Sensitive skin is extremely demanding and choosing the right daily care for it is quite a challenge. Many ingredients make it irritated and you may also experience the feeling of tightness. But don't worry - in this article, we explore the characteristics of sensitive skin and offer you steps on how to make it truly healthy!

How To Know If You Have A Sensitive Skin?

Most likely, you quickly react to all external irritants, various components, or to temperature changes, sun rays, and mechanical friction. You may suffer from redness, dryness, burning, tightness, itching and even allergies. Well, daily skin care routine should be gentle and balanced. Therefore, professionals recommend focusing on moisturizing the skin - use gentle cleansers and better avoid harsh acids and peelings.

What Causes Sensitive Skin?

Let’s figure out what are the causes of sensitive skin.

• Reaction to specific components. Parabens, aggressive surfactants, formaldehyde, artificial fragrances and some chemical UV filters can lead to unpleasant results. Also, beneficial active ingredients, for example, retinol, L-ascorbic acid, BHA and AHA acids can also provoke a skin reaction;
• Skin care mistakes. The most common are exfoliating the skin too often, using scrubs, ignoring toners and lack of nutritional ingredients;
• Unfavorable weather conditions. You've probably noticed that your skin becomes more reactive during autumn, winter, and early spring. At this time, the risk of irritation due to weather conditions (temperature changes, wind, frost) increases significantly;
• Ultraviolet. This is the main aggressive factor that provokes violations of the skin barrier properties;
• Genetics. Skin hypersensitivity can be hereditary.

Active Ingredients For Dry Sensitive Skin

When your skin is too sensitive, the last thing you want to do is harm it with experiments. That is why we have compiled a selection of active ingredients that you should look for when choosing skin care for really sensitive skin.

• Centella asiatica soothes the skin, relieves irritation and regenerates the epidermis;
• Panthenol perfectly moisturizes and heals the epidermis, relieving irritation and active inflammation;
• Ceramides restore and strengthen the protective barrier, promote regeneration and proper hydration of the skin;
• Squalane strengthens the skin's hydrolipid barrier and has a calming effect. It prevents the evaporation of water from the epidermis, improving hydration;
• Aloe is a universal component that soothes irritated skin, moisturizes it and gives a pleasant cooling effect;
• Niacinamide (vitamin B3) accelerates the regeneration of the epidermis, improves its elasticity, strengthens the hydrolipid barrier and evens out the skin texture.

Choose Gentle Care Every Day

The everyday skin care for sensitive skin is no different from the basic one. However, the significant difference lies in the formulas and intensity of products.

Morning Routine

• Gentle cleansing. Go for gentle cleansing gels or foams created for sensitive skin. Be sure to wash your face with warm water, as hot one can dry out your skin and cause further sensitivity;
• Toning. Apply toner to your face 1-2 minutes after washing your face. Toners balance pH levels, reduce redness and irritation, and hydrate the skin;
• Hydration. Serums with soothing and strengthening properties will be the best solution;
• Sun protection. Opt for physical/mineral filters as they have a low level of allergenic potential.

Night Routine

Skin care night routine is a time for thorough cleansing and deep nourishment. Therefore, set aside 10-15 minutes so that you will save yourself from dryness, irritation and redness. Here’s what needs to be on your night routine list:

• Remove your makeup. Remember about two-step skin cleansing, paying particular attention to the under-eye area as it is often the most sensitive. Try hydrophilic oil - it doesn’t require the use of cotton pads and wiping the skin, which can cause irritation;
• Gentle cleansing. Use the gel or foam cleanser from your morning routine. Apply the product to your palms, rub it a little and spread it over your face;
• Toning. Once the skin is completely dry, apply the toner;
• Serum. Choose products without fragrances and with simple compositions;
• Cream. Night cream should nourish the skin, allowing it to recover. By the way, collagen will be a useful component.

Remember that you can always find the right products using the SkinBuddy smart filter. Just enter your skin concerns (sensitivity, dullness, rosacea, dehydrated skin, etc.) and product characteristics (non-comedogenic, non-irritating and hypoallergenic) and the system will choose everything for you in just a couple of clicks.

Top 4 Sensitive Skin Mistakes

• Use of harsh products. Instead, pick up gentle hypoallergenic ones;
• Insufficient hydration. Sensitive skin needs more moisture than other skin types. Inadequate hydration can lead to dryness and irritation. Select non-aggressive moisturizers and use them regularly;
• Lack of sun protection. The sun can be a major enemy of sensitive skin. Forgetting about protection from UV radiation leads to aging and other serious problems. Use the best sunscreen for sensitive skin with high SPF daily, even in cloudy weather;
• Use of too many peelings and exfoliants. Yes, they can help remove dead skin cells, but overusing them can lead to irritation and damage to healthy cells. Don’t use them more than once a week. It’s best to get peelings for sensitive skin from a professional who will select the right products.

To Wrap It Up

Stress, poor environment, weak skin barrier functions and dehydration - all these factors lead to deterioration of the skin, making it sensitive.

But luckily, proper home care can do wonders. Its stages are identical to standard beauty routine processes, but there’s one difference. The products shouldn’t cause burning and redness. On the contrary, they should have a long-lasting therapeutic effect, soothing the skin and helping it recover.

References

1. Jaliman, D. (2022, November 16). 20 Common Questions About Sensitive Skin. WebMD https://www.webmd.com/beauty/sensitive-skin-20-questions
2. The Best Ingredients for Sensitive Skin, According to Dermatologists. The Good Skin Blog https://versedskin.com/blogs/learn/sensitive-skin-routine
3. Skin Care Tips Dermatologists Use. American Academy Of Dermatology Association https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/skin-care-tips-dermatologists-use
4. Covington, M. (2023, April 7). Caring For Sensitive Skin Tips + Ultimate Skin Care Regimen. Westlake Dermatology https://www.westlakedermatology.com/blog/sensitive-skin
5. 5 Skincare Mistakes To Avoid For Sensitive Skin. (2021, April 17). Herbal Dynamics Beauty. https://www.herbaldynamicsbeauty.com/blogs/herbal-dynamics-beauty/5-skincare-mistakes-to-avoid-for-sensitive-skin