Sensitive skin usually develops when the skin barrier has been weakened, which can occur for a number of different reasons. Either way, it means that your skin will quickly, easily, and, sometimes, unpredictably, react to various skincare products, making it a challenge to put together an effective skincare routine.
Fortunately, this is a problem that Celestolite can help with! Read on as we take an in-depth look into the techniques and products that you should be turning to if you’re hoping to gain some control over your sensitive skin. While you may not be able to put a complete stop to negative reactions, the following tips should help your skin to feel calmer, better balanced, and, ultimately, much happier.
Ditch the Foam
Let’s start by talking about cleansers since this should be the very first step in your skincare routine. There are several types of cleansers available and there’s no denying how appealing foaming cleansers can seem. However, when dealing with sensitive skin, that foam is the last thing you need…
Why? Because foaming cleansers are notorious for how they remove every last trace of sebum from the skin. Sure, this may be great if you have oily skin. However, sensitive skin needs to retain a large amount of that sebum, which forms an integral part of the skin’s natural barrier. After all, with your barrier already being compromised, you don’t want to make things worse.
Foaming cleansers are usually formulated with sulfates – surfactants that whip up into a lush foam. With that said, many other cleansers contain sulfates too, with these ingredients known for being common irritants. Therefore, in addition to avoiding foaming cleansers, stay away from those that make use of sulfates as well.
Our recommendation? The Celestolite Estrella Cleanser Mousse. It makes use of coconut-derived cleansing agents, which still create a rich lather but not so much that it will strip your skin dry. It also boasts a blend of amino acids, which will help to leave your skin barrier feeling stronger.
Cut Back on Acids
If your skincare routine currently contains a cleanser or an exfoliator with a high acid percentage, it’s time to make a change. While certain exfoliating acids, like lactic acid, can be suitable for sensitive skin, they are known for, more often than not, causing irritation. This is down to how they interfere with the skin’s natural barrier, which sensitive skin is already struggling with.
Does this mean that you should stop exfoliating your face? Definitely not. Instead, the key is to find a gentle exfoliant that isn’t going to leave your skin feeling raw and inflamed.
Peeling gels work well for this, which is why the Celestolite Estrella Facial Peel is such a hit. This fragrance-free exfoliant features a short ingredient list, which is always an advantage when working with sensitive skin. It will gently exfoliate your skin to leave it looking softer and brighter.
Know Which Ingredients Soothe the Feeling of Inflammation
It doesn’t take much for sensitive skin to end up looking red and inflamed. The good news is that this is sometimes relatively easy to fix, so long as you’re using the right ingredients…
There are certain ingredients out there that have been proven to be extremely effective at tackling the feeling of inflammation in the skin. Aloe vera is one of the best-known. Not only does this botanical have an anti-inflammatory effect on the appearance but it also happens to be loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that will help to keep your skin feeling its best.
Chamomile has a similar effect, with this compounded when combined with aloe vera. Give this duo a try for yourself with the Celestolite Estrella Facial Toner. In addition to aloe vera and chamomile, it also boasts cucumber extract and allantoin, both of which will also help to keep your skin feeling soothed and calm.
Focus on Your Skin Barrier
As we discussed earlier, if you have sensitive skin, then this means that your skin barrier is weaker than average. So, it goes without saying that if you want to turn things around for your skin, you’ll need to hone in on that barrier, seeking out ways to leave it feeling tougher and more resilient.
Again, certain skincare ingredients can help with this. Peptides are known for doing just that, as are sodium hyaluronate and collagen. All three can be found in the Celestolite Mars Stellar Serum.
Keeping your skin moisturized will also help to ensure that your skin barrier feels supported. A good moisturizer will act as backup, forming its own barrier over your skin’s natural one. Ideally, use a cream that contains plenty of fatty acids, just like your skin’s natural barrier does. The Celestolite Estrella Night Cream would be a great choice!
