4 Skincare Tips for Sensitive Skin
Skin types vary person-to-person. The type of skin you have is determined by genetics but can also be affected by other factors over time. Sun exposure, toxins, allergies, hormones and diet are all factors that can influence your skin type. There are 5 types of healthy skin: normal, dry, oily, combination (both oily and dry) and sensitive. In this post, we will focus on sensitive. That’s me! I’m actually dry and sensitive. I was diagnosed with eczema and Nickel allergy (also referred to as Ni-ACD which is a form of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) caused by exposure to the chemical element nickel) and was forced to develop a skincare routine to keep my conditions under control! Luckily I met and formed a long-lasting partnership with my Dermatologist. I view my healthcare specialists as partners since we both benefit by working together to achieve my overall health. She taught me the basics of skincare and how I could maintain a healthy skin routine that was easy and affordable. Over time I learned what works for me and you will too!
Top 4 Tips Sensitive Skin Types Should Follow:
1. Cleanse Daily
For my friends that wear make-up, always remove it every day, especially before going to bed. Wash your skin gently but thoroughly every day. Stay away from abrasive cloths. Cotton cloths and loofah’s are good options for removing bacteria and exfoliation of dry skin without risking irritation. Avoid washing your face with the same cloth used for your body. Who wants to do more laundry? I understand, however this is a habit that has harmful effects to sensitive skin. A habit you should do away with immediately. The cloth that moves from your body onto your face (or vice versa) is a collection of bacteria, dead skin cells, and oils, which can become the cause of infections, acne, and irritation. Avoid washing your face with body wash or body gel. Unlike the rest of your body, your face is more exposed to debris and harsh elements. Thus, it is more prone to sensitivities. Your face requires a little extra love and care that you can find in cleansers and moisturizers made for your face. Developing a skincare routine is essential in maintaining youthfulness and overall beauty.
Affordable Skincare Products
Below are affordable skincare products to include in your skincare routine that will make your sensitive skin the most beautiful and healthiest skin type of them all.
1. Cleansing Balm and Make-up Remover
A pre-cleanse is essential in a skincare routine if you wear make-up. Pre-cleanse is intended to breakdown and dissolve make-up as well as impurities such as sweat and dirt that sit on your skin and clog your pores. Most facial cleaners can’t do the job alone on a face with make-up. Your skin will thank you for pre-cleansing. My personal favorite pre-cleanse, like most, is oil-based capable of penetrating into the skin and clean the pores more thoroughly. For my sensitive skin, my personal favorite is Hanskin cleansing balm formulated with polyhydroxy acids (PHA) that exfoliate, clean pores and moisturize all at the same time.
Gentle Pore Blackhead Cleanser and Makeup Remover for Sensitive Skin
2. Facial Cleanser
The general rule of thumb is to cleanse your face twice a day — once in the morning, once in the evening. Cleansing in the morning will help to remove any evidence of sweat or oil left from your pillow and hair during your beauty sleep. There is one exception to the twice-daily rule for dry sensitive skin: it’s OK to use plain water or Micellar water in the morning. Cleansing your skin in the evening, however, should never be compromised or skipped. At the end of the day, it’s important to cleanse to remove not only skin-care products and makeup that you applied in the morning, but also excess oil, sweat, dead skin cells, pollutants, and other debris that collect on the skin throughout the day. When choosing a facial cleanser, experts say that beginners should opt for a gentle, hydrating, fragrance-free one that has minimal ingredients, ceramides and glycerin to restore and maintain the skin. From day one my Dermatologist recommended CeraVe for my sensitive skin and eczema control. I’ve been using it every day for over 10 years and my skin loves it.
3. Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Every now and then the skin can use a little bit of pampering. Salicylic acid cleansers are used as an exfoliant, as it dramatically softens the surface layer of skin cells. It’s fantastic for a weekly deep cleaning add-on to your routine as it can reduce the overproduction of sebum (a buildup of oils, dead skin cells, and waste products excreted through the skin) and keep acne in check.
2. Avoid Fragrance
Indulging your skin in lovely, delicious fragrances may seem luxe and heavenly. Companies know fragrances are appealing to our senses and the visual marketing of products that containing fragrance makes it all the more influential. Unfortunately, for the sensitive skin type, fragrances only increase your chances of discomfort such as redness, burning, itching, dryness, and in my case–massive breakouts. I have completely eliminated fragrance from my facial/body cleansers and moisturizers.
3. Don’t Skip the Sunscreen
Sensitive skin is already prone to dryness and irritations. Sun protection is one of the most obvious defense against the suns broad spectrum of harmful UV rays. We all want youthful, radiant, beautiful skin but overexposures to sunlight can cause wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and sagging. Daily use of the right Sunscreen not only protects the essential proteins that are responsible for keeping the skin healthy but it also helps to keep a smooth, even complexion.
Sunscreen is your first line of defense and protection against skin cancer, wrinkles, uneven skin tone and sagging. If you were to do nothing else for your skin, sun protection is the most important. For a daytime routine, a moisturizer should be followed by a sunscreen, or you can combine the two steps by using a moisturizing SPF. Choose a sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher, and apply it daily (even when it’s cloudy), always as the final step in your skin-care routine. My all time favorite is CeraVe facial moisturizing lotion with sunscreen.
4. Moisturize Daily
Daily Moisturizer is the holy grail for sensitive skin types. Don’t think you can bypass daily moisturizer use. Washing without the appropriate use of a moisturizer will actually trigger an over-production of oil on your skin. No matter how oily or acne-prone your skin may feel, it will become dry without rehydration, and dried-out skin is irritated skin.
Have sensitive skin? Follow these 4 basic tips and incorporate them into your daily skincare routine for healthy looking and feeling skin.
