People with sensitive skin may feel hesitant about trying on a lot of these products. Because these may cause irritation to their skin. But with so many skincare products available in the market today, all it takes is finding the right product that suits your skin. Most importantly, knowing the proper way to care for your sensitive skin can make all the difference. Here are some tips for people with sensitive skin who want to exude radiant, younger-looking skin.
Morning Skin Care Routine
Step 1: Use a mild facial cleanser
Oil and dirt can build up in your skin even while you sleep, making your face look dull and greasy. This is why it’s important that you wash your face in the morning to get rid of them. This will also allow your face to feel refreshed, removing any remaining product that you have applied on your face from the night before. Water-based and low-pH cleansers work best for people with sensitive skin as these are effective enough to remove excess oil and dirt, yet mild enough not to irritate the skin.
When cleaning your face in the morning, you can just simply use your hands instead of a facial cleansing brush. Gently massaging the facial cleanser on your face in a circular motion is enough to clear the skin. Use lukewarm water to wash the product off and then dry your face by gently patting it with a dry and clean towel.
Step 2: Apply toner and essence
A facial toner does a lot of good to the skin and should never be skipped especially by people with sensitive skin. It helps get rid of any remaining oil and dirt that may not have been removed by the cleanser. It also minimizes pores and brings the skin’s pH level back to normal. However, there are a lot of toners available in the market that are not suited for sensitive skin such as alcohol-based toners.
People with sensitive skin must make sure that the toner they use is lightweight, alcohol-free and contains soothing and hydrating products. To apply toner, put some of the products on your palms then gently pat and press it to your face. Rubbing your face with cotton pads may only irritate the skin and the heat of your palms actually helps your skin absorb the toner. This step can be followed by a gentle and lightweight essence to prep your skin for the next steps of the routine.
Step 3: Eye Cream-Emulsion-Facial Cream
Eye creams moisturize and smoothen your under-eye area, preventing skin issues like wrinkles and puffy eyes. The skin under your eyes is very thin and sensitive. So you need to be gentle when applying some product in this area. Prevent your skin from drying as you go through your daily activities by finishing up with mild moisturizing lotion and facial cream. If you have oily skin, you can skip the facial cream step or use a water-based gel instead. Apply these products by massaging them onto your face and neck until they are fully absorbed by the skin.
Step 4: Put on your makeup
Most women need to put on makeup before they leave the house to look professional and ready for work. Makeup products that use natural ingredients are non-irritating and ideal for sensitive skin. Avoid putting on a heavy foundation as this product contains oil and may cause irritation.
When using your hands in applying makeup, just use gentle strokes and avoid rubbing your skin too hard. Makeup brushes and sponges must be clean and soft enough not to irritate the skin. Set your makeup with a gentle setting spray by making sure that the product does not contain any ethanol.
Night Skin Care Routine
Step 1: Use a makeup remover
The first step for your skincare routine at night is to always remove the makeup on your face. As product residues will cause damage and irritation to your skin. Make sure to remove it thoroughly using a makeup remover. Gentle cleansing waters and makeup remover gels are more suitable for sensitive skin. These products are lightweight and mild, but still very helpful in removing light, everyday makeup. Simply soak a cotton pad with cleansing water, then gently wipe it on your face. Again, do not rub too hard as it will damage and irritate your skin.
Makeup remover gel is applied using a cotton pad as well, or by gently massaging it to your face using your hands. Cleansing oils, lotions, and creams, on the other hand, work best when removing heavy makeup. However, these products can usually be too harsh for sensitive skin so one should use them as seldom as possible. Also, make sure that you apply just the right amount of strength when applying these products to your face.
Step 2: Wash your face with a mild silicone-based cleanser using a facial cleansing brush
People with sensitive skin may feel iffy about using a facial cleansing brush but it can actually help in thoroughly cleaning the skin. It helps in removing any remaining makeup on your face and its high-frequency vibration unclogs the pores as well. It can be mild enough if you apply it with a mild cleanser and use just the right amount of pressure.
The best cleanser to use with a facial cleansing brush would be the ones with a silicone texture as these products are extremely mild. People with sensitive skin can also limit the use of a facial cleansing brush to two to three times a week, depending on how their skin reacts to it.
