Firstly, what exactly is sensitive skin?
“Sensitive skin is skin that tends to react to the application of various products,” explains dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall. “Broadly it will be less tolerant of any products that can traditionally be difficult to tolerate. These include alcohol-based gels, exfoliants, soaps and perfumed products amongst others.”
What does sensitive skin look like?
According to aesthetician and founder of Black Skin Directory, Dija Ayodele, the tell-tale signs of sensitive skin are most often, “tingling, prickling, heat, burning, pain, redness or itching sensations”. On lighter skin, sensitivity will often manifest in pink or red skin, whereas on darker skin, a reaction isn’t always as easy to spot visually. “Black skin may not always flush red, but rather a deep brown or purple colour as blood and heat rise to the surface,” Ayodele adds.
So, the big question: how can you fix it?
It all comes down to your skin barrier. “The skin barrier is the top layer of skin that is made from cells and lipids – it’s like a brick wall where the cells are the bricks and the lipids are the cement in between," says Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, GP and award-winning aesthetician.
When it comes to your bathroom cabinet there are some careful swaps to make that’ll help navigate this space. Dr Ahmed suggests stripping back any products with actives: that’s retinoids and vitamin C and being cautious of sodium lauryl sulphate and petroleum-based ingredients. “You want to go back to basics by only using a gentle cleanser, a moisturiser and an SPF. These are the three main building blocks – once you have these you can go in and add extra steps.”
Look outside your bathroom cabinet
It isn’t just your skincare that can be the issue. Take a look at your home cleaning sprays, harsh bleaches, washing powders and fabric softeners – these can also cause skin reactions and irritations. Opt for fragrance-free or hypoallergenic, non-bio detergents (they don’t contain enzymes). Enzymes can be effective at banishing stains, but they are also too harsh on sensitive skin.
Finally, traditional cleaning products are filled with harmful chemicals that can do more than aggravate sensitive skins: they can also disrupt your body’s natural processes, from hormone balance to respiratory health. Over time, these toxins build up, negatively impacting your body’s ability to function. So it’s important you do your research, or to save time (that’s what BRiMM’s here for!) shop from our favourite sensitive skin picks below.
