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Frequent peeling, irritation, redness, a feeling of discomfort and tightness – all these signs indirectly indicate an increased sensitivity or reactivity of the skin. In this case, it is extremely important to provide the person with the most gentle care and daily protection from the aggressive effects of external factors.
Today we will understand the intricacies of a delicate beauty ritual and tell you how to choose a good cream for sensitive skin that will help reduce the unpleasant manifestations of hyperreactivity.
Features of sensitive skin
Sensitive skin is called, which reacts sharply to any “irritants”, not only external, but also internal. Redness and tingling that appeared on the face after walking in frosty weather, peeling after going to the pool or using a new cosmetic product, a feeling of tightness after washing, even a feeling of heat from eating spicy foods – all this may indicate hyperreactivity of the skin.
For reference! It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of allergy and reactivity: if allergic reactions occur to a specific allergen and, as a rule, disappear after its exclusion, then sensitivity is accompanied by unpleasant sensations when exposed to various “irritants” and requires special delicacy in everyday care.
Not only dry, but also oily, combination skin can suffer from hypersensitivity. This condition can be caused by various factors:
- Features of blood vessels. Sudden changes in temperature, abuse of alcoholic beverages, spicy foods and other factors can lead to a loss of elasticity and strength of susceptible vascular walls, causing redness, a feeling of heat and discomfort on the skin.
- environmental factors. Skin hyperreactivity can be provoked by the aggressive effects of wind, frost, ultraviolet radiation, as well as temperature changes, dry air and even atmospheric pollution.
- external effect on the skin. Signs of sensitivity may appear after contact with inappropriate or low-quality cosmetics, very hard water and other external “irritants”.
Whatever the cause of hyperreactivity, the first thing to do is to strengthen protection against external factors, review your daily beauty ritual, making it as gentle as possible, and, of course, equip your cosmetic bag with suitable nourishing and moisturizing creams for sensitive facial skin, taking into account its type and needs.
What should be the composition of a good cream for sensitive skin
Perhaps one of the most difficult moments of the home routine with hyperreactivity is to choose the right care products. Which cream for sensitive skin will be the best, and which should not be trusted? There is no single correct answer to this question, since care must be selected strictly individually. To facilitate the choice of creams for very sensitive skin, basic recommendations will help:
- Give preference to hypoallergenic formulas and products marked “for sensitive skin.”
- Carefully read the composition of the product you like, paying attention to the following substances: active ingredients to strengthen the protective barrier (ceramides, phytosphingosine); ingredients that help maintain optimal levels of hydration, such as hyaluronic acid; substances that soothe the skin and reduce its sensitivity to external “irritants”, such as niacinamide (vitamin B3).
- Try to choose creams, masks, and other types of cosmetics that are fragrance-free.
- Remember that the natural formula of eco-cosmetics does not yet guarantee that the product is 100% suitable for reactive skin care. As with any other non-hypoallergenic ingredients, some herbal extracts and essential oils can sometimes provoke a hypersensitivity reaction and therefore require prior testing.
- When choosing cosmetics, be sure to take into account not only reactivity, but also the type of skin, since a cream for dry sensitive skin differs significantly from a similar product for the care of an oily and / or problematic face.
Advice! Before applying a new cream for sensitive skin to your face, test it on the crook of your elbow. If no redness and other unpleasant signs are detected a day after applying, the product can be added to a home cosmetic bag.
Care for dry and sensitive skin
When compiling a dry skin care program, emphasis should be placed on intensive hydration and strengthening of the protective barrier. Improve the condition of day and night moisturizers for the face, designed specifically for dry and sensitive skin. As a rule, they have a light texture and are distinguished by a high concentration of components that strengthen the protective barrier and prevent intense moisture loss.
Care for oily, problematic and sensitive skin
One of the most difficult moments of home care for oily and problematic sensitive skin is its gentle cleansing. It is important to remove impurities and excess sebum (sebum) from the surface of the face, clean the pores and at the same time not damage the protective barrier. Therefore, when washing, it is worth giving preference to delicate cleansers without aggressive components, and for exfoliation, use mild exfoliants with fruit acids no more than 1 time in 7-10 days.
Also, daily moisturizing should not be neglected – a lack of moisture can provoke excessive sebum production and reduce the protective properties of the skin. To do this, it is better to use non-comedogenic day and night moisturizers for problem sensitive facial skin.
Care for sensitive skin around the eyes
The area around the eyes is traditionally characterized by increased reactivity, often suffering from redness and irritation. Therefore, to remove makeup from the eyelids, it is necessary to use the most gentle means, and supplement facial care with special creams for sensitive skin around the eyes.
How to use a cream for sensitive skin
To get the most out of home care, it’s not enough just to stock your makeup bag with the right creams for sensitive skin – it’s just as important to use them correctly. Let’s analyze the basic algorithm of actions that will help you properly organize your everyday beauty ritual.
Makeup removal and skin cleansing
The first thing to do before applying the cream is to cleanse the skin of impurities and makeup. For this, delicate products that do not violate the protective barrier can be used.
Important! If you prefer classic washing, try to use not too hard, moderately warm water for this. After washing, do not rub your face, but gently pat it with a towel.
Toning
The use of a tonic allows you to complete the cleansing process, restore the pH of the skin and prepare it for the application of the cream.
humidification
After careful preparation of the face, you can proceed to applying the cream for sensitive skin. Do not mistakenly assume that the amount of cosmetics is directly proportional to its effectiveness: the cream layer should be uniform, but not thick. Also, you do not need to strongly rub the skin during the application process – a light self-massage with fingertips is enough.
Protection
Another mandatory step in the beauty ritual is the application of SPF*. Contrary to popular belief, it should be used not only in summer, but throughout the year, since some types of UV rays remain active regardless of the season. It is important that the sunscreen is suitable for sensitive skin and has a sufficient concentration of UVA and UVB** sunscreen filters.
*SPF stands for Type B UV Protection Factor. **UVA – UV radiation type A; UVB – UV B radiation.
Care for sensitive skin at different times of the year
Although cosmetics are usually chosen according to the type and needs of the skin, changing weather conditions can also make adjustments to the daily beauty ritual. Let’s see what features of care depend on seasonal factors.
Summer Care
In summer, ultraviolet radiation and higher air temperature affect the condition of the skin. During this period, it is important to thoroughly and delicately cleanse the skin of sweat and excess sebum, intensively moisturize, do not overload with makeup and provide higher SPF protection.
Winter care
Frosty, windy winter weather, coupled with dry indoor air, can become a real stress for the skin, lead to a violation of the protective barrier and increase reactivity. Therefore, in winter it is important to pay attention to moisturizing, strengthening the hydrolipidic mantle and protecting the skin from aggressive external factors. 30-40 minutes before going outside, it is recommended to apply a nourishing “winter” cream for sensitive facial skin – it creates a kind of protective barrier and helps reduce the negative effects of weather conditions.
We hope that our short care guide will help you reduce skin reactivity and give you the opportunity to enjoy a fresh and beautiful face without irritation and redness!