Skin Care Routine for Sensitive Skin | Skin Care Plan for Healthy Skin

Overview | How to check for sensitive skin | Best skincare plan | Choosing the right products for sensitive skin | Home remedies for sensitive skin

The first thing I’d like to say about sensitive skin is that this condition is not a disease. Sensitive skin most often is a symptom of certain other conditions. In most cases, people do not even know they have sensitive skin until they experience some kind of reaction due to external irritants. Among the many causes of sensitive skin, the most prominent ones include eczema, dry skin, dermatitis, contact urticaria, rosacea, photodermatoses, and others.  

Even though sensitive skin does not cause serious reactions in most cases, it can cause irritations. In this article, I will offer you skin care routines for sensitive skin type that can make it easier for you to live with sensitive skin.

How can you check if you have sensitive skin?

If your skin often gets itchy or reddish due to environmental irritants or certain makeup products, there is a chance that you have sensitive skin. However, it is not as simple as that. To be sure that you have the condition, you must check for certain other factors:

• Easily reactive – Sensitive skin is easily reactive. There can be many triggers that can turn your skin itchy or irritated. Some common triggers for sensitive skin include perfumes, detergents, soaps, makeup, skin care products, exposure to harsh weather, and more. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, soaps with substantial amounts of added fragrances can cause immediate reactions and worsen the effects.  
• Redness – Redness is perhaps the most common symptom of sensitive skin. If you have this skin type, chances are that you often experience outbreaks of red rashes, flushing, blushing, and bumps. These should subside as soon as you move away from the irritant causing the redness. 
• Dry skin – People who have dry skin often experience sensitivity even more. If you have dry skin, there will be more instances of cracks and acnes. Dry and cold weather will also make your skin more reactive.
• Breakouts – Pustules are more commonly seen in people with sensitive skin. If you experience acne breakouts more often, it can be due to sensitive skin. skin care products can make them even worse if you do not know what to use. 
• Easy sunburn – Exposure to direct sunlight is harmful for all types of skin, but it is especially dangerous for sensitive skin type. If you get sunburned easily, which causes irritation, it is a sign of having sensitive skin. To tackle the condition, you must immediately adopt a suitable skin care routine.

What is the best skin care plan for sensitive skin?

The type of skin you have depends mostly on genetics. However, whether your skin is healthy or not is largely in your hands. If you have sensitive skin, you need to maintain a skin care routine that is suitable for the condition. Building a skin care routine is mostly about understanding what products you need to use and how to use them. 

A good skin care routine for sensitive skin contains three primary steps:

• Cleansing – This is the process of thoroughly cleaning your face. Cleansing helps you remove dirt and other particles from your sensitive skin that might be causing irritations. To properly cleanse your face, I recommend using a facewash or other cleansing products that are made specifically for sensitive skin.
• Toning – You may think that using toner is about making your complexion appear even. However, the modern toners offer more than that. With a high-quality toner, you can offer your skin nourishment. It also ensures that your sensitive skin can better absorb other skin care products that you will apply over the toner. Toners should be alcohol-free. Toners with thermal spring water are great for cleansing and hydrating the skin. Toning once or twice a week is enough.
• Scrubbing – People with sensitive skin might sometimes wonder if scrubbing is a good idea for them. But gently hydrating scrubs work really well to exfoliate the dead skin cells and help in renewal of newer ones that are healthier and less sensitive. Using a scrub which is fine, alcohol-free, and contains active ingredient like mandelic acid, lactic acid, and a hydrating element help the skin to become less sensitive. Using it two to three times a week is adequate.
• Moisturizing – Moisturization is the basics of maintaining the health and youthfulness of your skin. Irrespective of the type of skin you have, using a moisturizing product to keep your skin hydrated is vital. However, if you have sensitive skin, using just any moisturizer might cause an adverse effect. Hence, selecting the right product is vital. Using a moisturizer which has renewal properties with active ingredient like Ceramides and stems cells, helps to repair the skin barrier and also hydrate the skin.

How to choose the right skin care products for sensitive skin?

As per the American Academy of Dermatology, the best way to make your skin healthy and is to choose skin care products made for your particular skin type. Hence, you have to be very careful about the products you buy. Sensitive skin is prone to rashes and breakouts, which can get worse when you apply the wrong skin care product.

