With almost 70% of the population suffering from sensitive skin and over 50% suffering from uncomfortable symptoms such as redness, dryness and bumpiness, sensitive skin is a growing issue and Spring is a time when skin can be exposed to elements such as Spring sun, cold winds and Spring allergies that make it even more sensitive.
Sensitive skin can cause a number of issues from redness, inflammation and rashes to skin flaking and dry skin. Sensitive skin can also become very tight and very itchy.
“Women suffer more from sensitive skin more than men, especially in later life largely because women have often spent decades using cocktails of cosmetics and chemical or perfumed skin care products on their skin on a daily basis compared to men who will only use one or two products,” says consultant dermatologist Dr Eva Melegh.
Research shows that the average women uses up to 16 different skincare and cosmetic products on her skin every day. It’s the amount and variety of skin care and cosmetic products that women use daily on their skin which is one of the leading causes of sensitive skin.
Sensitive skin also becomes more common with age as skin becomes thinner and weaker. Perimenopauasl skin is particularly effected due to the drop in oestrogen. People with fairer complexions are also more prone to skin sensitivity and inflammation,” says Dr Eva.
Here are Dr Eva’s 7 tips to make your skin less sensitive this Spring;
1. Don't Wash With Water
Stop washing your face with water when you cleanse or clean your skin. Water is a caustic substance that can be quite harsh on skin. It also contains chlorine which can increase the risk of the skin becoming intolerant to the chlorine content of water if its exposed to tap water several times a day. Instead use a cleansing oil or water-free cream cleanser to clean your skin of cosmetics and dirt.
2 . Wear A Barrier Cream
Always wear a barrier de-sensitising base cream without any chemical or perfumes in it under any cosmetics. Do not apply cosmetics directly to skin.
Try Kalme Undercoat, which contains a specific de-sensitising ingredient that can help reduce skin sensitivity by up to 70% and should be worn under all cosmetics.
3. Use a Zinc SPF
Wear a day cream with a mineral based daily SPF (even on cloudy days) to protect skin from UV damage from sun and daylight, which can break down skin barrier function and increase the risk of sensitivity and redness. Zinc of one of the best mineral SPF for sensitive skin as it has the lowest reactivity of any mineral based SPF.
Try Kalme Day Defence with a pure mineral SPF25 plus an anti-redness ingredient for sensitive skin.
4. Increase Good Skin Flora
Use a product that replenishes good skin flora on your skin. Environmental damage, cosmetics and the perimenopasue can depleat the levls of good skin flora, which is essential for maintaining robust and less sensitive skin. People prone to breaks outs and redness often over-use antibacterial products to clean their skin and end up drastically reducing their good skin flora which quickly leads to sensitive skin issues.
Try Clarol Silver Serum which reduces levels of bad skin bacteria that causes acne while boosting and replenishing levels of good skin bacteria to improve skin integrity and quality and reduce sensitivity.
5. Apply a Skin Prebiotic
Use products daily that contain skin prebiotics to help address dryness caused by damahed or compromised skin barrier function, which is the cause of eczema and dermatiis and also contributes to rosacea. Additionally during perimenopause skin barrier function is weakened by a drop in oestrogen production.
Try Kalme TeQ Serum, which contains a skin prebiotic from agave extract and is both super hydrating and skin barrier function repairing for skin prone to redness, extreme dryness and sensitivity.
6. Use Natural Plant Steroids for Inflammed Eyes
Allergies to eye cosmetics, beauty products and sun creams are very common in people with any form of allergies such as hay fever, as well as those who suffer from eczema or asthma and women during perimenopasue, so during Spring eye allergy triggers are everywhere.
Avoid over the counter make up removers. Most make up removers contain detergents that are very damaging to skin barrier function, which is what keeps moisture locked into skin. Sensitive and irritated eyes need extra protection during the Spring hay fever season to ensure that a flare is not triggered to add to the misery of hay fever symptoms.
Try Hydrosil Dry Eye Gel which is a light calming eye gel that contains natural plant steroids to help calm down itching and irritation around the eyes. It can be worn on the eyelids and around the eyes to under make up and sun creams to help keep the skin less reactive and irritated and can help relieve eye eczema. It can also be worn overnight to calm irritated and inflamed skin around the eyes.
