Oestra Vs. Winona Estrogen/Progesterone Cream
- Peggy B. - Experienced HRT Patient Reviewer
- Aug 3
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 2
Over the past 18 months, I’ve been on a personal mission: to test and compare as many online HRT providers as possible. It all began with Winona, the first platform I tried, which started me on their Estrogen/Progesterone Cream and DHEA tablets. Fast-forward to today, and I’m now on my sixth provider—Oestra by Inner Balance.
Each one has offered something different, and now it’s time to dive into how these two stack up.
Winona Vs. Inner Balance
Perimenopause and Menopause aren't for the weak. I'm certain most men would rather die than go through what we experience during this time in our lives.
In the Fall of 2019 I was at my heaviest weight. I was experiencing Hot-Flashes, Night-Sweats and boy was I moody. I'm lucky that my husband was so patient and caring during this time. In December of that year I found what I now refer to as my diet doctor and he prescribed to me bioidentical HRT.
Once Covid hit and he and I started meeting via Zoom, it became very clear to me that HRT for perimenopause/menopause symptoms could easily be done via telehealth. There was really no need to drive to the doctor's office to spend eight minutes with them only then to drive 45 minutes back home. If and when bloodwork or labs are needed, those orders can be sent to a testing facility and results shared with both myself and the doctor.
When my diet doctor insisted that I start seeing him in person, I went on a quest to find a HRT provider who offered online, telemedicine care. Winona was the first company I stumbled upon and the first one I tried.
Winona Estrogen Progesterone Cream for Perimenopause and Menopause
The diet doc had me on a troche, which is a tablet that melts under your tongue and gets absorbed by the mucus in your mouth. I knew going into my relationship with Winona that I wanted to try topical creams in lieu of pills and they prescribed a topical cream as I had hoped.
Winona doesn't require any type of start-up fee. It's free to create an account and begin communicating with a Winona doctor or clinician. They also don't require that you take time out of your day to meet one on one with one of their Hormone Replacement Therapy specialists.
Once I created my account, I received a message via their patient portal from my assigned HRT specialist and we began to communicate about my symptoms and what meds I was currently on. The Winona clinician suggested that I try their Estrogen/Progesterone topical cream and then also DHEA pills to help with stimulation of testosterone. I had put my HSA credit card on file when I created my account, so once I approved the order, they sent my prescription to their partner compound pharmacy and within 7 days my prescription was delivered to my front door.
Winona's HRT cream should be applied topically to an area of skin that is free of hair follicles, excluding the face and breasts. They recommend using the forearms, because you can rub them together to avoid getting the cream on your hands. But the inner thigh is another good option. Make sure the chosen area is clean, dry, and free of lotions or oils, as they can prevent the cream from penetrating your skin. You also want to ensure that you don't get the cream on pets or other family members.
Oestra Estrogen Progesterone Cream by Inner Balance
It's been 18 months that I've been experimenting with different online HRT providers and products. Inner Balance's Oestra cream is the latest company that I've signed up to become a patient so I could try their Hormone Replacement Therapy. I pay for all my prescriptions out of pocket with my HSA card, my credit card or when I can use insurance, I use my prescription insurance provided by my full-time employer.
Even with trying many of the larger, well-known online HRT companies, I've yet to find one that really helps with sleep, at least for me. So when I learned that Oestra cream is be applied vaginally and that it helps specifically with sleep, I was very intrigued. All of the other products I've tried were either topical creams, patches or tablets, so getting all of my HRT vaginally was new for me.
I created an Inner Balance account, which was free, provided my payment method and took their 5-minute quiz. They asked for my state driver's license to validate my identity and once that was complete, I got confirmation that my prescription was being written and would be sent to their partner compound pharmacy.
Apply one pearl-sized pump of cream daily to vaginal tissue—using your finger. It doesn’t need to be inserted deeply. Absorption through this tissue supports whole-body hormone balance.
Quick note, I struggle with using my finger for application, so I did choose to purchase disposable applicators as I wanted to ensure I was using the product as intended. I knew for me, it would make application less stressful. I've always struggled with vaginal creams as far as application and I didn't want to get this one wrong. It was just a personal preference for me.
Can I use my Insurance for HRT?
Both of these two HRT companies have created a business model that doesn't support the use of traditional prescription insurance. Both prescribe Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapies which include ingredients that are approved by the FDA. However, because the dosage and/or the administration of the product is outside what the FDA has approved, prescription insurance will not cover Winona or Inner Balance HRT products.
How much does Oestra and Winona's Estrogen/Progesterone Cream Cost
Oestra is $199 per month for the first 6 months and then it goes down to $99 per month starting with month seven. They bill you monthly, so you'll have to put a credit card on file. Inner Balance doesn't accept HSA credit cards.
Winona's Estrogen/Progesterone Cream is $267 for initial order plus $27 for DHEA pills. I was able to use my HSA credit card. They sell their prescriptions in 3 month supply and you pay for all three months at the on-set; $267 out of pocket to get started. Use this link to get 15% off your first order.
HRT and Sleep
Every single HRT product I've tried relieved my symptoms of night sweats, hot flashes and moodiness. Once the night sweats were under control my sleep was better but not like it was in my 20's. I had resolved that I just wasn't a good sleeper any longer and it was just part of "getting older."
It wasn’t until I started using the Oestra cream that I realized just how disrupted my sleep still was. About a week in, I noticed a surprising shift—roughly 30 minutes after applying the cream, I’d start to feel noticeably drowsy, and falling asleep became effortless. Even better, I was staying asleep through the night with fewer wake-ups. For that alone, Oestra earns a big gold star in my book.
Oestra Vs. Winona Estrogen/Progesterone Cream
Choosing a clear winner between these two isn’t easy—each has features I really like, along with a few areas that could use improvement.
Easy Start: Both Winona and Oestra are simple to get started with—no doctor's consultation or upfront fees required.
Cost Comparison:
Winona Estrogen/Progesterone Cream
- $267 for first order, plus $27 for DHEA pills for a total of $294.
Oestra Cream: $199/month for the first 6 months, then $99 per month starting with month seven.
Payment Options: Oestra does not accept HSA cards, Winona does.
Application Method:
Winona: Topical application—quick and hassle-free, but clearly not the most effective formulation for absorption.
Oestra: Vaginal application—takes some getting used to, but manageable over time.
Sleep Benefits: Oestra delivered the most noticeable improvement in my sleep, which has been the biggest win for me.
Administration and delivery of estrogen and progesterone can be pills, patches, gels, troches or vaginal application. At one point in my journey, I had been on an estrogen topical cream for three months, but when I went to have blood work done, they couldn't even tell I'd been on HRT.
Topical creams are more affordable, but for me, they just aren't effective. Rubbing an estrogen cream on my forearms didn't allow for enough hormones to actually get into my bloodstream, which is why my bloodwork didn't show I'd been on HRT for three months.
Based on the few months I’ve been on Oestra, I’m thinking vaginal application might be best for me. If you’re not seeing or feeling the results you want with a topical cream, patch or pills, I would encourage you to consider Oestra, it just might be what the doctor ordered!
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