Sensitive or Sensitised? Same Symptoms – Different Causes!

I’ve had a few enqueries this last week about skin sensitivity. So many people are concerned that they have sensitive skin; redness; irritation, breakouts; burning, dehydration, but did you know that there are actually two different scenarios leading to these not-so-fun symptoms? For some it’s a daily struggle with irritated skin based on genetics (i.e. sensitive skin) or you can get sensitive skin flare ups caused by outside factors in your environment (i.e. sensitised skin). The good news is that very few people are born with sensitive skin that cannot be treated.

Knowing more about what causes your skin to react will help you determine if it is sensitive or sensitised so you can find out how to keep it strong and healthy.  Environmental pollutants, extreme temperature changes, stress, hormones, lifestyle choices all play a huge part.  It’s best not to overload your skin with too many products; keep it simple and pure but of course effective.

A common trait of both sensitive and sensitised skin is a lipid barrier that has been damaged or stripped. A good lipid barrier helps keep skin healthy by holding water in and keeping environmental pollutants and microbes out. Picture your skin cells as tiny bricks. The “mortar” holding them together is the lipid.

For this barrier to be as healthy as possible make sure that you avoid harsh cosmetic ingredients such as alcohol, lanolin, fragrance, artificial colour and other synthetic irritants. Choose quality over quantity.  Buy less and buy better and you will soon see results.

The good news is that the skin – when healthy – is a pretty efficient filter of what’s good versus what’s bad on its own. And, since you can’t always avoid harsh environmental factors like pollution or extreme weather, then Face Matters gives you the perfect simple and effective routine to keep your skin as calm, strong, and healthy as it can be.

And of course don’t forget the sunscreen!