Some types of products that I personally recommend for people with sensitive skin are:

• Facewash – You have to thoroughly clean your face with a cleanser before applying any other product or makeup. For sensitive skin, you need an oil-based facewash. An oily facewash might not feel cleansing, but it is best for your skin type. Look for a product that is lightweight, gentle, moisturizing, and does not cause acne or pore-blockage. 
• Toner – You need a toner for skin-nourishment; hence, it is essential to check for the ingredients it contains. You have to avoid toners that contain irritants like fragrances and alcohol. Instead, look for antimicrobial, hydrating, and anti-inflammatory properties in the product. Hazel, HA, and glycerin are some of the ingredients that make a toner ideal for sensitive skin. 
• Moisturizer – If you have sensitive skin that is often irritated by inflammation, a balm-based moisturizer can help. These types of moisturizing products are heavier than cream-based ones, but they are equally soothing, especially if you also have dry skin. Check to ensure that the moisturizer does not contain any irritating ingredients that can potentially aggravate sensitive skin. 
• Day Cream – Going out during the daytime means exposing yourself to the harmful UV rays of the sun and pollution. To guard your skin against those, you need to apply a day cream on your skin that contains antioxidant properties and sunscreen. 
• Night Cream – The job of a night cream is to repair the damage suffered to your skin during the day. Before going to bed each night, apply a sensitive-skin-friendly night cream that contains retinol. This is the element that helps with skin-cell regeneration. As dry and sensitive skin requires proper moisturization, the night cream must include moistening properties that works on your skin through the night. 
• Sunscreen – Harvard Health Publishing informs that excessive exposure to sun is damaging to human skin. If you have sensitive skin, it is necessary to be extra cautious about UV rays. The best product to protect you against them is a sunscreen. The ideal product for sensitive skin must include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, two ingredients that do not harm the skin. They will guard against sun’s harmful rays by creating a protective barrier. 

What mistakes to avoid while caring for sensitive skin?

Taking care of sensitive skin can be challenging, as one mistake can lead to outbreaks and inflammation. To avoid that, there are a few things that you must always keep in mind.

• Be gentle every time, whether you are simply washing your face or applying skin care products
• Test every new skin care product before using it. Take a small amount and apply it behind your ear to look for signs of any reaction
• Replace your soap with a gentle cleanser. Soap often contains harmful chemicals that creates problems for sensitive skin
• Use skin care products that are specifically formulated to offer protection against environmental irritants like pollution and UV rays
• Do not use skin care products with fragrances as they contain chemical ingredients that can harm sensitive skin
• Do not use alcohol-based products. Alcohol damages sensitive and dry skin, creating more problems 
• Do not buy long-lasting or waterproof makeup. They are harder to remove, causing unwanted irritation
• Do not rub the skin with harsh towel
• Do not steam the face as it tends to destroy the skin barrier

What are some home remedies for sensitive skin?

• Coconut oil – Coconut oil offers many nourishing qualities and it works great as a natural moisturizer. It has the ability to penetrate through your skin pores easily and work its magic. Regularly moisturizing your skin with coconut oil will make it healthy and appear brighter without causing any irritation.
• Honey – Mix honey with water to create a natural cleanser for your skin. The best thing about honey as a cleanser is that it is gentle and rich in antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. This will make your skin clean, soft, and healthy.  
• Cucumber – If you want to brighten up and sooth your sensitive skin, cucumber can be the ideal solution. You can directly apply cucumber juice on your face or mix it with honey to achieve a greater result with the paste. There is hardly anything better than cucumber to offer comfort and nourishment to sensitive skin.

Closing thoughts

Having sensitive skin can certainly be frustrating; it makes you more prone to outbreaks and irritation or rashes. However, let me assure you that with the right skin care products and routine, you can not only soothe sensitive skin but also make it healthy and beautiful. With regular caring, sensitive skin cannot hold you back from looking your best! Book an appointment with me today to get you started on your journey!    

Resources

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/publications/johns_hopkins_health/Winter_2010/Banishing_Dry_Winter_Skin
2. American Academy of Dermatology: https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/healthier-looking-skin
3. Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/sun-damaged-skin-a-to-z