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Skincare for Sensitive Skin

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If you’re reading this article, we’re sure you know what living with sensitive skin feels like.

Redness that mysteriously appears on the face, bouts of dry or itchy skin that come and go, persistent pimples that seem to haunt you on most days. These common symptoms of sensitive skin can be rather exasperating.

However, rather than fretting or lamenting over it, there are actually smart skincare choices and simple lifestyle tweaks that could easily let you ‘save face’.

Choosing The Right Skin Care Products For Sensitive Skin

The devil is in the detail.

What may work for other skin types may trigger nightmares unknown to your sensitive skin. So take the time to scrutinise the labels of skin care products before shelling out good money for them.

Sensitivity-Causing Skincare Products

Generally, the common nemeses for sensitive skin in skincare products are:

Artificial fragrances:

Fragrances in personal care products charm your senses by disseminating scent through a volatile reaction. This could trigger allergic reactions on sensitive skin. So always go for fragrance-free personal and skincare products whenever possible.

Essential oils:

These are aromas from mother nature, surely they would be all right to use on sensitive skin?

Just like artificial fragrances, essential oils also contain volatile substances that can cause skin reactions – which is terrible news if you’re already managing sensitive skin. While they can be exotic blends and naturally aromatic additions in personal care products for most people, it’s best for those of you with sensitive skin to stir clear of them.

Essential oils to avoid for sensitive skin include basil, black pepper, peppermint, lemon, lemongrass, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, wintergreen.

Not every essential oil is necessarily a great evil for sensitive skin. Here are some common essential oils which you may try using in tiny amounts and well diluted on sensitive skin and those which are best avoided completely.

You should still exercise caution and do a patch test before using personal care products with essential oils on sensitive skin.

Sensitive skin-friendly essential oils include chamomile, lavender, licorice, evening primrose, calendula (marigold), rose, neroli.

Alcohol, menthol or witch hazel:

While they may give you that feel-good cooling sensation, they can also be culprits guilty of stripping away the natural oil from the skin’s surface. This will stimulate the skin to produce more oil than necessary to replenish what has been washed away. That usually heralds oilier skin and sets off a slew of skincare issues like acne, clogged and enlarged pores. As much as possible, avoid skincare products that contain alcohol, menthol or witch hazel.

Harsh exfoliants:

While regular exfoliation is important for maintaining that enviable glow and proper absorption of precious serums and antioxidants, exfoliating with overly harsh ingredients can do more harm than good, especially on sensitive skin.

Strong exfoliants such as a high concentration of acid peels or retinoid could aggravate existing conditions, so it’s always good to start with a gentle exfoliant if you’re trying out a new brand of exfoliant or scrub.

While caring for sensitive skin admittedly requires a little extra care on your end, it may not be necessary, or even practical to completely avoid/eliminate all of the above.

What’s important here is to find out what maintains the delicate balance for your sensitive skin.

Sensitive Skin-friendly Lifestyle Habits

Besides unsuitable skincare products, don’t be surprised that making tiny adjustments to some seemingly innocent lifestyle habits can also go a long way to managing sensitive skin.

1) Don’t shower with hot water

While taking a luxurious warm shower by the end of a day can be the stress-melting highlight for your body, it may spell trouble for sensitive skin. That’s because hot water is great at melting away (just like how butter gets softens by heat) the outermost layer of oil on your skin. Without that protective oily layer, moisture escapes easily, causing the skin to become parched and itchy.

When the skin is already sensitive to begin with, it’s easier to trigger flare-ups. So always go for a lukewarm shower. If you must indulge in your hot shower, keep the hot water away from the face if that’s where your sensitive skin is.

2) Remember to wear sunblock

Sunlight is like a double-edged sword. While it’s essential for building healthy bones and a healthy immune system, over-exposure to it can wreak skincare havoc which many of us are familiar by now. The structure of

The structure of sensitive skin is weaker than healthy skin and naturally needs more sun protection. Always remember to wear sunscreen before you head out during the day. Better yet, use a moisturiser which also has sun protectant factor so your skin can be basking in all the moisturising effects it needs while enjoying sun protection.

3) Minimize intake of spicy food, alcohol and caffeine

There’s a lot of truth in the adage “you are what you eat”. Spicy food, alcohol and caffeine are some of the most common triggers for skin sensitivity. Go easy on these food or opt for alternatives. For example, go for a lower level of spiciness wherever possible or choose de-caff beverages which contain significantly less caffeine than their regular counterparts.

