Sensitive vs. Sensitized Skin

Skincare can be very exciting, overwhelming, and a bit scary. No one wants to spend money on a product that is going to have a negative reaction to their skin, and when this does happen, a lot of people jump to the conclusion that they have sensitive skin. I am here to tell you that, well… maybe.

Some people do have sensitive skin. Just like normal, dry, oily, and combination skin types, sensitive skin is a skin type, which means it can not be changed. In order to meet the definition of sensitive skin, you have to meet the Atopic Triad: Eczema, Asthma, and Hay Fever. People who suffer from eczema usually have a higher percentage of developing asthma and hay fever, or other food allergies. In order to be considered a sensitive skin type, you have to have two out of the three conditions. The eczema doesn’t have to be on your face either. Some people never get flare ups on their face, for others it is some of the time, and for others the face can be ground zero. The only other skin conditions which makes you a sensitive skin type without question is Psoriasis or Rosacea. If you meet the Atopic Triad or have Psoriasis or Rosacea, you will always need to be mindful of the products you use on your skin – I say this specifically for sensitive skin, but we should all be mindful of what we use on our body! Essential oils high up on an ingredient list, fragrance, and actives are things to consider when treating sensitive skin.

So what if you don’t meet requirements for sensitive skin but your skin is reactive to products? Chances are that you have sensitized skin, which is a skin condition, which means it can be changed. This means that your skins barrier has been compromised and is reactive to certain ingredients that it normally would not be. Sensitized skin can happen to anyone (myself included) and is most commonly accomplished, for lack of a better word, by overuse of too many actives or using the wrong products. 

A great example is someone with dry skin using a foaming gel cleanser. Dry skin needs a cleansing balm, oil, or cream cleanser. Foaming gel cleansers are meant to take away oil from skin that produces an excess amount of oil throughout the day. Gel cleansers slowly strip away the skins natural barrier by taking oil away from dry skin that the skin doesn’t have to give! Remember when charcoal skincare was all the rage? Well people with dry skin were using charcoal (meant to pull stuff out of the skin) like it was there job. Some people probably still are, don’t get me started. It’s not even their fault. Brands you see on TV aren’t educating people on this stuff, they just want you to buy the newest craze. Another example is an acne-prove individual using products meant to dry out breakouts, exfoliating too often, and not following up with moisturizer. This is me. I did this for years before becoming an esthetician, so I know – it’s hard.  All of those things are going to do damage to your skins barrier and you won’t get the long term results you’re hoping for.

The main takeaway with sensitized skin is that in the long term your skin will not improve, regardless of the goal. When you’re skins natural barrier is compromised, it is unable to do its very important job of keeping the bad stuff out and the good stuff in. Your skins barrier helps maintain homeostasis and prevents against trans-epidermal water loss, or TWEL. This will lead soft, supple, plump skin to look dry, aged, and dull. What you put on your skin will start to read as an invader, which is what will cause reddness and reactions. Think about a brick wall. When well maintained, it is strong and there are no cracks for any foreign irritants to penetrate it. Over time, without proper maintenance, the wall starts to crack and crumble, and before you know it, you look at the wall and think … what the he… why does this brick wall look like it was in a fight? It’s the same with skin. You don’t notice the effects of what you do (or don’t do) to your skin right away. It can take months or even years of an improper skincare routine for you to notice that all of a sudden you have sensitized skin 

There is good news though! You can absolutely reverse sensitized skin, it just takes time. It is important to know what you are or are not using that has led to your sensitization. It is best to use fragrance free products, or products where any essential oil or fragrance at the very bottom. This just means that the percentage of potential irritants is very low, and you will find this in some Osmosis products that have essential oils. The only exception I have found for this rule is the Best Skin Ever Sea Buckthorn Oil. I do not know why (because it does have lavender and grapefruit oil in it), other than the fact that not all oils are made the same, and sources matter, but I did do a skin reset with this after I stripped my skin with my love of salicylic acid and it made a big difference. And now I have an obsession with sea buckthorn as an ingredient in general.

So! if you have sensitive skin, you want to be mindful and selective about your products long term, and you meet the Atopic Triad or have Psoriasis or Rosacea. If you do not meet those requirements, chances are your skincare routine isn’t matching what your skin needs, and needs some love and a little shake up. Either way, there are products and a routine that will fit your needs. Questions? Drop them below