For those of us who have sensitive skin, every season brings us new skin challenges. The winter months tend to offer everyone dry, itchy skin. Most people can easily solve that by simply adding a moisturizer or lotion, but it isn’t that simple if you suffer with sensitive skin. Though moisture is the key, sensitive skin sufferers can’t put just any products on their body. Here are the three products I have found that maintains my skin without over irritating it but there are a few rules to follow.
The first thing to keep in mind is to not over-wash your skin. This rule applies for each season. Our bodies produce its own natural moisturizers, some more than others. For people with sensitive skin, showering once a day and washing your face twice a day is sufficient. This will cleanse your pores, removing dirt and debris without completely stripping away your skin’s much needed natural moisture. Most people can just simply walk away at this point and carry on with no worries but we can’t. For those of us with moderately sensitive skin, here are the three products we should always have on hand and the steps we should take to make them work for us.
An Unscented, Hypoallergenic, Intensive Moisture Lotion
*I personally use Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion. Even if your skin doesn’t feel dry or itchy at the moment, always apply your lotion after every shower. Pay close attention to the tops of your shoulders, your chest, the backs of your arms, elbows, legs and the tops of your feet. Be sure to include every inch of your feet except for the very bottoms. Do not use this on your face or neck.
A Light Day And Night Cream (Separate Products)
*I have personally found that Olay products give my skin what it needs without adding too much. Although many products are made, combining day and night creams into one formula, I do not recommend using these. Each one has its own purpose and takes away from, or unnecessarily adds to the other one when combined. A night cream is designed to be on your bare skin, to be breathable and typically doesn’t offer sunblock. This is the time your skin needs to simply be naked. A day cream offers added chemicals, such as sunblock and is suitable to wear with makeup products. It acts as a barrier, protecting your skin and pores from the every day grit and grime. Wash your face in the morning and apply the day cream to your face and neck, then add your daily makeup. In the evening, when you are in for the night, wash your face and apply the night cream to your face and neck.
Note: Keep all moisturizers away from your under eye area and eyelids. This skin absorbs the moisture and leaves you with puffy eyes.
Carmex, Original Formula, Lip Balm
Always keep your lips moist. Carmex does this job well without that greasy, sticky feeling.
If this sounds like a lot of work, it is but for those of us with sensitive skin, we’ll do what ever it takes to be comfortable and maintain what we believe to be beautiful. To others, this might seem simple but for sensitive skin sufferers, if we skip a step or apply the wrong product, it could be a catastrophe.