A woman in her late fifties with silver hair smoothing cream onto her cheekbone in morning light

Estriol face cream guide

Estriol face cream: what it is, what the research shows, and how to get it

Quick answer: Estriol face cream is a prescription cream that puts estriol, the weakest of the body's three natural estrogens, directly on the skin. In the best-known study, women who used a 0.3% estriol cream for six months had firmer, better-hydrated skin and shallower wrinkles. Our GHK-Cu Biocosmetic Cream pairs 0.3% estriol with 3% GHK-Cu for $100 a jar, about 90 days of use, after a $39 provider review.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Snipes, MD and Kim Callender, NP, FNP-BC. Last reviewed September 29, 2026.

Why skin changes

What estrogen has to do with your skin

Skin has estrogen receptors, and estrogen helps it hold on to collagen, thickness and moisture. When estrogen falls around menopause, skin tends to get thinner, drier and less firm, and fine lines deepen.

The change is measurable. Skin collagen and skin thickness decline by about 1 to 2 percent a year after menopause, in step with bone density (Brincat et al., Obstet Gynecol 1987). When postmenopausal women applied estradiol gel for a year, skin collagen rose, most of all in the women who started lowest (Brincat et al., Maturitas 1987).

A review of the research concluded that both whole-body and topical estrogen appear to increase skin collagen, thickness, elasticity and hydration (Archer, Gynecol Endocrinol 2012).

1–2%

Average yearly drop in skin collagen and skin thickness after menopause.

Source: Brincat et al., Obstet Gynecol 1987

What the research shows

Does estriol face cream work?

The study behind most estriol face creams was published in 1996. Fifty-nine women with signs of skin aging applied either 0.3% estriol or 0.01% estradiol to the face for six months. Both groups improved on firmness, moisture and wrinkle depth, and biopsies showed more type III collagen (Schmidt et al., Int J Dermatol 1996).

Its limits matter. It was small, it had no placebo group, and the women were in the years just before menopause rather than long after it. It is still the strongest direct evidence for estriol on the face, and 0.3% is the strength our creams use.

One more data point: in the large KEEPS trial, hormone therapy taken as a pill or patch did not measurably change skin wrinkling (Miller et al. (KEEPS), Menopause 2019). The face studies applied estrogen directly to the skin being measured, which is part of why women look at a face cream rather than relying on HRT alone for skin.

The key study

0.3% estriol cream on the face for 6 months

women: 59; women
months: 6; months
estriol: 0.3%; estriol

Skin elasticity and firmness improved
Skin moisture increased
Wrinkle depth decreased, measured by skin profilometry
Type III collagen increased in skin biopsies
No systemic hormonal side effects were noted; prolactin was the only hormone that rose significantly

The women were in the years just before menopause, and a second group used 0.01% estradiol with similar results. There was no placebo group. (Schmidt et al., Int J Dermatol 1996)

The second active

What GHK-Cu adds to an estriol cream

Our cream doesn't stop at estriol. It adds 3% GHK-Cu, a copper-binding peptide that occurs naturally in the body and declines with age. In a review of the research, GHK-Cu in skin products was found to tighten loose skin, improve elasticity, density and firmness, and reduce fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage and uneven pigment (Pickart et al., Biomed Res Int 2015).

Replaces a missing signal

Estriol 0.3%

After menopause, skin has estrogen receptors but less estrogen to activate them. Estriol puts a weak estrogen back where the cream is applied.

Adds a repair signal

GHK-Cu 3%

GHK is a copper-binding peptide your body makes, and levels fall with age. It signals skin cells to build collagen, elastin and other structural proteins.

The two work through different routes, which is the reason to pair them. No study has tested estriol and GHK-Cu together, so the evidence for each comes from its own trials. (Schmidt et al., Int J Dermatol 1996) (Pickart et al., Biomed Res Int 2015)

GHK-Cu in human skin studies

Facial cream, 71 women, 12 weeks
Improved skin laxity, clarity and appearance, reduced fine lines and wrinkle depth, and increased skin density and thickness.
Eye cream, 41 women, 12 weeks
Did better than both a placebo cream and a vitamin K cream on lines and wrinkles, overall appearance, and skin density and thickness.

These studies are summarized in a review by researchers who develop GHK-Cu, and most were small. They tested GHK-Cu creams, not our exact formula. (Pickart et al., Biomed Res Int 2015)

Women whose skin collagen increased after one month

Skin biopsies after applying each cream for one month.

GHK-Cu cream70%

Vitamin C cream50%

Retinoic acid40%

Source: (Pickart et al., Biomed Res Int 2015)

Estriol vs estradiol vs plant creams

Not every “estrogen face cream” contains estrogen

Search results mix three very different products. Here is how to tell them apart before you buy. The full checklist is in our guide to the best estrogen face cream.

Type	What it is	Face-cream strength	How you get it
Estriol	The weakest of the body's three natural estrogens. The estrogen used in most estriol face creams.	0.3% in the main face study	Prescription, made by a compounding pharmacy
Estradiol	The strongest natural estrogen, and the one in most hormone therapy patches, gels and pills.	0.01% in the same face study	Prescription
Plant-based "estrogen" creams	Creams built on plant extracts such as wild yam, soy or red clover. They contain plant compounds, not estriol or estradiol.	No estrogen strength to list	Sold without a prescription

Our estriol creams

0.3% estriol, paired with a copper peptide

Both of our estriol creams use 0.3% estriol, the strength from the 1996 study, with 3% GHK-Cu, a copper peptide studied for collagen signaling and repair. If estrogen isn't right for you, the Cashmere Cream gives you the GHK-Cu without any hormone.

