As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate and advertising partnerships so we get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase.
While sensitive skin is commonly marketed as a skin “type,” this isn’t entirely accurate. Peer-reviewed studies have found that close to 70% of people identify as having “sensitive skin.” This has led dermatologists to agree that sensitive skin is less of a “type” and more of a symptom of underlying health issues.
Sensitivity can be caused by physical stress (health conditions), or psychological stress. Skin sensitivity also presents alongside other skin conditions, like rosacea, dermatitis and eczema and acne. Many of us will experience sensitive or “sensitised” skin from overuse, or reaction to, certain products.
The semantics of skin sensitivity may feel irrelevant to you — the person whose skin is burning, itching and adopting the texture of sandpaper. So, we’ll address your immediate concern with five products that will dial down the heat, and leave the rest to the medical professionals.
To cleanse:
Cultured, Vitality Cleansing Milk
You know when you were a kid, and your mum made you drink a big glass of milk in the morning for strong bones? Even if you’ve since realised you’re lactose intolerant, you can consider Cultured’s, Vitality Cleansing Milk ($58) a similarly nourishing and strengthening morning option.
Rich in glycolipids and inulin, this silky cream cleanser sweeps excess oil away while soothing and brightening with a Micro-algae and Vitamin C.
You can use this product with your favourite reusable wipes (or a cotton pad if you short). However, our favourite way to use it is as a morning in shower mask. Hot water might be good for tired muscles, but it’s not great for your skin, particularly if it’s been sensitised.
To Replenish:
Tbh, Rebound Serum
Released this year, tbh, Rebound Serum ($68) has become a staple on the back benches of beauty editors and influencers who experience frequent skin sensitisation from trialling… 10-100 products a month.
Indeed, it was created by skincare influencer Hannah English (also a pharmaceutical scientist), who wanted a product she could turn to when her rosacea was flaring.
Tbh, Rebound Serum helps your skin bounce back from inflammation and irritation. Deeply hydrating and fragrance-free it contains more soothing ingredients than we could possibly name in one list. Think panthenol, copper peptides, niacinamide, Centella Asiatica, electrolytes and glycerin. Apply daily on cleansed skin for a plump, calm, refreshed complexion and reap the rewards.
To Protect:
Go-To, The Repair Shop, Nourish Repair Shop
Skin in need of extra TLC? Go-To Skincare, The Repair Shop, Nourishing Repair Mask ($50) is a buttery, barrier-protective mask that we recommend using as a night cream.
The perfect partner to Rebound, you can tuck your stressed skin into bed with barrier-restoring ceramides and humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerine that will replenish trans-epidermal water loss will you sleep. Vitamin E, Buriti Oil, and Shea Butter provide a protective seal that will lock in these ingredients and protect your skin overnight.
To Rescue:
Ren, Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask
Skin in need of ASAP rescue? Product reaction got you beetroot red? REN, Evercalm, Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask ($70) is at your service.
The active ingredient in this luxuriant crème-mousse concoction is white mushroom extract. Mushrooms are natural anti-inflammatories that have been used in ancient and modern medicine, and white mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, polysaccharides and glycosides — all good news for inflamed complexions. This mask was created with rosacea, eczema and acne sufferers in mind, so is appropriate for even the most sensitive skin types.
To Reactivate:
Skinceuticals Retexturising Activator
If you’re someone who experiences long-term sensitivity, traditional forms of exfoliation can place further stress on your skin. SkinCeuticals innovative Retexturizing Activator ($132) doesn’t.
Rather than deploying acids and enzymes, Skinceuticals have formulated Retexturing Activator with a compound that encourages natural enzymes in the epidermis responsible for sloughing away dead skin to kick into action. It’s essentially hijacking your body’s biological processes, which is kind of genius. The serum also contains glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and kombucha extract to provide additional moisture support where it’s needed.
