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reports2022/01/04

How To Care For Sensitive Skin

by Lisa Franklin

We often get asked for help and advice with issues which appear due to sensitive skin and various irritations, and it can be frustrating if you are suffering from them. But thanks to modern-day skincare, these issues can easily be managed with a little nurturing by harnessing your skincare regime, along with a review of your product and lifestyle choices.

Changes to our skin's biorhythm can occur - often this is affected by diet, lifestyle and environmental pollutants, and sensitive skin is more likely than most to react to small changes in any of these factors. Sensitive skin is one which will irritate easily, turning red with changes in temperature or with emotions. It also does not react well to certain skincare ingredients, so it's a good idea to make yourself aware of the components within the products you are using and whether they are causing a concern. Consulting a skincare specialist if you are having reactions to certain products or you would like to learn to manage your skin will provide you with the insight and knowledge to do this.

Recalibrate your diet 

Diet plays an integral part when it comes to skincare, feeding the skin from within. Keep a diary of any foods which cause your skin to irritate and take steps to eliminate them from your diet in the future.

Look for foods rich in Vitamins A, C and E and also foods high in antioxidants which help maintain healthy skin ensuring toxins are flushed out and your glowing complexion is maintained. Our DNA also plays a part with how our bodies react to and benefit from nutrition, so you should consider testing your DNA and adapting your lifestyle choices to reflect this.

Daily water consumption is also key - we all know it's important to keep hydrated, but sensitive skin types benefit the most from drinking plenty of water as delicate skin is susceptible to more dryness than others.

Protect, lock in moisture and reduce irritation

On the product front, delicate and sensitive skin types require moisture to be locked in to the skin to prevent it from drying out, along with protection from pollutants that help reduce inflammation. When choosing products look for ingredients such as Dessert Rose (adenium obesum leaf cell extract) and Myrothamnus Flabellifolius, also called the resurrection plant, which are great for skin hydration and the soothing Malus Domestica Callus (Orchard Apple) Leaf Cell Extract that acts on two levels of the inflammatory system and is clinically proven to decrease redness, rosacea and irritation by increasing skin tolerance. All these ingredients are effective and perfect for delicate skin.

Products which are fragrance-free and alcohol-free are also very helpful. Delicate skin is also easily overwhelmed so, it is best to keep your everyday skincare products simple: try a gentle cleanser, a daily moisturiser with and a speciality serum that provides beneficial actives and ingredients for delicate skin types. Also when you're cleansing your skin a gentle approach is always a winner - use lukewarm water and pat your skin dry, don't try to rub or over-stimulate it.

Create a shield 

Finally, always protect your skin from the ageing effects of global pollution, so make sure you wear a broad spectrum sunscreen all year round and look for anti-pollution products that manage infrared sun ageing, electromagnetic radiation from technology and fumes, smoke and environmental pollution.