A Guide to Sensitive Skin: Yes, Even Skin Can Be Moody

What Can Cause Sensitive Skin?

Sensitive Skin is caused by reactions to several things including random irritants, skin disorders, allergic skin reactions including eczema, rosacea and contact dermatitis. Injured or dry skin can also become sensitive and reactive skin exposed to the elements (sun, wind, excessive heat or cold) can also lead to skin sensitivity and breakouts.

Do Certain Products Cause Sensitive Skin?

Skin can react to a particular ingredient in a detergent, cosmetic, personal, food or even skincare product. If your skin is consistently red, itchy and irritated, a visit to a board-certified dermatologist could clear up some confusion.

Practice Self-Care

When you take care of your physical and mental self, you are taking care of your skin and helping to prevent sensitivity flare ups. Here are some small changes you can make in your life to produce big effects on your skin down the road.

• Try to reduce stress in your life. This means something different to everyone. Take time out of your day just for you, spend time with friends, go for a short walk, or consider meditation. If you are unable to deal with your stress on your own, consider speaking with a close friend, find a support group or consult a health care professional.
  
  
• Monitor your diet. Make better choices. Avoid processed foods. Cook at home as much as possible but especially avoid chain restaurants as the ingredients are more likely to be heavily processed. Visit local farmer’s markets where everything is fresh and good for you.
  
  
• Sleep reduces stress. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Dim or remove any lights that are on in your bedroom while sleeping, including lights from chargers, night lights, phones, television or clocks. Try black out curtains and eye shades. Limit noise in your bedroom. Put your phone on silent. Try a white noise machine, a fan, or ear plugs to block out noise you can’t control.

Choose Cosmetics and Personal Care Products carefully

• Find products that are specifically formulated for sensitive skin and are fragrance-free as fragrance in product formulas have been known to irritate sensitive skin.
  
  
• Avoid waterproof cosmetics and heavy foundations that are difficult to remove without scrubbing. This will definitely irritate sensitive skin. Always gently cleanse skin, removing makeup each night. Leaving makeup on overnight can cause build up of dirt and irritants as well as clog pores, cause irritation and sensitivity.
  
  
• Choose makeup and sunscreen products that have Broad Spectrum UVA and UVB coverage. SPF should be worn daily! Always test new products on your arm before using them on your face and stop using any products that burn, itch, or sting.
  
  
• Bacteria on the skin can be irritating, so use only antibacterial makeup brushes and clean them between uses.
  
  
• Avoid personal care products that contain these irritating ingredients: drying alcohols, camphor, peppermint, fragrance, urea, sodium laurel sulfate, menthol, lactic acid (at high concentrations), and glycolic acid. Also avoid toners, astringents, and abrasive exfoliants (such as products with scrubbing beads).
  
  
• Wear 100% cotton clothing, particularly those items that touch the skin directly. Avoid polyester or other synthetic fabrics and remove clothing tags which may irritate the skin.
  
  
• Wash your clothing and bedding in unscented, natural detergent. Avoid using fabric softeners and dryer sheets, as those can cause reactions.

A Natural Solution for Soothing Dry, Sensitive Skin

Our dermatologist-tested Honeybutter balm is a fragrance-free oil-based salve containing organic Manuka honey and sweet almond oil to deeply hydrate and soothe inflamed or just overall dry areas. Honeybutter is packed with many other nourishing ingredients to provide relief. 

Check out our gentle, dermatologist-tested Honeybutter for the perfect way to soothe a flare up!

This article is originally posted on Proven Skincare.