Got Sensitive Skin?

How to Calm Sensitive Skin

What causes skin sensitivity?  That is probably the hardest thing for anyone with sensitive skin to answer. Identifying exactly what irritates and triggers inflammation in your skin is very difficult to do and almost impossible. After all, we are exposed to thousands of natural and artificial chemicals each day. The irritant could be in your environment, your skin care routing or it could even be in the foods you consume. Rosacea, for example is skin inflammation that is possibly triggered by consuming alcohol and caffeine. The list of potential irritants is endless, so how do you figure out what is aggravating your skin?

Well, sometimes you can’t. All you can do is simplify your skin and body care routine as much as possible and hope to identify (through process of elimination) what your skin doesn’t like.

Here are some tips that will help calm sensitive skin:

Step 1: Take a good look in the mirror and really look at your skin. What about your skin bothers you? Is it acne, redness, or dry flaky skin?

Step 2: Ideally, you should see your dermatologist to confirm what type of skin you have and whether you have any underlying conditions. If the dermatologist tells you your skin is sensitive, then you know, and I hope you can find some of the tips below helpful.

Step 3: Double cleanse your face. Use a rich balm to remove makeup and SPF and then use a gentle non-foaming cleanser to cleanse your face.

Tips:

• Never rub your face. Use gentle circular motions
• Use luke warm water always.
• Use a soft towel to dry your face

Step 4: Use a rose water toner. Don’t use witch hazel or anything harsh. Spray the toner on immediately after drying your face.

Step 5: In the evening, use a gentle moisturizer loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. Eventually, once your skin is calm and not inflamed you should incorporate Vitamin C serum into your routine. Use several nights a week and eventually use it daily.

In the mornings, cleanse once with micellar water or plain water. Apply a moisturizer.

Step 6: Sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase. Sleeping on rough fabrics can aggravate your skin and result in red skin or even fine lines down the road.

Step 7: Use a natural detergent. Chemicals in traditional laundry detergent can irritate skin conditions including keratosis pilaris.

Step 8: SPF. Use it every day. Reapply every few hours. Most importantly, find one the works for your skin. Mineral sunscreens are best for sensitive skin. Find one that doesn’t make you look like Casper the ghost and apply it over your moisturizer daily.

Step 9: Makeup should be as natural as you can find. There are so many great natural makeup brands out there now. Vapour, Beauty Counter, Jane Ireland are just some brands that have great reviews.

Step 10: Avoid hot showers. I know hot showers feel amazing. There is nothing like taking a hot shower after a long day, a hard workout or just right before bed. The heat is terrible for your skin. Heat can cause, inflammation, redness, dry skin patches and collagen loss. Use tepid water instead.

Also, hot steam is a no-no. That means avoiding steam rooms. If you must use the steam room. Run a wash cloth under super cold water and put it over your face to protect the skin on your face.

Step 11: Avoid physical exfoliants. Physical exfoliants can contribute to break down of the skin’s lipid barrier (your skin’s protective barrier) resulting in further skin irritation. Find a good alpha hydroxy mask and use it weekly.

Step 12: Fruits and vegetables are good for your body and your skin. Mostly because they are full of water and antioxidants that help keep your skin stay hydrated and nourished.

Following these tips helped me tremendously and I hope they provide you with better, clearer and calmer skin.