How to choose a cream for sensitive skin and not make a mistake?

The article was first published in the magazine “Makeup&YOU Professional”.

Yulia Gagarina, chemist and technologist-developer of cosmetics

Feel subtly

Basic rule: before you buy anything, you need to decide on the needs of your skin. The word “needs” does not mean the type of skin (oily, dry, combination), but its ability to be capricious in some cases. Very fair, thin and dry skin is a prime candidate for the “sensitive” label. The main signs of skin sensitivity: dryness, flaking, areas with redness, burning or itching sensations after washing.

Just what the doctor ordered

If you have at least one of the signs of skin sensitivity, it is highly recommended that you take a course of care with products from the Sensitive series (for sensitive skin). They should not contain alcohol, PEG-based emulsifiers (polyethylene glycols), or harsh detergent components (for example, sodium lauryl sulfate). Day cream must (!) contain UVA filters, which will help protect the skin from another cause of irritation. How to choose a night face cream? Look for restorative vegetable oils in its composition (at the beginning of the list of ingredients). The presence of lecithin, bisabolol, sphingosine, beta-glucans, allantoin, vitamins A and E is also welcome. The best time to care for “cranky skin” is the off-season period (spring/autumn).

Skin sensitivity test

The immune system considers the skin to be part of it, and the cells of the immune system pay a lot of attention to guarding the “borders.” As soon as their strength is questioned, the immune system begins to receive distress signals - the skin becomes sensitive. Dermatologists distinguish several types of sensitivity - this also determines which face cream to choose and which cleansing beauty products to give preference to. Please note that they clearly correspond to the degree of neglect of immune problems. Sensitive skin Signs: sensations of tightness, itching and tingling; discomfort after washing. Recommendation: Do not buy strong-smelling or brightly colored cosmetic products. You should carefully select cleansing products: without alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate and other harsh detergent components - they destroy the protective boundaries of the skin. Reactive or irritated skin Signs: Redness, roughness, dryness or flaking patch, can sometimes be painful to touch. The reason lies in mechanical or chemical damage. Recommendation: do not overuse scrubs with natural abrasives (for example, apricot kernel). Care requires softening, soothing and restorative agents. Cream for sensitive skin should not contain PEG-based emulsifiers, alcohol or dyes. Hyper-reactive skin Signs: This is the highest level of sensitivity. The skin reacts almost instantly to the slightest irritation. This is often associated with decreased immunity and therefore requires an integrated approach to care. Recommendation: consultation with a doctor is necessary to select a comprehensive treatment. Pay attention to products with “special ingredients” aimed at the immune system.