Sensitive Skin

SENSITIVE SKIN
Sensitive skin is a common issue, and the term generally refers to skin that is more prone to irritation, redness, and/or inflammation. People with sensitive skin often have a local reaction to ingredients such as petrochemicals, mineral oils, harsh foaming agents, soaps, dyes, artificial colours and artificial fragrances which are often found in personal care products that come into direct contact with the skin or scalp.

People with dry skin often also have sensitive skin as the skin tends to become more sensitive as it loses the protective moisture barrier which protects it from drying out. It is critical to moisturise and nourish sensitive skin with a light, easily absorbed moisturiser. If you have dry skin, you need to avoid using heavy creams and mineral oils which just sit on the surface of the skin and don’t penetrate to add moisture to the skin.

It is important to minimise stress as this can trigger an inflammatory response. Essential oils are a wonderful remedy to help you calm down, plus many essential oils are excellent for treating skin conditions. Our top essential oil picks for calming sensitive skin are Australian Sandalwood, German Chamomile, Indian Sandalwood, Lavender, Neroli, Rose, and Roman Chamomile. Our top essential oil picks for treating dry skin are Australian Sandalwood, Geranium, Indian Sandalwood, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rose, and Ylang Ylang.

Here are our recommendations for soothing and supporting sensitive skin:

o Take short showers and baths and avoid using very hot water.
o Try using hand and body wash instead of soap.
o Use a sulfate-free hand wash, body wash and shampoo.
o Keep skin well moisturised by regularly applying moisturiser after washing/bathing.
o Avoid products containing parabens.
o Avoid moisturisers containing mineral oils, e.g., paraffin, baby oil.
o Avoid using harsh chemical cleaning products around the home.
o Avoid products with artificial fragrances.
o Choose products which are naturally scented with pure essential oils.
o Avoid products with artificial colours.
o Avoid products with petrochemicals.
o Do a patch test before using new products.
o Avoid using thick creams which don’t absorb easily.
o Choose products based on botanical ingredients which have excellent skin care properties.
o Consider using plant oils on your face, body & scalp as a weekly treatment to nourish dry areas of skin.
o Eat a healthy diet rich in essential fatty acids.

Discover our range of botanical skin, hair and body care products which are ideal for sensitive skin today