Sensitivity is perhaps the easiest skin type for you to identify. Guinot Skin Therapist, Nicola, explains that sensitive skin will appear reddened in tone. She comments: “[sensitive] skin will flush, it will blush, it will get that heightened red effect.” Nicola goes on to list the true characteristics of a sensitive skin: “it will feel irritated or inflamed on a daily basis and it will react to different temperature changes – going in and out of cold and hot.”

What are the signs of sensitive skin?

Jersey Beauty Skin Therapist, Christine, helps you further when detecting sensitive skin. If you smooth your thumbs, gently, over your complexion, look out for areas that radiate heat, or feel hot and itchy to touch, “that’s basically your skin’s way of signalling sensitivity... at its surface,” explains Christine. Almost everyone will suffer from skin sensitivity, at some point, in his or her life. So don’t be surprised if redness and irritation develop rapidly on areas of your skin! Simply learn to treat your rosy skin condition with care, and get to grips with the possible causes of sensitivity.

Solve Your Sensitive Skin Issues Now!

What Causes Skin Sensitivity?

Sure, skin has a clear way of signalling sensitivity and, by now, you may have located reddened and sensitive areas of skin within your complexion. The truth is, difficulty comes when you begin to pinpoint the cause of this characteristic skin complaint. Skin Therapist Nicola starts to unpack the various triggers behind sensitive skin, and explains:

“Sensitivity can be caused by lots of different factors. It can be hereditary… passed on, unfortunately, it can be environmental – lots of people suffer from sensitivity because of the environment they work in.”

Nicola also informs her beauty clients that sensitive skin is frequently triggered by “different medications that people are taking” or, in some cases, “hormonal changes and lifestyle decisions,” will have a direct affect skin’s sensitivity.

It’s super important to understand that your skin is made of many layers. Sure, if you suffer sensitivity, your acid mantle is most likely impaired. However, if your skin’s sensitivity is severe, it is likely that irritants or allergens have been pushed deeper into the skin’s stratum corneum. Your stratum corneum is the layer of skin where nutrients and all-important lipids are stored. If you have a sensitive skin condition like eczema, rosacea or contact dermatitis, or chronically dry skin, you must build back the nutrients deep into the skin’s stratum corneum. deep into the skin’s stratum corneum.

Why Is My Skin Sensitive?

Well, it might be useful for you to get to grips with one major scientific skin term. (Don’t worry, we’ve made things super simple!) Let our skin experts introduce you to what is known as the skin’s “acid mantle” or “hydro lipid film.”

Skin Therapist, Nicola, defines your skin’s acid mantle as “the skin’s natural protection barrier.” It is a thin layer of sweat and sebum, or oil, that covers your “stratum corneum,” which is your skin’s outermost layer. This film layer is a protective barrier that stops allergens, pollutants and environmental irritants from damaging your healthy skin. If your skin is showing signs of sensitivity, it is true to say that your acid mantle is impaired. Therefore, your main skin goal will be to rebuild your acid mantle and strengthen your skin’s structure so that sensitivity is prevented and skin is restored to optimum health.

Treating Sensitive Skin

Your first step to achieving great skin – free from sensitivity – is to repair your skin’s acid mantle. Skin Therapist Nicola tells us that “moisturiser is imperative” when repairing any sensitivity. Nicola recommends Guinot’s Crème Protection Repairatrice, which provides a “shield for very fragile, vulnerable skin that’s irritated from the environment.”

Creme Protection Reparatrice Guinot 2019b 15

Crème Protection ReparatriceDefense Shield CreamSkin50ml: £62.00

Guinot’s Crème Protection Repairatriceis a lightweight moisturiser that contains omega 6 fatty acids, which are known for their nourishing and protective properties. Simply put, not only will Guinot Crème Protection Repairatricebuild back your skin’s acid mantle, it will also put nutrients back into your deeper skin layers at the same time. This is a brilliant product for any sensitive skin condition, including “eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis,” Skin Therapist, Nicola, explains.

Should I go for fragrance free?

Science editor, Chris, further recommends that you should opt for “fragrance-free products,” only if you have a chronically sensitive skin condition, like eczema. Chris clarifies that people, who suffer with skin sensitivity, will often specifically look to buy products labelled “natural” or “fragrance-free.” But the truth is, the words “natural” and “fragrance-free” can actually be a little misleading. Not everything that is natural is necessarily good for you, and Chris explains that naturally fragranced skin products, such as neat essential oils, will most likely harm the skin.

Portrait of a happy redhead woman covering eyes with orange isolated on a white background

Chris says:

“Most of the time products have some synthetic fragrance added, because essential oils have to be at such a low level to not cause problems to the skin.”

If you are keen to avoid fragrance allergens, that can irritate the skin, look for the word “parfum” on any product ingredient list. Alongside this term, “parfum” you will notice a list of fragrances that have been added to the product.

Check these listed ingredients alongside the official list of fragrance allergens that you will find printed below. If you spot any listed fragrance allergens in the product, you must test the product in sample size first, especially if you have chronically dry or sensitive skin.

Tips for Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin, look for a product that repairs your skin’s “acid mantle” or “hydro lipid film.”
Sensitive skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea and psoriasis need to be treated with extra care. Look for products that contain fatty acids and nutritious oil ingredients.
You must exfoliate, even if you have sensitive skin. Use a gentle exfoliator such as Dermalogica’s Gentle Cream Exfoliant, twice weekly.