For several years, the hottest items in skin care have been acids, peels, and other chemical exfoliants. However, 2020 brings a new skincare trend – gentle, chemical-light skincare. If you want to start a skincare routine that’s kinder to your face, try these three tips for nourished skin that feels as good as it looks.
Detox the skincare products on your bathroom counter.
If you currently struggle with any type of visible skin irritation, stop using acids, scrubs, and retinol products immediately. Rosacea or eczema on the face also contraindicates exfoliating products. Your best friend might thrive with a weekly home peel, but everyone’s skin is different, and you should treat yours gently. You can use mild, natural goat soap for eczema. Due to its gentle dirt-removing properties, it doesn’t strip your skin’s natural lipids or healthy bacteria keeping it moisturized and limiting the overall discomfort.
As you let your skin heal, look for other irritants in your skincare routine. Common offenders include denatured alcohol (“alcohol denat.” on labels), , SD alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and added fragrances. Harsh detergents like sulfates and “cooling” ingredients, like menthol or camphor can also hurt your skin. Unfortunately, the tingling you feel from cooling toners may actually be inflammation.
When you’re ready to shop, outfit your cabinets with soothing products for sensitive skin. Botanical ingredients like extracts, oils, and butters are all safe for cultivating beautiful skin. Pure cotton gloves will help hand eczema treatments.
Shop smarter for sensitive skin.
Once you start noticing all the irritants in typical skin care products, trips to the beauty counter may seem less fun. If your skin is sensitive, you’ll want to limit your purchases to milky cleansers, hydrating serums, and calming moisturizers. Fortunately, though, peptides, antioxidants, probiotics, and fermented ingredients are all irritant-free ways to help your skin stimulate collagen production, fight free radicals, and improve your moisture barrier, which can prevent your face from drying out. Don’t reintroduce products with acids and retinol until your skin has healed, and limit their use to once or twice per week since they make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Avoid lifestyle triggers.
Chronically irritated skin is frustrating to manage, but even though changing your routine is important, it’s not your only option. Whether you live with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or sensitive skin, controlling environmental triggers can reduce flare-ups and help you look your best. Avoid extreme temperatures, excessive sun, strong fragrances, alcohol, and coarse, itchy fabrics.
Stress can also trigger almost every long-term skin problem. Therefore, make time for self-care, get enough sleep, and eat a balanced diet to support collagen production. Knowing your skin type and the environmental conditions that worsen your flare-ups allows you to take charge of your health.
If the surge in exfoliant products hasn’t done your skin much good, it’s time to embrace soothing, hydrating products instead. Use these tips to cultivate a skincare routine that will leave you with healed, healthy skin!
Feature Image by kevin laminto on Unsplash
