Are you the type of person who can get a sunburn in the middle of winter? Do you avoid shopping for beauty products because even mild formulas break you out?

If you’re prone to skin irritation, you might have sensitive skin. About 40 percent of all adult women have this condition, regardless of where they live.

In this article, we’ll give you an insider’s look at sensitive skin. We’ll also help you find some products that are designed to help people heal dry, inflamed skin.

Redness and Dry Patches

One of the most common sensitive skin symptoms is dry skin, but it’s important to rule out other causes first. If you have dry, red skin, you could be reacting to your makeup.

Another cause for redness is rosacea, an incurable skin condition that affects more than 15 million people in the United States. If you have rosacea, you may have symptoms that include:

  • inflammation of facial skin
  • burst capillaries in the cheeks or forehead
  • small pimples
  • pink eye or swelling of the eyelid

The first step to treating sensitive skin is to make sure that you don’t have rosacea or another chronic skin condition. You might just have dry skin.

Sensitive Skin vs. Dry Skin

The thing that separates sensitive skin from regular dry skin is the severity of the reaction. You might have a few dry patches during the winter, but if you have sensitive skin you’re going to suffer all year long.

Do you always have redness and dry skin, no matter what time of the year? You might want to talk to your dermatologist about getting an official diagnosis.

Regular Breakouts

If you’re always breaking out, you could have sensitive skin. You might get pimples, rashes, or even small bumps that you can’t pop open.

The problem with sensitive skin is that it reacts to almost anything. You might think that you’re breaking out from your makeup, but the culprit is really that hypoallergenic hand lotion.

If you think that you have sensitive skin, you should start taking beauty products out of rotation and replacing them with specially-formulated ones.

Make sure that you read reviews before you invest in new products. You’re looking for makeup that is talc-free, paraben-free, and GMO-free.

Throw a little bit of UV protection in there and you’ve got a deal!

Should You Change Your Diet?

Another thing to do if you constantly break out is to change your diet a little bit. If you can eliminate sugar and alcohol, your body has more energy to fight off inflammation.

Other items to control in your diet are trans fats, vegetable oils, carbohydrates, and meat. It’s difficult to block out every negative thing, but it’s worth a try!

If you have sensitive skin, inflammation is your natural enemy. In addition to seeing a dermatologist, you might want to talk to a dietician about combating breakouts through diet.

Stinging and Burning

In addition to redness and acne, one of the most common signs of sensitive skin is a burning sensation. Again, this happens no matter what kind of beauty product you use.

Sensitive skin can be so distressing and can cost so much money. Every time you find a gentle cleanser or soap, you buy it thinking that it’ll be the one that finally works.

Then, inevitably, you have to start all over again because your face is on fire.

Skin Care for Any Skin Type

In general, there are four types of skin:

  • normal
  • dry
  • oily
  • sensitive

All four types should wash their face once per day and use a moisturizer, but what can you do if you have sensitive skin? You might want to try washing your face with a hyaluronic cleanser.

Hyaluronic acid is found in skin cells and helps hydrate the face. If you use it daily, you should find some relief in a few weeks.

In general, staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen are also good for all skin types.

Sensitive to Bath Products

One of the strangest aspects of skin sensitivity is that you can react to almost anything. While makeup and lotion could be the primary culprits for rashes and redness, you could also be reacting to your shampoo or soap.

You could also be reacting to scented candles, dryer sheets, or laundry soap. Your car’s air freshener could be making you break out in hives, but you wouldn’t necessarily suspect that.

People with sensitive skin have to be careful about getting too much sun, but they also have to be careful in the winter. Too much rain, wind, or cold could trigger a breakout.

Essential oils like peppermint and grapefruit are also common triggers for people with sensitive skin. You might think that using them would be safe because they’re natural, but they can cause inflammation on contact with the skin.

More Causes of Irritation

Another possible problem could be with your household cleaners. Even if you’re just cleaning with lemon juice and vinegar, you could still be damaging your skin.

If you feel like you’re sensitive to everything around you, look for beauty products that are fragrance-free. If you do want to wear perfume, look for ones that are oil-based instead of alcohol-based. They won’t dry out your skin as much.

Another option for perfumes is to put them onto your clothing instead of directly onto your skin.

How to Heal Your Sensitive Skin Quickly

If you’re tired of breaking out and getting rashes, there is a solution. For a period of three weeks to a month, you should take a break from all makeup. Just use a hyaluronic moisturizer and that’s it.

You need to give your skin a chance to heal, and abstaining from makeup is the jump-start you need. Sensitive skin doesn’t have to be difficult to deal with, but you do need to know how to take care of it.

Now that you know all about sensitive skin, check out some of our other blogs! We have everything from party planning to travel tips!