Sensitive vs Sensitized Skin
Nov 17, 2021 2:19pm
We all know sensitive skin is one of the world’s most common skin types. If your skin is sensitive, common symptoms include itchiness, redness, stinging and burning, prone to breakouts, flaking, and peeling. It’s easy to find solutions to combat this, as many skincare products are often marketed as ideal for sensitive skin. But a common misconception that many people might not know is that your skin might not be sensitive, but is instead sensitized. Both sensitive and sensitized skin have similar symptoms, but are in fact fundamentally different in cause and treatment. Sensitive skin is a skin type, whereas sensitized skin is a skin condition. Simply put, sensitive skin is caused by a genetic predisposition, whereas sensitized skin is an acquired condition. Knowing the difference between the two is crucial so you can manage them accordingly in order to achieve healthy skin!
What is Sensitive Skin and How to Treat it?
Sensitive skin is a skin type that most people are born with and is deeply rooted in genetics. It occurs when the skin barrier is weaker or structurally different than other ‘normal’ skin barriers. As a result of this, the skin tends to be more susceptible to irritation, rash, and dehydration, causing the skin to get red or itchy easily. So it’s not surprising when people with sensitive skin are more prone to have skin conditions such as eczema, contact dermatitis, or even rosacea.
Because having sensitive skin is a genetic condition, it cannot be fixed but can be managed with the right lifestyle change and skincare. A few lifestyle adjustments that can help your sensitive skin clear and healthy include regular exercise to increase blood flow and circulation that will nourish your skin cells, cutting out sugary foods to reduce inflammation, getting regular sleep, and paying attention to hygiene by cleaning makeup brushes and changing pillow sheets once a week.
When it comes to skincare for sensitive skin, keep it simple. Avoid fragranced products and stick to gentle skincare that’s moisturizing and soothing to strengthen and support your skin barrier as well as soothe irritated skin. Try using Skin Dewi’s Sensitive Kit, which includes Bamboo Cleansing Oil, a gentle first cleanser that works well to remove makeup and sunscreen. Then use Raspberry Cleansing Milk to further cleanse your pores from dead skin cells or leftover dirt and return hydration to the skin. Then apply 1-2 pumps of Calendula Soothing Gel on clean skin to calm irritated and inflamed skin as well as strengthen the skin barrier. Apply Ginkgo Biloba Firming Facial Cream to protect the skin from water loss and stimulate collagen growth. All Skin Dewi products are plant-based and made with organic ingredients, safe for sensitive skin and pregnant or lactating moms!
What is Sensitized Skin and How to Treat it?
Sensitized skin has all the same symptoms as sensitive skin. This similarity in symptoms is what makes it difficult to distinguish between the skin type and skin condition. The difference is, sensitized skin is an acquired condition that can be fixed! The first step in doing that is to figure out what’s causing the sensitization. A few common factors that contribute to sensitized skin include poor diet, too much exposure to UV rays, extreme weather conditions, and too much exposure to harsh skincare products.
An effective way to know if your skin is truly sensitized, not sensitive is to eliminate possible causes. Try to avoid harsh environmental conditions such as cold weather, low humidity, dry indoors, and heavily polluted areas. Also, more often than not, wrong skincare regimens are the main cause of sensitized skin. An elaborate skincare routine that includes over-exfoliating, over-cleansing, and harsh ingredients can cause dryness and irritation, two symptoms that mimic the symptoms of sensitive skin type. To really make sure if your skin is sensitized, the best way is just to stop using skincare products you think are causing your skin to become irritated. Your skin just needs some time to recover, so if after some time it returns to its normal condition, then your skin is definitely sensitized.
To treat a sensitized skin, adapt the less-is-more approach to skincare! You need to fix the skin barrier so it returns to normal function. In order to do this, use Skin Dewi Evening Primrose Oil as serum or moisturizer. Primrose Oil contains Omega 3 and 6 as well as vitamin E -nutrients that will help support and restore the skin barrier. If your skin is more oily, mix Calendula Soothing Gel and Sea Buckthorn Reviving Elixir together in your palm and apply as moisturizer on cleansed face. Calendula Soothing Gel contains ingredients such as oat and aloe vera and Sea Buckthorn Reviving Elixir contains primrose oil, all nutrients that can restore your skin’s health. On the other hand, if your skin is dry or normal, opt for Raspberry Cleansing Milk as cleanser, moisturizer, or even as a mask. Then apply Sea Buckthorn Reviving Elixir on cleansed face. All Skin Dewi products are available on Shopee, Tokopedia, or skindewi.com!