Figure Out Your Triggers
What makes sensitive skin so difficult to work with is how unique those sensitivities can be. What causes one person’s skin to react may be tolerated just fine by the next. This is why it’s so important to get familiar with your triggers. Once you know what they are, you can then take the necessary steps to keep those triggers away from your skin.
For some people, fragrances are a big trigger. Not all fragrances are bad, however – some products are naturally perfumed through the use of botanical extracts and oils. Others find alcohol-infused formulas to be an issue. This is largely down to how many, but not all, alcohols are notorious for drying out the skin and interfering with barrier function.
Retinol is another common trigger. This vitamin A derivative is known for its potency, which can sometimes be too much for sensitive skin. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you have to give up on the idea of adding vitamin A to your skincare routine. After all, the way in which it reduces the appearance of aging can be a godsend! Instead, rather than opting for retinol, try retinyl palmitate. It’s another form of vitamin A but it’s much gentler than retinol, making it far less likely to cause a reaction. Give it a try with the Celestolite Estrella Renewing Vitamin C Serum!
SPF is Essential
With the skin barrier on sensitive skin already compromised, the last thing that you want to do is damage it even further. Unfortunately, each time the sun’s UV rays hit your skin, this is exactly what happens. Research confirms that not only do UV rays cause physical damage to the skin’s protective barrier but it also triggers a chemical reaction that puts skin cells through oxidative stress. This leads to much deeper damage while also speeding up the skin aging process, leaving your skin thinner and even more vulnerable to sensitivities.
With that said, sunscreen is a tricky area to navigate when you have sensitive skin. Some people react to chemical sunscreen ingredients while others react to mineral sunscreens. The only way to find out which type of sunscreen works best for your skin is to try some out. If you would like to start with a chemical formula, the Celestolite Nova Bright Skin Cream (SPF 30) would be a great place to begin. Thanks to the use of aloe vera, vitamin E, and green tea extract, it will keep your skin feeling soothed while also providing sun protection.
Keep Your Skincare Routine Simple
With so many products out there promising to work wonders on sensitive skin, it can be tempting to want to try them all! However, when your skin is prone to sensitivities, keeping your skincare routine simple is the best thing that you can do for it.
Why? Because the more products you apply to your skin, the more ingredients your skin will be exposed to. Therefore, the greater your chances of experiencing a negative reaction. On the other hand, keep your skincare routine minimal and your skin will feel much calmer and happier.
What does a minimal skincare routine consist of? The very basics. This means a cleanser, an occasional exfoliator, a moisturizer, and SPF, although adding in a serum that will soothe your complexion can be beneficial too.
Always Patch Test New Products
Introducing new products to your skincare routine can be challenging when you have sensitive skin. This is why patch testing is always recommended.
Never done a patch test before? It involves applying a new product to a small patch of skin to start with, usually somewhere on the inner arm. You would then wait for 24-48 hours to see how your skin reacts. If all is fine, you would then repeat the test but on a small area of your face. Again, you would wait for one or two days to judge your skin’s tolerance of that product. If it seems happy enough, go ahead and apply that product to the rest of your face.
However, even then, it would be wise to take things slowly, especially if your new product contains any powerful ingredients. Try using it just once or twice a week to begin with before gradually increasing this.
What happens if your skin reacts to your new product? Don’t panic – this doesn’t mean that the product needs to be binned. Instead, try buffering that product. This simply means applying it over the top of a thicker product that your skin is already able to tolerate, such as your moisturizer. This way, your new product won’t have such direct contact with your skin cells. Only a small amount will filter through the cream. This will give your skin a chance to grow accustomed to the ingredients within without the associated irritation. Over time, you can then start to apply the product underneath your moisturizer.
Caring for Sensitive Skin With Celestolite
Although sensitive skin can be difficult and frustrating to care for, this also happens to be the skin type that requires the most amount of care! With your skin barrier being compromised, it’s imperative that you treat your skin extremely gently while also working on ways to support and strengthen the feel of your natural barrier. Get this right and, as time goes on, your skin shouldn’t feel quite so reactive and sensitive anymore!
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