Find out what your skin actually needs. How to care for sensitive skin?

Do you have sensitive skin? If yes, then go for minimalism. You’ll avoid redness, itching and spots. Remember that more than a half of women experience some problems with their complexion. Check how to take care of the skin that is prone to irritations.

Today, the term ‘sensitive skin’ is often overused. Just a slight irritation or discoloration is enough for us to recognize our skin as sensitive. It’s time to check what it exactly means.

What are the signs of sensitive skin?

What are the symptoms of sensitive skin? It is also referred to as reactive skin. It is extremely susceptible to external factors – mechanical, environmental and chemical. It can get irritated by rubbing, rapid temperature changes, humidity or cosmetics used. Sometimes even rinsing the face with water can create a feeling of discomfort.

Why does sensitive skin reacts to various factors? Typical burning, itching, redness, tightening, excessive dryness and other symptoms appear because sensitive skin is shallowly vascularized and thin, it also has a disturbed water balance and lacks natural protection from external factors.

There may be many causes of sensitive skin associated with skin diseases, hormonal disorders, but it can also be genetically determined.

Sensitive or allergic skin?

Do not confuse sensitive skin with allergic skin. The symptoms – itching, burning, irritation – may be similar or even the same. Allergy symptoms to any external factor, however, occur after a minimum of 12 hours. If your skin is sensitive, you don’t have to wait a day – in this case discomfort occurs immediately.

It is worth keeping in mind that any type of skin can be sensitive – dry, oily or combination. Sensitive skin is not a separate type of skin. This is a condition that occurs regardless of your skin type.

Skin hypersensitivity = problem

There are many cosmetics for dry skin on the market. Is this such a problem? It is disturbing that nearly ¾ of people who visit a dermatologist have sensitive skin.

The hypersensitivity of your skin is more often caused by progressive environmental pollution. We are also exposed to dozens of different chemicals (also in food). This, along with excessive use of cosmetics, damages the natural hydrolipid layer of our skin. In fact, we also damage our skin by washing out nutrients (NMF – natural moisturising factor) and disturbing the natural pH of the skin.

How to care for sensitive skin?

What can you do to help your skin? You have to learn how to live with it and accept minimal use of cosmetics. In this case, too many cosmetics may lead to unpleasant irritations.

Care must come along with delicacy. The most important rule is ‘less is more’. Applying too many cosmetics at once means accepting the risk of irritations. With sensitive skin you need to limit yourself to only a few products with simple composition. Reach for tried and tested products. Sensitive skin is not happy with experiments. If you need to change your cosmetic, ask for a sample and try it first.

When it comes to coloured cosmetic products, avoid those containing metals. They are included in green, blue and purple dyes. It’s good to choose natural products based on minerals for make-up. Foundation? Choose the hypoallergenic one. Still, a better idea is to use a BB cream.

Sun protection

Sensitive skin must also be protected from the sun. UV rays are one of the factors that irritate the skin and cause its redness. If you want to protect yourself from it, apply a cream with at last 15 SPF every day, in the summer even 50 SPF. Remember – prevention is better than cure.