has spent decades helping women feel confident in their skin yet perimenopause still took her by surprise. Through her own experience, she’s learned that midlife isn’t the end of beauty or vitality, but the beginning of a more authentic, grounded kind of glow.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about perimenopause, it’s that she doesn’t knock politely before she shows up. One day you’re running your business, juggling life, feeling pretty on top of things – and the next, you’re standing in front of the fridge wondering what you came for, sweating for no reason, and crying over an insurance ad.

What I wish I knew back then is that this isn’t the end of anything – it’s actually the start of something real. Messy, yes. Moody, definitely. But real.

No one told me perimenopause can make you feel like a hormonal teenager all over again – only this time you’ve got more confidence, less tolerance for nonsense, and a far better skincare routine. 

My energy dipped, my emotions spiked, and my usual get-up-and-go turned into more of a “sit down and stay there for a bit.” It’s like your body is speaking a new language, and you’ve got to learn to listen instead of fighting it.

Once I stopped trying to push through and started tuning in and listening to my body things shifted. Perimenopause isn’t a punishment – it’s a recalibration. It’s your body saying, “Hey, we’ve done a lot. Maybe it’s time to change gears.” When I began supporting myself properly – with rest, nutrition and realistic expectations – I started to find balance again.

These days, in the salon, I talk about it with my clients all the time. We laugh, we swap survival tips and we remind each other that it’s okay to feel a bit off. Because once we take the shame out of the conversation, it becomes a whole lot lighter.

And let’s be honest, women in midlife are powerhouses. We’re raising families, running businesses, showing up for everyone, and still managing to look after our skin. That deserves some serious credit.

If I could tell my 40-year-old self one thing, it would be this: you’re not losing your spark – you’re just glowing in a new way.

Perimenopause has made me more grounded, more empathetic and far more comfortable in my own skin. It’s taught me to slow down, to listen, and to honour what my body needs instead of fighting it. And honestly, that’s the kind of confidence no serum can give you.

So, to every woman fanning herself in the car, losing her train of thought mid-sentence, or wondering when she became allergic to wine, I’m here to tell you, you’re evolving. And you’re doing it beautifully.