The Skin Nerd: Scrub up with these sensitive skin saviours
When it comes to sensitive skin, most can agree that finding products that don’t irritate is a challenge and trying new ingredients can be anxiety-inducing – after all, who wants to trigger sore, uncomfortable skin?
What does sensitive skin mean to you? For some it is consistent discomfort and irritation, whilst for others it is redness or the occasional flare-up.
Studies have revealed that 71% of adults have sensitive skin, a number that has risen over the past two decades – illustrating a rising issue in skincare.
When it comes to sensitive skin, most can agree that finding products that don’t irritate is a challenge and trying new ingredients can be anxiety-inducing – after all, who wants to trigger sore, uncomfortable skin?
Thankfully, many skincare brands have taken into account the large segment of the population who struggle with sensitive skin and developed products specifically for skin that needs a softer approach over the past few years.
Teamed with the trend for barrier first products, the skincare market now offers many products and formulations aimed at caring and soothing sensitive skin.
Not simply remedies for soreness or itching, sensitive skin types can now enjoy advanced solutions to blemishes, accelerated ageing, sun protection and any other issues they want to tackle.
With potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, oats are beneficial for maintaining the skin’s moisture barrier.
Apply regularly to soothe and calm dry skin and dermatologic inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis.
Squalane is anti-inflammatory, meaning that it helps to sooth and calm the skin, whilst minimising any redness.
It is also lightweight, meaning that it won’t clog up the pores and cause congestion.
Ceramides are a kind of fat, called lipids, which are found naturally within the stratum corneum – which is the outermost layer of the skin – and work to both strengthen the skin barrier and maintain the skin’s moisture balance.
Our natural levels of ceramides decline with age and can also become depleted if you have a skin condition like psoriasis or eczema or due to use of harsh exfoliating ingredients and cleansers.
It is therefore beneficial to mitigate this with topical skincare containing ceramides, which can help to relieve dryness and repair an impaired barrier.
You would be right to be cautious when it comes to exfoliating sensitive skin, but you can remove dead skin cells with the correct products.
Lactic acid is a go-to if you have sensitive or reactive skin. It is an alpha hydroxy acid but is a much larger molecule than many other kinds, meaning that it works more slowly and is therefore gentler.
Always patch test a small area of skin before using a product for the first time and if you experience any unusual symptoms, stop use and seek advice from your GP.
Sensitive skin is something you’re born with (genetic) whilst sensitised skin is when your skin barrier has been compromised by lifestyle factors. Although many people regard sensitive skin as a skin type, it’s more like a skin condition and involves dealing with chronic irritation, although you may find that certain ingredients or new stimuli may trigger a flare up.
If your skin is newly red, sensitive to touch or reactive to a new ingredient then your skin is possibly sensitised. This is also likely if your skin suddenly starts rejecting certain ingredients after years of accepting them. Lifestyle factors such as overuse of products, over exfoliating, not using SPF or skipping moisturiser can sensitise the skin. Drinking alcohol can also sensitise the skin as it can dehydrate it.
We address sensitised and sensitive skin in similar ways, but with sensitisation, the focus should be on rebuilding the barrier and avoiding further damage. This involves avoiding exfoliating acids and actives for a period of time to allow the skin to recover.
Repair and replenish hard to please complexions with the following products created for sensitive or sensitised skin.
Less is more when it comes to cleansing sensitive skin and this gentle, no-rinse formula from Avène is ideal for keeping the skin clean without stripping the skin of moisture or causing irritation.
Sandpaper dry skin will benefit from this replenishing overnight treatment which contains fatty acid-rich jojoba and sunflower oil to reinforce the protective barrier, minimise water loss that can lead to dehydration and visible signs of premature ageing, alongside skin-soothing Beta-Glucan to minimise signs of irritation and sensitivity.
Keep moisture levels topped up without overloading the skin with this light hydrator which contains nourishing prebiotic oat to help quench dry skin and lock in moisture for up to 24 hours.
Clinically proven to provide 48 hours hydration, this ultra gentle formula is a safe bet for easily irritated skin, efficiently removing dirt, make up and impurities whilst preserving the skin's natural moisture barrier.
Use twice daily to leave skin feeling soft, smooth and free of any tightness.
This luxuriously creamy, non-foaming goats milk cleanser works a treat on sensitive skin, refreshing the complexion without stripping away essential moisture.
The nurturing formula gently removes impurities whilst conditioning the skin thanks to the inclusion of manuka honey, avocado and jojoba oils.
