Alongside dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin, sensitive skin is a term that gets thrown around a lot in the world of skincare, and in 2023, it’s set to become one of the most-searched for skin conditions on Google. Why? Because following an increase in people experimenting with exfoliation, active ingredients, and skincare layering, identification of sensitive skin is on the rise.
If you’ve ever experienced redness, irritation, or inflammation after using a specific product or layering one too many serums, then it’s likely that your skin is experiencing sensitivity, and the truth is, we’re all vulnerable to it. That’s right, contrary to popular belief, sensitive skin isn’t actually a skin type, it’s a skin condition. This means that sensitivity is something that can occur to anyone’s skin, regardless of what their skin type is, and while some people may experience signs of sensitivity on a daily basis, for others sensitivity can flare up just a few times a year.
The thing is, our skin can only take so much, no matter how ‘resistant’ you think it is. After years of cocktailing active skincare ingredients, I learned this the hard way as a teenager when my combined use of exfoliating toners and retinoid serums resulted in a nasty outbreak of perioral dermatitis, a painful inflammatory rash which develops in cases of extreme sensitivity. Ever since then, I’ve learned to treat my skin as sensitive — using calming ingredients alongside active ones, and focussing on strengthening my skin barrier — despite my main skin type being oily and acne-prone.
Tagged: skin