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Practicing an effective skincare routine is a huge reflection of your health and well-being. Everyone has their own, unique pampering routine that works for one’s needs and liking. However, some people may need to take extra care of their skin and pay more attention to their routine as it can bring more harm than good. Case in point: individuals with sensitive skin.
What Makes Skin Sensitive?
Having sensitive skin means your skin is more reactive to the surroundings. It’s not just the products that you apply that can make your skin react, but even temperature changes, physical contact, injury, lack of moisture protection, environmental factors, and more.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to assess the presence of sensitive skin yourself. For an accurate diagnosis, you’ll need to consult a dermatologist to find out if you indeed have sensitive skin or it might be another underlying issue. Also, sensitive-skinned people can be susceptible to different elements, thus the importance of seeking a dermatologist to find out what you’re specifically sensitive to.
Mistakes To Avoid If You Have Sensitive Skin
To take good care of your sensitive skin, take note of these mistakes to avoid and what you should do instead:
- Following ‘Clean’ Beauty The Wrong Way
If you’ve been to many skincare communities, you’ll recognize the hype for clean beauty. Enthusiasts are jumping into this movement and swapping out their current products for more ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ options.
However, many people have misconceptions about clean beauty. Most of them believe that products with ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ ingredients, such as plant extracts, are always good for the skin. If you have sensitive skin, however, diving into clean beauty the wrong way can do irreversible damages to your skin.
If you want to safely and effectively try clean beauty, it’s important to do your research and ask for your dermatologist’s advice. Make sure that you’re not allergic or sensitive to any of a product’s ingredients before trying them out. Also, choose products that only use the finest ingredients, formulations, and techniques, like the cult-loved Australian Botanical Soap.
- Using Harsh Products And Techniques
Unlike oily, resilient skin, sensitive skin doesn’t do well with more potent products that can give robust results. Look into your products and their ingredients, and make sure these are mild or gentle for your skin. People with sensitive skin tend to have damaged skin barrier that increases the likelihood of a stinging and burning sensation when applied with products.
Additionally, to prevent damaging your skin barrier and stripping it of natural oils, avoid harsh products that contain extremely low or high pH levels, grain-like particles, and strong chemical exfoliators.
Check your product labels closely and watch out for these ingredients:
- Bad alcohols: Denatured alcohol or alcohol denat, methanol
- Chemical UV filters: Oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate
- Fragrance and essential oils
Also, many sensitive-skinned people forget that harsh and incorrect skincare techniques are also compromising their skin. Some examples include overwashing your face, rubbing your face without care, picking your skin, sleeping in dirty pillowcases, and more.
- Not Patch-testing New Products
Before incorporating a new skincare product into your routine, make it a habit to patch test it. Essentially, patch-testing a product means applying a small amount onto one area of your skin first to see if your skin agrees with the product. This way, you can also prevent extreme reactions or breakouts in case your skin is allergic or sensitive to the product.
Moreover, keep in mind that all skin types, aside from sensitive skin, should always observe patch-testing before slathering on any topical product. Ideally, these products are best applied to areas that you can easily cover, such as the side of the neck, underside of the jaw, or behind the ear.
- Using Too Many Skincare Products
Without question, using the right skincare products can make a significant difference on your skin. But you should know your limits well and avoid overdoing your routine as this can sabotage your progress.
By overdoing your routine and using too many products, you’re basically putting all kinds of products into your face. The more products you slather on your face, the more ingredients your face is absorbing, increasing the chances of irritation and sensitivity of your skin.
For sensitive skin, limit your routine to basic products–cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. You may also add a toner and serum into your routine. Occasionally, you can use other products such as mild exfoliators, sheet masks, and the like.
- Not Listening To Your Skin
Most of the time, your skincare journey while having sensitive skin doesn’t always follow the book, which is perfectly okay. You only need to listen to one: your skin. If your skin doesn’t like a certain skincare practice or product, it’ll show right away, especially that you have sensitive skin.
Furthermore, a sensitive skin’s needs change according to its surroundings. Therefore, it’s normal to update your skincare routine from time to time, usually when the seasons change.
Final Words
A well-pampered sensitive skin is a happy skin. Although, as someone with sensitive skin, you have to take more precautions for the sake of it. Now, remember that you’re not restricted to enjoy your routine and don’t make a big deal out of having a sensitive one, especially with the help of these tips and avoiding the mistakes discussed.
