Skin care routine hacks for sensitive skin

We hear a lot of people talk about how sensitive their skin is and the difficulty they face in finding the rightproducts that are suitable for them. Let’s start by stating that sensitive skin is not a disease, however, it is a symptom of another condition. Many skincare users who have sensitive skin may experience redness and irritation when their skin comes in contact with a cosmetic product. The conditions that cause sensitive skin are rarely serious, hence, it is possible to keep your symptoms under control with a few changes to your skin care routine.

While we will not go into details on the different conditions that can cause sensitive skin, we will share a few hacks to your skin care routine that can help in preventing an irritation. A basic skincare routine includes the use of face cleansers, toners/ essence, acids (useful as serums and exfoliating agents), moisturizers and sunscreen.

Face cleansers – This is usually the first step in any routine as they are used in removing dirt, makeup and other impurities. Cleansers that are formulated with fragrance can lead to irritation of the skin for people with sensitivity. We advise that people with sensitive skin should rather opt for products that contain essential oils – like, eucalyptus, orange, rosemary, tea tree, cinnamon, lavender and limonene – as a substitute to fragrances.

Toners – These are used after cleansers and often contain alcohol. Toners with high astringent properties can be irritating and drying. Look out for toners with fewer astringent properties and more skin-calming botanicals.

Acids – Although people are generally more familiar with the alphahydroxyl acids (AHA) and betahydroxylacids (BHA), polyhydroxylacid (PHA) is a gentler chemical exfoliant and is highly recommended for people with sensitive skin that are unable to tolerate other forms of acids. Examples include gluconolactones, galactosen and lactobionic acid. They exfoliate cells from the surface thereby keeping the skin smoother and more even.

Overall, we recommend that before you choose a product that contains an acid, a patch test should be carried out to determine how the skin will respond to it.

Sunscreens - There are two types of sunscreen - physical/mineral sunscreen or chemical/ organic sunscreen.Chemical sunscreens, which are known to blend into the skin, do not leave a white cast unlike the physical sunscreen. They include avobenzone, oxybenzone etc. For sensitive skin, physical sunscreens – like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide – should be considered.

Other skin care activities/ product ingredients that could trigger irritation include;

Physical exfoliation – exfoliating with scrubs can cause abrasions and should be avoided for people with sensitive skin. A more suitable option would be the use of peeling masks.

Preservatives – An important ingredient in the formulation of every skin care product. They are added to keep the microbes away and ensure safe products at all times. Some of these preservatives – like phenoxyethanol –can cause irritation.