Skin Care Products for Sensitive Skin: Routines, Tips & More

What is Sensitive Skin?

Sensitive skin is a skin type, but it also refers to an occasional condition. If you have inherited sensitive skin, you know that irritation, redness, and blemishes are pretty common. If you experience periodic sensitive skin symptoms, it’s most likely a reaction to seasonal extremes, contact with irritants, overly harsh skin care products, and even diet or stress. Whether your sensitive skin is permanent or temporary, you need to learn the specific factors that can trigger your particular symptoms: outbreaks, itchiness, rough patches, stinging, etc. Only then can you make informed choices about the right sensitive skin care routine.

What Causes Sensitive Skin?

There are many underlying factors leading to sensitive skin that fall into four broad categories:

Environmental: climate, humidity, sun, extremes temperatures, pollution
External: irritating ingredients in cosmetics and body products, soap, exfoliants, chemicals
Internal: stress, hormones, alcohol, medications, allergies
Hereditary: a predisposition for sensitive skin

Tips for Sensitive Skin

Everything in moderation: Avoid water and air that reaches extremely low or high temperatures.
Go slowly: To start a new sensitive skin care routine, do a 48-hour patch test and introduce one product at a time.
Stay neutral: Beware of skin care or laundry products that contain fragrances, dyes or perfumes.
Be gentle: Never scrub, rub or apply pressure when using products on sensitive skin.

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What should I avoid if I have sensitive skin?

If you have sensitive skin, you have probably learned through experience what causes your flareups and breakouts. But it can be harder to make a connection with some exacerbating factors – like stress and hormonal changes – because the reaction isn’t immediate. Some people with sensitive skin even notice that spicy food and dry radiator heat causes irritation. As a rule of thumb, avoid extreme temperatures (water and air), extensive sun exposure, harsh chemicals, dyes, fragrances, and perfumes. And try to keep your stress levels to a minimum.

What ingredients are good for sensitive skin?

Naturally soothing ingredients derived from plants are some of the best solutions for keeping sensitive skin balanced and protected. Many sensitive skin care products contain rose water, aloe vera, oatmeal, honey, green tea, chamomile and/or hyaluronic acid. Jojoba oil also acts as an excellent base oil because it most closely mimics human sebum.

What is the difference between sensitive skin vs. irritated skin?

Your specific skin type can be sensitive (as opposed to oily, dry, etc.), but anyone can experience irritated skin at some point for a variety of reasons. For example, if you use harsh cleaning products without wearing gloves, the skin on most people’s hands will react and become itchy, red, and scaly. But those who are born with sensitive skin are prone to these issues on a daily basis. They need specially formulated skin care for sensitive skin.

Products for Sensitive Skin

What is Sensitive Skin?

What Causes Sensitive Skin?