Anti Aging Skin Care » Skin Types » Sensitive Skin

Skin Types : Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin can be easily irritated. The typical reactions are burning, itching, chafing and stinging. How can you tell if you have sensitive skin or not? A rule of thumb is if your skin reacts to almost anything, you have sensitive skin. That is, if you are wearing no make-up, no moisturizer and no sunscreen, and your skin still reacts, then it's sensitive.

But before doing anything, it's important to first confirm that you do have sensitive skin and that there is no other dermatological problem, such as rosacea, eczema or sun allergy, causing the reactions. if you are unsure it's always a good idea to consult a dermatologist. While dermatologists did not take sensitive skin seriously for years, fortunately this is changing now and sensitive skin is being looked at as a valid dermatological problem requiring attention.

Sensitive skin most often stings and burns from reactions you can feel, but not see - a condition dermatologists call 'subjective irritation'. The skin in this condition looks absolutely normal to the other person. Sensitive skin can thus sting, itch and burn for seemingly no reason, or break out in an irritating and all-too-noticeable rash. Your skin can turn red, dry and chapped from the heat, cold or other environmental factors that other people can tolerate well enough, or get irritated by ingredients in make-up and skin care products.

In taking care of sensitive skin, stick to a few basic products, using only those that you absolutely, positively need. Generally, you will need a cleanser, a moisturizer and a sunscreen.

• Choose a soap free, super fatted unscented bar or a body wash. Deodorant or antibacterial soaps can excessively dry sensitive skin.
• Avoid harsh products like abrasive facial pads or grainy face and body scrubs. These strip away the protective top layer of the skin, which protects it from the heat, cold and other pollutants.
• You need to be extra vigilant about the area around your eyes. Your eyelids are so thin and sensitive to irritants that they often become dry, scaly and itchy. Clean eye make-up with an oily remover rather than an oil-free product, which tends to dry out the skin. Gently stroke away eye make-up with a cotton swab or pad. Scrubbing with a tissue or washcloth can irritate your already sensitive lids, causing wrinkles and flaky skin.
• Avoid alcohol-based astringents and toners.
• Along with hydrating your skin's top layer, a moisturizer also acts as a defensive barrier between your skin and your make-up. You could use plain old petroleum jelly at bedtime. If you are tempted to try a moisturizer formulated with AHAs like glycolic acid, you can. Generally, sensitive skin can tolerate moisturizers with AHAs. However, do take a test run on your arm before you apply it on your face.
• Use products formulated with physical-barrier sunscreens like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These ingredients can now be micronized, making it far removed from the ghostly face paint seen on cricketers! Although today most sunscreens avoid using allergenic chemicals like paraaminobenzoic acid (PABA), it is better to use sunscreens meant for babies or children.
• Don't experiment with new products. Buy products that have been cleared by your dermatologist. As a general rule, use cosmetics made by reputed manufacturers. Each cosmetic, however simple, has at least forty ingredients, each of which has to be of top quality to meet international standards. This can never be achieved at the small-scale level.
• Pare down the make-up. As any sensitive skin sufferer knows, it's tough wearing make-up for fear of breaking out in a reaction. But you don't have to go au natural just because you have skin that is extra reactive. Make sure all products you use are hypo allergic. Hypo allergic make up contains fewer skin-irritating preservatives and fragrances, which makes them less likely to irritate sensitive skin.
• Give all the make-up you use a test run before you use it on your face. Do this test twice a day for at least three days.

Homemade natural recipes for sensitive skin

• Cleansers
  • Sweet almond and jojoba oil:
    • Massage gently.
    • Remove with warm cloth.

  • Papaya:
    • Mash and smooth over face.
    • Massage gently.
    • Remove.

• Exfoliators
  • grapefruit and oatmeal:
    • add 3-4 tablespoons of oatmeal to the juice of a grapefruit.
    • Mix to thick paste.
    • Spread on face.
    • Leave on 15 minutes.
    • Remove with warm water.

• Masks
  • cucumber and yoghurt:
    • Mash and add clay powder to smooth the mixture.
    • Leave 10 minutes.
    • Remove with lukewarm water.