A small amount of white face cream in the palm of a hand

How to use it

How to use estriol face cream

1Evenings, after cleansingApply a pea-sized amount to clean, dry skin on the face and neck. Keep it away from the eyes.
2Wash your hands afterEstrogen on your fingers can transfer to a partner, child or pet by touch, so wash up once it is on.
3With tretinoin or retinolThere is no study of the combination. Many women start the two on alternate nights and add moisturizer if skin gets dry.
4Sunscreen every dayAny routine aimed at collagen and fine lines works best with daily broad-spectrum sunscreen.

Wondering what to expect and when? See estriol face cream before and after. For side effects and who should avoid it, read is estriol face cream safe.

How to get it

Estriol is a prescription, so it starts with a provider

We serve 28 states plus Washington, DC. There is no subscription; you reorder when the jar runs low.

Start with the Biocosmetic Cream

1Complete a short intakeYour history, medications and a pregnancy screen.
2A provider reviews itA licensed provider reviews it for a one-time $39 and prescribes if it fits.
3The pharmacy ships itOptimal Balance Pharmacy, a licensed 503A pharmacy, compounds and ships your jar.

Frequently asked questions

What is estriol face cream?: Estriol face cream is a prescription cream that applies estriol, the weakest of the body's three natural estrogens, directly to facial skin. It is used for skin that has become thinner, drier and less firm as estrogen levels fall around menopause.
Does estriol face cream work?: In the best-known study, women who applied a 0.3 percent estriol cream to the face for six months had firmer, better-hydrated skin, shallower wrinkles and more type III collagen in skin biopsies (Schmidt et al., 1996). The study was small, had no placebo group and enrolled women in the years just before menopause, so results vary from person to person.
What strength of estriol is in your cream?: The GHK-Cu Biocosmetic Cream and the Biocosmetic + SNAP-8 Cream both contain 0.3 percent estriol, the same strength used in the 1996 face study, along with 3 percent GHK-Cu.
What does GHK-Cu add to estriol face cream?: GHK-Cu is a copper-binding peptide that the body makes and that declines with age. It signals skin cells to build collagen and other structural proteins. In a 12-week study of 71 women, a GHK-Cu facial cream improved skin laxity, clarity, fine lines, wrinkle depth, and skin density and thickness. Estriol and GHK-Cu work through different routes, and no study has tested the two together.
Do I need a prescription for estriol face cream?: Yes. Estriol is a prescription medication, so it is compounded by a licensed pharmacy after a provider reviews your history. At Rx Peps Direct that review costs $39, one time, and the cream ships from Optimal Balance Pharmacy.
How long does estriol face cream take to work?: The study measured results at six months. Skin changes like firmness and collagen build slowly, so give it at least three months of nightly use before judging it, and take dated photos in the same light so you can compare.
Can I use estriol face cream with tretinoin or retinol?: Many women use both, but there is no published study of the two together. A common approach is to start them on alternate nights, add moisturizer if skin gets dry or irritated, and wear sunscreen during the day. Tell the provider if you already use tretinoin.
Can I use estriol face cream if I'm on HRT?: Possibly, but the provider needs to know. Estriol is still an estrogen, so tell the provider about any hormone therapy you take, including pills, patches, gels or vaginal estrogen.
How much does estriol face cream cost?: The GHK-Cu Biocosmetic Cream is $100 for a 30 gram jar, which lasts about 90 days at a pea-sized amount each evening. The version with SNAP-8 is $120. Both need a one-time $39 provider review, and there is no subscription.

Estriol Face Cream: What It Is and What It Does. Estriol face cream explained: what estriol does for skin after 40, what the 0.3% study found, how it compares to estradiol and plant creams, and how to get it. Estriol face cream is a prescription cream that applies estriol, the weakest of the body's three natural estrogens, directly to facial skin. It is used for skin that has become thinner, drier and less firm as estrogen levels fall around menopause. In the best-known study, women who applied a 0.3 percent estriol cream to the face for six months had firmer, better-hydrated skin, shallower wrinkles and more type III collagen in skin biopsies (Schmidt et al., 1996). The study was small, had no placebo group and enrolled women in the years just before menopause, so results vary from person to person. The GHK-Cu Biocosmetic Cream and the Biocosmetic + SNAP-8 Cream both contain 0.3 percent estriol, the same strength used in the 1996 face study, along with 3 percent GHK-Cu. GHK-Cu is a copper-binding peptide that the body makes and that declines with age. It signals skin cells to build collagen and other structural proteins. In a 12-week study of 71 women, a GHK-Cu facial cream improved skin laxity, clarity, fine lines, wrinkle depth, and skin density and thickness. Estriol and GHK-Cu work through different routes, and no study has tested the two together. Yes. Estriol is a prescription medication, so it is compounded by a licensed pharmacy after a provider reviews your history. At Rx Peps Direct that review costs $39, one time, and the cream ships from Optimal Balance Pharmacy. The study measured results at six months. Skin changes like firmness and collagen build slowly, so give it at least three months of nightly use before judging it, and take dated photos in the same light so you can compare. Many women use both, but there is no published study of the two together. A common approach is to start them on alternate nights, add moisturizer if skin gets dry or irritated, and wear sunscreen during the day. Tell the provider if you already use tretinoin. Possibly, but the provider needs to know. Estriol is still an estrogen, so tell the provider about any hormone therapy you take, including pills, patches, gels or vaginal estrogen. The GHK-Cu Biocosmetic Cream is $100 for a 30 gram jar, which lasts about 90 days at a pea-sized amount each evening. The version with SNAP-8 is $120. Both need a one-time $39 provider review, and there is no subscription.