How To Care For Sensitive Skin Effectively

Knowing how to use your skin care products is just as important as choosing the right ones for your sensitive skin. With numerous serums, moisturisers and creams, which ones should you start with first? Take a leaf from our morning and evening sequences to get the most out of your skincare products.

Morning Skincare Routine for Sensitive Skin

Step 1: Cleanser
Step 2: Toner
Step 3: Leave-on exfoliant
Step 4: Serum (apply around the eyes and on the neck too)
Step 5: moisturiser OR moisturiser with SPF

Evening Skincare Routine for Sensitive Skin

Step 1: Cleanser
Step 2: Toner
Step 3: Leave-on exfoliant
Step 4: Serum (don’t forget to apply around the eyes and on the neck too)
Step 5: Moisturiser OR Oil booster

 

Top Skin Care Products For Soothing Sensitive Skin

Sounds like living with sensitive skin is kind of troublesome, isn’t it?

Good thing is that there’s a wide array of skincare products dedicated to managing sensitive skin – from facial cleansers, moisturisers to serums. You may not have to throw out whatever are working for your skin right now. Simply choose the ones you’re keen to try out and see how it goes.

1. Cleansers for Sensitive Skin

The Skin Recovery Softening Cream Cleanser is specially formulated to care for extra sensitive and eczema-prone skin, the cleanser’s silky smooth foam gently removes makeup while replenishing essential moisture for a radiant glow. It’s fragrance-free and clinically proven to be non-irritating, so rest assured that you’re getting the skin-supporting nutrients suitable for your sensitive skin.

2. Exfoliants for Sensitive Skin

Even sensitive skin needs exfoliation to stay healthy. The key is finding the one that’s effective while being very mild on your skin. Unlike conventional scrubs with rough beads or harsh exfoliants, the Calm Redness Relief 1% BHA Exfoliant is non-abrasive and is gentle enough to leave on your face. It removes built-up dead skin bit by bit to reveal supple skin underneath, soothe rough, bumpy skin and

Removes built-up dead skin bit by bit to reveal supple skin underneath
Unlike conventional scrubs with rough beads or harsh exfoliants, the Calm Redness Relief 1% BHA Exfoliant is non-abrasive and is gentle enough to leave on your face. It removes built-up dead skin bit by bit to reveal supple skin underneath, soothe rough, bumpy skin and minimise the appearance of fine lines and pore size. Even if you’re prone to redness or dry, itchy skin, the 1% BHA formulation is gentle enough to perform its exfoliating function progressively while maintaining the stability of your skin condition.

It’s recommended to use this leave-on exfoliant twice daily. However, if you’re using BHA products for the first time and are unsure how your sensitive is going to react to it, start with one application a day.

3. Serums for Sensitive Skin

The Calm Redness Relief Repairing Serum is a nourishing serum that is suitable for sensitive or redness-prone skin. Plumping up the skin with moisture while soothing fine lines, this feather-light serum ensures efficient absorption into your skin.

4. Moisturisers for Sensitive Skin

We know how greasy and heavy sunscreens can make you feel extremely uncomfortable. Why put up with that when you can stay beautiful and sun-protected with this moisturizer-cum-sunscreen? The Calm Redness Relief SPF 30 Moisturiser has a lightweight, non-greasy formula that offers broad-spectrum sun protection while keeping your skin wonderfully hydrated. You’ll love that soft, matte finish it creates on your skin! Even if you’ve sensitive skin, you can use this SPF 30 moisturizer without keeping your fingers crossed for any skin reactions as it’s superbly gentle on all skin types.

The Clinical Ultra-Rich Moisturiser is another moisturiser that is suitable for sensitive skin. Luxurious and velvety-smooth, dry, sensitive skin will relish this ultra-rich moisturiser. Created with a blend of skin-supporting antioxidants and nourishing pure plant oils, fine lines are minimised, dry skin is revitalised and red, sensitive skin is soothed – for as long as 12 hours.

The Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster is suitable for all skin types. This light, enriching blend of pure plant oils will revitalize dry patches of skin and is exceptionally mild on sensitive or redness-prone skin. Simply use on its own or blend a few drops with your regular moisturizer/creams for a luxurious treat.

Bonus Tip

Summary

Redness, blotchiness, dryness and blemishes of sensitive skin can sometimes be a tad trying to manage. However, with suitable skincare products and a little extra care in cultivating the right lifestyle habits to maintain the skin’s delicate balance, caring for sensitive skin takes just about the same amount of work as other skin types.

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