Probably the most frustrating of skin types, sensitive skin is difficult to treat because you're never quite sure what to use on it. Sensitive skincare involves plenty of trial and error to find the right products that won't irritate your skin. This can add to a lot of money spent over the years on unsuitable products that have to be discarded or given away. How do you know if your skin is sensitive? Sensitive skin is usually dry, reacts badly to certain skin care products, can react to certain foods (for example spicy foods) and tends towards redness, swelling and itchiness.
Sensitive Skin Makeup Tips - This skin type is relatively new and is becoming more common mostly due to the increasing amounts of chemicals found in skincare products. People with this skin type probably have a genetic tendency towards sensitivity, although skin may also become sensitive through over exposure to the elements. Harsh acne products such as Accutane can also cause normal skin to become sensitive.
To save you a lot of time, extra expense and ultimately your skin itself, here is a checklist to use to help you select a sensitive skincare product which has the best chance of success.
Select hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free products ~ Hypo-allergenic is no guarantee that a product won't react badly on your skin but it reduces the likelihood of that happening. Hypoallergenic products usually leave out known allergy causing ingredients so that they have less chance of irritating the skin.
Don't use a lot of different products on your face ~ It stands to reason that the more stuff you put on your face, the greater the chance that some of them will have an ingredient which irritates. Find sensitive skin care products that you know your skin will tolerate and use these regularly.
Don't wash your face more than twice a day ~ Yes, cleansing is important, but over cleansing will dry out your skin and remove the protective barrier that keeps moisture in the skin and keeps bacteria out. Use mild cleansers or a mixture of milk and olive oil to safely remove make up, dirt and bacteria.
Don't exfoliate ~ Exfoliating your skin using scrubs is designed to remove dead skin cells, but will irritate skin that is sensitive. Using a product containing salicylic acid provides a milder form of exfoliation and effectively cleans out the pores. Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid which is non irritating if used sparingly. Pregnant women are not advised to use it as the effects on the fetus are unknown.
Don't use an astringent ~ It's commonly believed that astringent will dry up the oils in your skin. Well it will, but oil production will then increase to compensate so it's a never ending cycle. Astringent is harsh on sensitive skin so, bottom line, just don't use it.
Use mineral or water based make up ~ Oil based make up can clog the pores and also contains many harsh chemicals. Water based make up is non-comedogenic and a better option. Mineral make up is a more natural choice and a lot of brands are chemical free.
Choose a natural sunscreen ~ Sensitive skincare requires a sunscreen as the sun can irritate and burn the skin. Trouble is most sunscreens bought commercially contain a host of nasty chemicals. Opt for sunscreen containing zinc or titanium dioxide as these will block UV rays on the skin's surface rather than being absorbed.
Sensitive skincare is an ongoing and often tedious process. However the benefits are worth the trouble. Follow the above tips and you'll have beautiful healthy skin for life.
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