How to Care for Sensitive Skin
44.6% of people have sensitive skin, meaning that nearly half of the population must navigate how to care for sensitive skin. Sensitive skin isn’t the source of irritation; instead, discomfort is caused by flare-ups, and there are many steps that can be implemented to tackle such. Although there are remedies for flare-ups, the key to caring for sensitive skin is to prevent these flare-ups from happening. This can be achieved by following the below steps, as caring for your skin is affected by internal and external factors alike. Read on to discover more about caring for sensitive skin.
Stay Hydrated
First and foremost, the key to healthy skin is hydration, and a daily glass of lemon water has detoxifying qualities. Consuming a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning can help you manage your sensitive skin due to the vitamin C and antioxidants in lemons. Similarly, the detoxifying quality that lemon water has on your blood assists blemish prevention, wrinkles, and acne. Furthermore, this is the ideal way of providing your skin with a natural glow. In addition to lemon water in the morning, you should drink five to seven extras glasses of water throughout the day.
Moisturize Regularly
Most commonly, sensitive skin irritation is caused by dryness, making moisturizing an essential feature of your skincare routine. Moisturizers work to lock in water, which optimises the skin’s moisture barrier, restores skin lipids, soothes the skin, and improves hydration. With this being said, it’s imperative to select the right moisturizer, as the wrong one can do more harm than good. For instance, those with sensitive skin will often suffer from irritation from perfumes, meaning you should choose a perfume-free option designed for sensitive skin. Always do a patch test with new products rather than applying them to your whole face from the offset.
Choose Products Wisely
As previously mentioned, perfumed moisturizers can cause irritation; however, moisturizers aren’t the only culprit. Face masks, soaps, and cleansers can also cause severe skin irritation due to abrasive chemicals and artificial colors. When dealing with sensitive skin, you should always shop specifically for sensitive products, otherwise you run the risk of applying products that your skin can’t handle. In fact, baby products are ideal for those with sensitive skin as, what could possibly be more sensitive than a baby? Similarly, baby products tend to have a clean, fresh scent, making them ideal for those who prefer a neutral aroma.
Wear Sunscreen Daily
Sunrays can cause damage to skin cells, which leads to rashes and other forms of skin irritation. Much like other skin products, sunscreen can contain chemicals, meaning you should look for a solution with titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Furthermore, although SPF is incredibly important, you may not want to exceed SPF 30, as these products will contain a higher number of comedogenic ingredients. You should also wear sunglasses and other protective clothing in order to shield yourself from harmful UV rays. Not only does this protect you from skin irritation, but it’s also a key factor of anti-aging.
Eat a Balanced Diet
As previously mentioned, internal measures are just as important as external ones when it comes to caring for sensitive skin. A balanced diet is comprised of natural foods, as opposed to processed ones. For instance, leafy greens, tomatoes, blueberries, and apples are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols. Furthermore, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, and avocados are sources of healthy fats, whilst herring, wild salmon, and sardines are rich in fatty acids. Finally, squashes, berries, wholegrains, and beans are healthy carbohydrates, which are also beneficial to sensitive skin.
