Skin types vary from person to person, and understanding yours is the first step in finding skincare tips for sensitive skin that truly work. Your skin type is influenced by genetics but can also change over time due to sun exposure, toxins, allergies, hormones, and diet. There are five main skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive. In this post, we are focusing on sensitive skin, which is my skin type. I am actually dry and sensitive, and after being diagnosed with eczema and a nickel allergy also known as Ni ACD, I had to develop a skincare routine that kept my conditions under control. Thankfully, I formed a long lasting partnership with my dermatologist who taught me the basics of building a gentle and affordable routine. Over time I learned what works for my skin, and you will too.
Top Skincare Tips for Sensitive Skin Types
These skincare tips for sensitive skin are simple, gentle, and easy to follow every day.
1. Cleanse Daily and Shop Affordable Skincare Products
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.
This step is one of the most important skincare tips for sensitive skin because it keeps your routine clean and consistent.
Shop 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 to Prevent Irritation
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 for Sensitive Skin Protection
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 to Support a Healthy Skin Barrier
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.
Caring for sensitive skin does not have to be complicated. Once you understand what your skin needs and how it reacts, building a routine becomes much easier. These four simple tips are the foundation of a gentle and effective skincare routine that supports your skin instead of overwhelming it. My own journey with dry and sensitive skin taught me that consistency, patience, and the right products make all the difference. If you want to explore the affordable products I personally use, you can browse my curated list on Benable. And if you are looking for more ways to support healthy skin, my post on Healthy Habits for Glowing Skin is a great next step. Over time you will learn what works for you too, and your skin will thank you for it.
Have sensitive skin? Following skincare tips for sensitive skin can help you avoid irritation and keep your skin healthy over time.
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