Sensitive Skin Care

Best Practices for Sensitive Skin Care

If you are bothered by fragrances, chemicals, soap, or even food, you may need to start practicing sensitive skin care to look your best. There are any number of irritants that the average person runs into on a daily basis. It can be tough to figure out exactly which ones are causing rashes or redness on your face or body, but by being proactive, you can reduce the number of occurrences.

Take a look at the below tips for treating sensitive skin on all areas of your body:

Care for Sensitive Skin on Your Face

Your face often takes the brunt of allergies and irritations. Because it is not covered like the rest of your body, you must take extra precautions for facial sensitive skin care. There are many types of facial skin care products available depending on the sensitivity of your skin.

•    Use a mild cleanser that is free of perfumes and soaps. Try cleansing sensitive skin products made specifically for your skin type or for those prone to acne. Regular bar soap is far too drying and often contains added scent.
•    Apply a fragrance-free moisturizer that is light and silky in texture. Thick creams only clog your pores and make sensitivity problems worse.
•    Sensitive skin eye care requires a specific type of cream to be applied to this delicate area. Use the tip of your ring finger to gently cover the area beneath your eyes.
•    Be careful of the type of makeup you use. Look for natural ingredients without minerals or added fragrance. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that your foundation consist of ten ingredients or less.
•    Steer clear of waterproof mascara. The harsh cleansers needed to remove it can be an irritant to sensitive skin.
•    Test new makeup products before slathering them on your face. Dab a small amount in an inconspicuous place, such as behind your ear, every night for a week. Wash it off each morning and look for signs of irritation.

Sensitive Skin Care for Your Body

Many of the same recommendations for sensitive skin care apply to your body skin, as well. There can be additional factors involved if you are seeing rashes or scaly dry spots. Consider these tips:

•    Avoid not only cleansers and moisturizers with added color or perfumes, but laundry detergent as well. There are many good detergents and body skin care products on the market today that are free of all unnecessary additives.
•    Skin care for sensitive skin starts on the inside. Consider adding foods rich in B complex vitamins to your diet. You might also want to take a daily vitamin supplement.
•    Exercise regularly. Yoga or Pilates are two good ways to tone your body and reduce stress levels that can contribute to skin problems.
•    Use sunscreen daily and apply it often, especially if you are outdoors for an extended length of time.

Sensitive skin care need not be overly time-consuming. Be cautious when buying any products that will come into contact with your skin and practice a daily exercise, eating, cleansing and moisturizing regimen that will prevent problems from occurring.