Step 3: Apply toner and essence
Just like what you did in the morning, facial cleansing should be followed by applying a gentle, ethanol-free toner and a watery essence. This way, you balance your skin’s pH level and you prepare it for the other products that you’ll be applying on your face for this night skincare routine. A lot of people wonder why toners and essences are applied before a facial mask. This is because many beauty experts believe that toners and essences are great primers for facial masks, further improving the effects of mask for better results. Masks also help lock in the effective ingredients of toners and essences, allowing these products to completely seep into your skin.
Step 4: Put on a facial mask
There are many kinds of masks available on the market, ranging from facial mask sheets, leave-on facial masks, to sleeping masks. The principle of selecting the right skincare products for sensitive skin applies to facial masks as well. Choose one that is targeted towards skin hydration and replenishment. Masks that are made for whitening and cleaning can be too harsh for sensitive skin. If you feel like you need to use cleaning masks, you can limit it to once or twice a month.
Sheet masks with a lighter texture are also ideal for people with sensitive skin. Masks leave away some essence when you remove them to further moisturize the skin. If this makes your skin uncomfortable, you can opt to gently wash or wipe it away. Before removing the remaining essence, make sure to massage it on your face first and let your skin absorb it. Using masks 3 to 4 times a week is enough to see great results.
Step 5: Apply eye cream or eye essence
A selection of eye cream products is also available, catering to varying age groups and skin conditions. If you are 20 to 25 years old, you can choose to use refreshing and moisturizing eye creams or eye essences. Those between 25 and 30 years old, on the other hand, can choose products with moisturizing ingredients, antioxidants, and anti-aging effects. Adults above the age of 30 should pay more attention to anti-aging eye creams or essences packed with antioxidants.
In addition, if your under-eye area is dry, and fine lines and wrinkles are starting to appear, you should choose an ultra-moisturizing eye cream. Some people who use eye cream claim that spots started appearing on their under-eye area. The reason for this is because the eye creams that they’re using are too harsh and not suited to their skin.
When this happens, you can put on hold the use of eye cream and opt for a cream or essence that is more lightweight and refreshing. Eye skin is the most sensitive area on your face so make sure to just lightly pat the product in the direction of your eye line growth.
Step 6: Moisturize with emulsion and cream
Because you have primed your face with toner and essence, you can proceed to apply facial cream or lotion after removing your face mask. When choosing facial lotions or creams, go with mild and non-irritating products. People with oily skin can skip using facial cream as these may result in the ultra-greasy face. A lightweight facial lotion is more suited to people with such skin conditions. You don’t have to apply a lot of creams, a thumb-sized amount is already enough to cover your entire face.
You can also infuse your facial cream with one or two drops of essential oil. Some people rub the product on their palms before applying it to the face, others choose to dot their face with cream first before massaging it onto their skin. Either way is good, just as long as you use gentle hands and let your face absorb the product. While cotton pads can be more hygienic, they may cause scratch your sensitive skin. A clean pair of hands is always recommended when applying products to your face.
Step 7: Moisturize your lips and hands
Most people forget the importance of moisturizing their lips. Dry and chapped lips not only feel uncomfortable, but they also make you look unhealthy. Apply a layer of a lip mask before going to bed to help moisturize your lips, remove dead skin cells, and reduce lip lines. After this, you will make up for soft and healthy lips. A thin layer of lip balm can also be applied before you smear on the lip mask to help double its moisturizing effects.
Lip balms are also helpful in relieving discomfort on the lips especially during winter and autumn where cold winds tend to dry the skin, particularly the lips. Apply lip balm during these seasons to keep your lips moisturized and alleviate dryness and discomfort.
During spring and summer, using creamy lotions may feel sticky. So you can opt for a more refreshing lightweight body lotion. You can apply the hand cream to your hands before going to bed to keep them soft and smooth.
Conclusion
These day and night skincare routines can be very helpful to people with sensitive skin. However, it should be noted that everyone has varying skin conditions and skincare products tend to have different effects on each of us. One product can be suited to someone else’s skin and then have irritating effects on yours, and vice versa.
Simply following someone else’s routine is not enough. You must compare and combine your own routine to find the perfect combination of effective skincare products that are suited to your skin. It’s also best that you try on products first and see if they are gentle enough for you to use.
It is important to know that sensitive skin is no longer a barrier to your skin smoothness and radiance. With a wide selection of skincare products targeted to people with sensitive skin conditions, you can now enjoy the same level of skincare maintenance that is enjoyed by people with normal skin.
