How to Create a Skincare Routine for Sensitive Skin

With numerous options in the skincare market to choose from, you may feel tempted, or even confused, regarding the products. But, with sensitive skin, you have to be extra careful with what you put on your face.

Once you’re in tune with your skin’s requirements, building a skincare routine becomes less daunting. If you’re new to skincare, this article will explain what sensitive skin is and how you can build a suitable regime for yourself.

What is sensitive skin?

Skincare is important no matter what type of skin you have, but it becomes especially important if you have sensitive skin. This type of skin is highly reactive to environmental and internal factors and you’ll notice your skin turning red, itchy, bumpy or developing texture with even the most mundane of activities - like removing your makeup with a cotton pad.

While the irritants can vary from person to person, sensitive skin is reactive to much more substances than normal skin. You can also have any type of skin - oily, dry, acne-prone or combination - in addition to sensitive skin. So, pay attention to your skin type and pick out products accordingly.

How do you know if you have sensitive skin?

While there isn’t a definitive dermatological test to find out if you have sensitive skin, there are a few ways to determine what skin type you have. First off, notice how your skin reacts to different products you use and if you’re prone to developing a reaction to a specific ingredient or most types of ingredients.

Secondly, wash your face in the morning and pat it dry. Leave it for the next thirty minutes without applying anything else to it. Notice if your skin turns red, itchy or irritated to determine if you have sensitive skin.

This is how you build a skincare routine for sensitive skin

Don’t be discouraged to build a skincare routine just because your skin may react to many ingredients. There is a proper skincare routine available for every skin type and the goal with sensitive skin is to build a routine that contains mild ingredients that do not react with your skin.

Morning routine

• Cleanser - Look for a gentle cleanser that will not strip your skin of essential oils, especially if you also have acne-prone skin. Try the Carmesi Foaming Face Wash, which is specially made for acne-prone and sensitive skin. It will gently clean your face and will not dry it out.

• Toner - Toners are great for removing pore congestion, especially the Carmesi Pore-Clarifying Toner, which again unclogs your pores without stripping your skin of its natural oils.

• Eye cream - Your undereye area is the thinnest part of your face, which is prone to developing dark circles and signs of ageing. If you have sensitive skin, fragrant products may end up irritating you. Looking for eye creams that are soothing, cool and fragrance-free with a light gel-like texture.

• Serum - When it comes to serums, they are a great addition to your skincare regime. They are packed with essential ingredients that target specific concerns for your face. Try the Carmesi Blemish Reducing Serum which reduces dark spots, acne and irritation without feeling heavy or greasy on your skin.

• Moisturizer - This is the most important step in your skincare routine and if you have sensitive skin, make sure to stay away from heavy textures and strong fragrances. Choose a lightweight moisturizer like the Carmesi Soothing Moisturizer which will calm your skin without feeling heavy.

• Light facial oil - If you don’t want to add too many steps to your skincare routine, you can choose to skip facial oils, especially if you have very oily and sensitive skin that cannot tolerate oils. But, this is a good addition for those who want to balance out their skin texture and provide that extra step of moisture, especially if their skin is very dry. Go for squalene oil in the morning, which is lightweight and calming, without making your skin feel sweaty and heavy.

• Sunscreen - This is an important step in your skincare routine, no matter your skin type, especially when you’re stepping out. If you have sensitive skin, look for fragrance-free formulas that are lightweight and non-comedogenic.

Evening routine

• Cleanser - Use the same cleanser as mentioned before to keep your face free from impurities. Additionally, if you had applied makeup, make sure to double cleanse in order to remove all traces of makeup from your face. With sensitive skin, pick out a fragrance-free and natural oil-based makeup remover and rub your face with it using only your palms. Cotton pads or towels tend to create more friction and make your skin react.

• Toner - This step remains the same for your morning and evening routine and you can pick out the same toner as above.

• Eye cream - If you don’t want to apply eye cream in the morning, you can keep it to once a day in the evening before going to bed. Use the same formulation and ingredients as above.

• Serum - This step also remains the same and will allow your skin to absorb all the goodness before you apply your next product. If you feel it’s getting too much for your skin, you can switch the serum between morning and evening.

• Moisturizer - Apply the same lightweight moisturizer and never skip this step no matter if it’s day or night.

• Facial oil - This, again, is your choice, but it’s recommended to use one if you want to add that extra plump and glow. Use facial oil only at night if your skin is extremely sensitive as there’s less chance of reacting during this time. You can use slightly heavier consistency in the evening like jojoba or rosehip seed oil.

Exfoliation

Exfoliating your skin is super important, no matter your skin type, but, it gets trickier with sensitive skin. Avoid physical exfoliants because the tiny beads in them can end up causing your skin to react.

With chemical exfoliants, look for acids that are lesser in concentration and only do it once a week if your skin can tolerate it, or once every 2 weeks depending on the level of your skin sensitivity. Glycolic acid, lactic acid and salicylic acids are good exfoliants that aren’t very harsh on the skin if used in lower concentrations.

Always make sure to not keep it on for more than the recommended time and do not forget to apply a moisturizer after exfoliating. This will prevent your skin from drying out and also provide a soothing effect.