How to care for Sensitive Skin
What is sensitive skin?
There are many different sorts of sensitive skin. In fact, it is an oft-quoted statistic that six out of 10 people consider themselves to suffer from this ‘condition’. Broadly speaking, sensitive skin is skin which is easily irritated and which needs extra special care and handling.
Symptoms can include redness, swelling, itchiness, blistering, a rash/spots, skin feeling tight and prickly, a burning sensation and dryness and soreness.
So what causes sensitive skin?
Just as there are many different types, there can also be many causes: a certain ingredient or ingredients in a beauty product, the weather e.g. sun or extreme cold, a reaction to ingredients in household products, certain foods or even an allergy to things which occur naturally in our environment. You may have always had or been aware of having sensitive skin or it can happen suddenly with your skin become ‘sensitised’ i.e. highly sensitive to something seemingly overnight (this can also happen with non-skin allergies).
Many people are able to isolate the cause of their skin sensitivity or, if they are unable to, dermatologists or skin patch test clinics may be able to help. Others may find their skin is just ‘like that’ for no apparent reason and no amount of testing uncovers the cause.
Skin which suffers from conditions such as acne, rosacea and eczema can also be considered sensitive as these skin types need careful handling to keep these conditions under control.
Reactions to beauty products
Sensitivity to beauty products can happen suddenly. Contact dermatitis, for example, is caused when skin reacts suddenly to a beauty product in the area it has been applied, resulting in a burning sensation, itching, redness or a rash. The reaction is dramatic and it can take some time for skin to recover and skin often remains highly sensitive, not only to this product but to others. If you think you have contact dermatitis, you should stop using the product immediately, gently wash the product off your hands and the affected area and see your doctor if symptoms persist or your skin appears badly burned.
Less dramatic but just as distressing for sufferers is an allergy to perfume or other ingredients contained in beauty products which, when used, lead to swelling, itchiness, an outbreak of spots or a rash or just general discomfort.
How to care for sensitive skin
If you have had patch tests you may know what ingredients to look out for. If you are not sure exactly what is causing the problem, follow these general rules:
Avoid skincare and make-up products with perfume in them
Products most likely to cause skin irritation are those containing perfume, fragrance or essential oils. It is worth noting that many products claim to be unscented or unperfumed but do contain a masking fragrance which covers the natural smell of the product if this is deemed unpleasant.
Look for products containing the fewest ingredients
The more ingredients contained in a product, the more chance you may experience a reaction and the less chance you have of isolating what may be the problem ingredient(s).
Avoid perfumed shampoos
While many people will take extra care with their facial products, they may continue to use perfumed shampoos and conditioners. Water running down your face and into your eyes containing shampoo can irritate and dry your skin and eyes.
Always patch test products
Try out a little of the product inside your elbow. Wait for at least 24 hours to ensure your skin has not reacted.
Try new products individually
Don’t try new products at the same time you are using other products as you may not be able to isolate the cause of a reaction if one occurs. Try each one separately and with at least 24 hours between them.
Spray perfume on your clothes not your skin
Spray just a tiny amount onto clothes in areas which are unlikely to come into contact with skin.
Don’t assume ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ are best
Just as people can be allergic to pollen or nuts (naturally occurring substances), they can also be sensitive to fruit or herbal extracts or oils and other plant derived materials and perfume/oils.
Avoid using too much water on your skin
Try to avoid foaming cleansers and soaps as these are too drying for sensitive skin. Use a cream cleanser and a gentle toning lotion.
Don’t use exfoliators or scrubs
These are too abrasive for sensitive skin. A soft face cloth or even cotton wool are enough to remove dead cells and give skin a lift.
Try to avoid extremes of temperature
Stay out of the sun at the hottest part of the day (11m-3pm) and wear protective clothing and a suitable sunscreen (sunscreen can cause of skin irritation so always carry out patch tests). In very cold/windy weather, wear protective cream and cover skin where possible.
This guide is provided by Queen Cosmetics. We have been caring for sensitive skins since 1927. To find out more about our products, including our Sensiderma range for very dry and/or mature sensitive skin, please see our website http://www.queen-cosmetics.com/ or visit our blog. To obtain a special discount at our online shop, please insert the following code when prompted at check-out: QU318
To obtain a free sample of our Medicated Cleansing Lotion, a fabulous all-purpose cleanser for sensitive skin, please email us with your name and address at sample@queen-cosmetics.com.
