How to deal with sensitive skin

Why is sensitive skin difficult?

People who have very sensitive skin can often have a very low tolerance level for certain things in their environments, what they eat and drink and also to ingredients in their skin care products. Usually the skin reacts by becoming inflammation that shows as red, blotchy patches and sometimes lumpy swellings. It is difficult for those with sensitive skin as what will be no problem for one person will not suit someone else. Also to establish what it is that actually bothers you can be a time consuming exercise.

How do we deal with sensitive skin?

The more natural a skin care product is the less the chance of them irritating sensitive skin. Having said that, there are many essential oils that are very irritating to the skin or one of their components is. Conversely not all synthetic ingredients are harmful for your skin and may be a suitable alternative to a natural ingredient that can be an irritant. So the best thing is to choose a skin care product range that has been designed to be non-irritating, to calm and soothe a sensitive skin. skinsaviour has designed its cleansers and moisturisers to be very gentle yet effective on a sensitive skin.

What to look for in skin care products?

• Cleansers with no harsh soaps or detergents.

• Skin care products with low levels of preservatives.

• Moisturisers that provide a long lasting barrier to external pollutants.

• Skin care products formulated to avoid ingredients known to irritate sensitive skin.

• Skin care products that come in dispensers to avoid contaminating your skin care products with bacteria from dipping fingers in.

• Skincare products that come in dispensers that block out the light to also avoid spoilage.

Redness and iritation problems after waxing…

After waxing – Is redness normal?

Most people suffer from some degree of redness and irritation when they undergo waxing.  Waxing at its most basic is literally pulling the hairs out by the roots so the area waxed has undergone some trauma. We all react so individually, the degree of redness, soreness and irritation will vary widely from person to person.  If the area waxed remains sore and red and is still causing you discomfort after 24 hours, seek medical advice as you may have an allergy to the waxing products used.

If you are concerned about how your skin may react to waxing it may be best to do a patch test on your leg first to see how your skin reacts. You can have this done at a salon as well. Make sure you have no skin that may be sun damaged, broken or already irritated on the area that you want to wax. Treat the skin area to be waxed gently before waxing and don’t use any harsh

How do I prevent redness after waxing:

• Ensure the wax is not too hot before using.
• Following correct procedure and ensuring the hair is removed in the direction of the hair growth.
• Applying a cold compress, an ice pack or having a cold shower can all help to reduce the redness and swelling.
• Clean the area with a cleanser with calming, soothing ingredients.
• Follow with a moisturiser that is hydrating, calming and soothing to help minimise the redness.
• Refrain from having hot showers afterwards for several hours.
• Avoid sun exposure, even if you use sunscreen.
• Don’t exfoliate for a few days before or after waxing.

Why our skin needs to produce oil…

Why does our skin produce oil?

Our skins need to produce oil which they do from tiny sebaceous glands hidden in the skin. Part of the job of this sebum that is produced is to maintain the protective acid mantle of the skin. The acid mantle refers to the sebum which is a complex blend of various lipids or fatty like substances, sweat and cellular debris that collects on the surface of the skin and hairs. The acid mantle has acid in the name as the pH typically ranges between 4.5 – 5.5.

The acid mantle is part of the skin’s defence system as the acidity helps to prevent bacteria invading the skin. The acid mantle forces the epidermal and the skin hairs to lie flat in a structured way to look a little like scales on a fish.

• Without an acid mantle the skin cells would pull apart leading to dehydration.
• Loss of the acidic protection would mean bacteria are more able to enter the skin.
• Hair would become more brittle and break more easily.
• With no acid mantle to protect it the skin would become more prone to irritation and sensitivity.

When we purchase products to wash and cleanse our oily skin we should not use harsh skin care products that strip away our natural oils. We need to use gentle but effective skin care that protects the acid mantle of the skin such as skinsaviour skincare products.

Skinsaviour skincare products are carefully formulated to gently and effectively cleanse the skin without stripping natural oils effecting sebum production.

Causes of unhealthy skin

Is my skin unhealthy?

Problem skin can have many causes but in general doesn’t have the look of healthy skin.  Healthy skin has clearness about it, a healthy glow with a smooth, unblemished look. Problem skin can look dull, tired and sallow either too greasy and possibly with blemishes or too dry and prematurely wrinkled. Pigmentation does not necessarily mean the skin is unhealthy but can be a problem in how the person feels about it. There is a lot we can do to improve the health and therefore look of our skin and need to look at some of the causes and see what we can identify what could be causing our own unhealthy skin.

What are some of the causes of unhealthy skin?

Although the causes are many, the main culprits are a diet that doesn’t support the heath of the skin, lifestyle factors and a skincare regime that we do not adhere to or the products are not effective.  The skin is the largest organ of our body and needs the same things our body needs to perform its best – adequate sleep, hydration and good nutrition. Excessive lifestyle habits such as overindulgence in alcohol, smoking, late nights and a poor diet will show up on our skin – sooner or later. The good news is our skin will respond to changes we make to support it and while specific skin problems will have specific solutions; these general suggestions below will help improve all skin problems to some degree.

Look at the list below and see how many of the causes of problem skin you can see in your own life:

• Late nights, lack of sleep in general
• Excessive alcohol
• Smoking
• Use of sun beds or tanning
• Lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet
• Fried and greasy foods high in fat
• Dehydration, not drinking adequate water
• Excessive tea and coffee
• Heavy makeup
• Not cleansing the face morning and night
• Not using an effective moisturiser moisturiser
• Use of harsh cleansers with soap or sulphates, not a gentle but effective cleanser