Sensitive Skin… Everything you need to know!
If sensitive skin plagues you, read today’s blog!! There are many things you can do to avoid irritation and reactions to many popular skin care products. Some easy changes to your routine can make a big difference!
Most often, those who consider themselves to have sensitive skin will have reactions to ordinary skincare products. After applying a product with common ingredients, they may experience stinging, itching, or burning. Sometimes they may even develop redness or a rash. However, It is important to understand that this type of reaction can be normal and that it may take time to transition the health and robustness of your skin.
What causes this?
First and foremost, it can be genetic! If you have fair skin or light-colored eyes, then you are more likely to have skin sensitivities. Usually, this is the number one issue, and since you can’t change genetics, you can at least find comfort in knowing that it is hereditary and you aren’t doing anything ‘wrong’ to trigger the reaction. However, with the right kind of skin care products, your skin can become less reactive and less sensitive.
Skin sensitivity can also develop due to natural skin dysfunction with aging. As we age, our outer layer of skin called the epidermis slows its natural ability to exfoliate. With a decrease in natural exfoliation, the outer layer of skin becomes thicker with dead skin cells and the skin stops producing its natural moisturizers.
What can I do?
Increase your skin's natural exfoliation!
So, how do you increase your natural exfoliation? When I say this, I do not mean to physically exfoliate your skin. Scrubbing your skin with abrasives can be damaging and create more skin sensitivity. Think of a child's skin. Children never need moisturizers and they never need to scrub their skin to get rid of dead skin cells. Their skin is doing all of this naturally and the good news is that we can use ingredients to mimic this process as an adult. Slowly add ingredients like retinaldehyde vitamin A as in our Vital A Serum to your nightly routine. Start with this twice a week to slowly transition your skin and avoid too much irritation. Add an extra night weekly until you can tolerate it nightly. Doing this will increase your skin's natural exfoliation and moisture production and decrease long-term skin sensitivity. Be patient, this can take 3-4 months to happen.
Avoid direct sun exposure!
As a teenager, many of my friends (me included) thought that if we had any kind of skin issues such as acne, rashes, or anything noticeable on our face, the cure-all would be baking in the sun!!! AHH! That is actually what you should NOT DO. The sun, in moderation, is good for us but overexposure to the sun's rays can cause both short- and long-term damage.Sensitive skin is especially prone to sun damage because it has a weaker structure and is less resilient to external aggressors such as the sun. Make sure to use an SPF with zinc oxide as an active ingredient daily.
Protect your skin's natural moisture barrier!
Remember that in healthy functioning skin, there is optimum active cell turnover. This helps to prevent drying and aids in the skin’s natural moisture production and retention. There are also fewer dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, and an increase in the organization of cells in the epidermis which leads to more natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in your cells. The main goal of most moisturizers is to decrease the water loss from the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin or to increase the water content of those same cells through water-attracting agents.
Active ingredients to look for in moisturizers:
- Humectants- absorb water from the air: Hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, prickly pear extract, lactic acid, glycolic acid, beta-glucan, oat geta glucan, sodium hyaluronate
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Emollients & Occlusives- lock in water to decrease moisture loss: Avocado, cocoa butter, shea butter, jojoba, olive oil, rose oil, jasmine oil, evening primrose oil, red algae extract
Ingredients to avoid in moisturizers: - Mineral oil, petrolatum, silicones, glycols.
If the moisturizer you apply feels waxy on the skin, then it likely has a high content of one or more of these. Your moisturizer, just like any product you apply, should quickly absorb into the skin and not feel like it sits on the surface.
At Mikel Kristi, we have so many great moisture barrier options. All of our serums contain hydrating ingredients and we have many traditional moisturizers as well. One of my favorites is our Calendula Moisturizer which is particularly effective for sensitive skin.
DO NOT over-cleanse!
Using a gentle face wash is key. You want something that can remove makeup, dirt, and grime WITHOUT stripping the skin. Your skin should not feel tight and dry after cleansing. Keeping the skin's natural barrier is key, especially if you have sensitivity-prone skin. Avoid cleansers with sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, toluene, formaldehyde, and synthetic fragrances. These ingredients can be very harsh and overly drying to your skin. With our Purifying Botanical Wash, cleanse your skin for 30-60 seconds to remove dirt, grime, and makeup without dehydrating your skin.
Do not wash your face with hot water!
Hot water, as good as it may feel, can over-dry your skin, which is not good for any skin type, especially sensitive skin. In addition to that, after washing, pat your face dry and do not abrasively rub!
At Mikel Kristi, we make it easy to help sensitive skin. We offer an array of skin care products specially designed for sensitive skin. Our Sensitive Skin Collection includes some of our most popular products that will fulfill all the steps of your morning and evening skin care routine. You can feel confident that you are taking care of your skin and nourishing it, while also using effective ingredients that will help keep your skin looking youthful and radiant.
Take a look at how Mikel Kristi can help soothe and care for your sensitive skin at Shop Sensitive Skin Products | Mikel Kristi
Until next time Beauties,
Xo, Christy
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