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The Ultimate Skincare Routine for Sensitive Skin
Tips from our experts for skin friendly practices.
By Greta Skuka Updated: Jan 21st, 2023
Sensitive skin is very hard to define and is that one skin type most people get wrong. Starting from the term sensitive: indicates a skin type easily reactive. Some common symptoms of sensitive skin are flushing, dryness, stinging and burning sensation. But what most people don’t know is that sensitive skin type differs from sensitized skin. Before we get into a skincare regimen, let’s compare these two terms.
Sensitive skin is a skin type. This means that people with this skin type have a genetic predisposition to be more reactive to certain things. This category includes people with conditions like rosacea, allergies, dermatitis, psoriasis etc.
Sensitized skin is a skin condition. This means that you can have either dry or oily skin type, and at some point, your skin suddenly starts feeling sensitive. It is not genetic, but it’s caused by many internal and external factors. The most common causes of sensitized skin are harsh cleansers, overdoing with exfoliating acids, sun exposure, extreme temperatures, but also poor diet, stress and even the menstrual cycle.
However, the skincare routine is very similar if you have either sensitive or sensitized skin. It should be very gentle and soothing. You should be very careful with potentially irritating active ingredients like acids and retinol, and you should avoid certain ingredients like fragrances and alcohol.
Cleansing Your Skin
Using the wrong type of cleanser is the most common cause of skin sensitivity and irritation. For decades, cleansers were formulated with harsh surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate. These surfactants dry out the skin and can damage the skin barrier when used regularly. Nowadays, the skincare industry has made significant progress in skincare formulations, and there are various cleansers suitable for sensitive skin. We suggest cleansers with a creamy texture or gels enriched with soothing ingredients.
Our cleanser of choice is Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser by La Roche Posay. It has a creamy texture, is formulated with ceramides, prebiotic thermal spring water, niacinamide, all of which do a great job of soothing the skin and repairing the skin barrier. The whole Toleraine line is designed specifically for people with sensitive and dry skin, and this cleanser, in particular, removes impurities very efficiently and leaves the skin hydrated.
If you practice the double cleansing method at night, we suggest you reach for oil-based cleansers that don’t include fragrance or irritating and pore-clogging oils. Our product of choice as the first step of double cleansing is Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil by Biossance. This lightweight and hydrating cleanser is formulated with squalane and eight plant-derived oils. Squalane is similar to your skin’s natural oils, making this cleanser very nourishing for the skin.
Dermatologists suggest stopping cleansing in the morning. If your skin doesn’t feel oily or sweaty in the morning, using a cleanser is not recommended because it can remove natural skin oils. Rinsing with lukewarm water is more than enough.
Treatment Options
The importance of skin prep before makeup cannot be underestimated, and when it comes to sensitive skin, less product is definitely more. If you feel that your skin is sensitized, cut back on any active ingredients and go back to using only a simple and basic skincare routine. Active ingredients to avoid include retinoids, exfoliating acids (AHAs and BHAs), Vitamin C, and benzoyl peroxide. There are a few active ingredients that help with sensitive skin like, niacinamide or azelaic acid (proven to treat rosacea) and botanical extracts. The most popular extracts when it comes to calming the skin are aloe vera, mugwort, centella asiatica, green tea extract etc.
We recommend adding a soothing serum to your skincare routine, which should be enriched with ingredients that support and repair the skin barrier and calms it down. Our serum of choice is Great Barrier Relief by Krave Beauty. This serum has a thin lotion texture and is a lifesaver for broken skin barrier. It is formulated with Tamanu oil, Safflower oil and Rosehip oil; this trio is perfect for red and irritated skin. Tamanu oil is also great for clearing breakouts and smoothing skin texture. Niacinamide is a do-it-all ingredient. It helps with redness and sensitivity, repairs the skin barrier, balances sebum production, lightens hyperpigmentation and prevents breakouts. Ceramides are essential fatty acids for the skin. They occur naturally on the skin, but when the skin barrier is broken, we need them to fortify the lipid barrier.
Great Barrier Reef by Krave Beauty is suitable for every skin type and can be used daily, morning and night.
Moisturizing
Moisturizing is one of the three essential steps of a skincare routine. The biggest myth when it comes to moisturizing is that oily skin types don’t need it. Every skin should use a moisturizer, and the right one depends on the skin type. Moisturizers give the skin hydration and replenish it. If you have a sensitive skin type, you should choose one without alcohol, fragrances and parabens. We have two recommendations for you.
If your skin is oily, Calm+Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer by Aveeno has a lightweight and easily absorbed texture. It offers 24-hour hydration, perfect for oily skin types. It is formulated with prebiotic oat, known to cm red and dry, itchy skin.
If your skin is more on the drier side, we recommend Dynasty Cream by Beauty of Joseon. This moisturizer has a creamy gel texture, is very lightweight and leaves a velvet finish on the skin. It is formulated with niacinamide and squalane that balance sebum production and contribute to skin’s health, rice bran water and ginseng root water which can energize the skin, brighten it and keep it healthy.
Sun Protection
Wearing sunscreen is strongly recommended by dermatologists to protect the skin from skin cancer. World Health Organization has compiled a document on the proper way to wear sunscreen in order to be fully protected. On top of that, sunscreen protects the skin from premature aging and hyperpigmentation
Chemical sunscreens are formulated with chemical filters which are not sensitive skin friendly. They tend to sting and irritate the skin; therefore, we suggest a physical sunscreen with either zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or both. Our sunscreen of choice is Hyaluronic Acid Natural Sun Cream SPF 50+. Besides physical filters, it has niacinamide, tocopherol and hyaluronic acid. It is very easy to spread it on the skin. In darker skin types it does have a tone-up effect, which is normal for a physical sunscreen, but it doesn’t pill and works great as a makeup base.
Greta Skuka has an MSc in Dentistry and is a general dentist that has a passion for skincare and dermatology. In her free time, she enjoys helping people create healthy skincare routines.
