5 Common Causes of Sensitive Skin

Are you feeling as if your skin is becoming more sensitive and you’re not quite sure why? We often hear from customers who’ve started reacting to products they’ve never reacted to before, or getting dry or red spots on skin which never used to have a reaction. Here’s what we hope is a helpful guide to what might be causing the problem: 

1. You’ve started using a new product - The multitude of ingredients in most skincare products means that they can often trigger reactions even in normal skin. The most usual culprits are preservatives and additives such as AHA/Vitamin A/surfactants/essential oils and extracts designed to ‘renew’ skin by stripping off skin cells. When introducing a new product, especially one for facial skin, always make sure to patch test it first for a few days. 
   
   
2. You are reacting to products you’ve been using for a while - A very common situation these days, as skincare products become ever more complicated and complex! As we mix and match products, a potent combination that our skin might have withstood at the start, over time, can begin to break down the skin’s natural barrier defences and cause irritation and allergy. 
   
   
3. You’re aging! - It happens to us all :) As we age, our skin gets thinner and produces less sebum - both combine to mean that its natural barrier is much weaker and more porous, and as a result, it’s more likely to react to the environment, ingredients in skincare, or even changes in our daily skincare routine.
   
   
4. You’re pregnant - When you’re a pregnant mum-to-be, your entire body is working hard to protect you and your bub from any nasties that might be in the environment, and that means it’s going to be a lot more cautious (as it should be!) to any ingredient that might cause you harm, making you much more sensitive to new or harsh skincare. 
   
   
5. You’ve just been born! - Being a newborn bub means your skin is just getting used to being out of its completely protected environment, and is still in the midst of building its defences to deal with the real world. Keeping it safe and helping it grow strong is your prime objective, so avoid fragrances, harsh washes and long lists of synthetic ingredients.