What is sensitive skin?

Sensitive skin is skin that is easily irritated and more reactive than normal skin. Symptoms of sensitive skin can include red, dry or tight skin which may feel hot or sore to touch. Symptoms may be constant, or come and go depending on what causes them. 

What causes sensitive skin?

There are many factors that may contribute to skin sensitivities. Skin conditions such as Rosacea and Eczema are often associated with sensitive skin as they can cause skin to be more reactive. Other causes of skin sensitivities may include extreme weather conditions such as strong winds or sun, stress, fatigue or even dietary habits.

How can I treat it?

There are many things to consider when looking after sensitive skin. In this post, we share our 5 top tips and some of our best product suggestions to help you calm and nourish your skin.  Keep reading to find out more!

1. Prioritize your cleansing routine

Pictured:  ARK Skincare's Skin Essential Pre-Cleanse & Make-Up Remover

Cleansing is one of the single most important things you can do for your skin. Throughout the day, bacteria is attracted to our skin through touch, sweat and environmental pollutants.

If bacteria is left on the skin, it can linger, grow and contribute to early ageing, pigmentation and breakouts. Therefore, double cleansing is essential for removing make-up, daily grime and excess oils to ensure skin is left thoroughly cleansed. 

If you are new to the idea of double cleansing, we have lots of helpful information in our previous blog posts including a Q&A with ARK Skincare’s CEO Tamsin Styles (here) and a step-by-step guide on how to cleanse your face properly (here). 

 You may also like to take a look at our Pre-Cleanse & Make-Up Remover. The effective oil based-formulation attracts excess oils and lifts grime and bacteria from the surface while nourishing the skin with a blend of essential oils. To learn more about this product and read some of our fabulous customer reviews, click here to head over to our website.

2. Cleanse your skin with lukewarm water

Cleansing with hot water strips skin of its natural oils & can exacerbate sensitivities, so it is always best to cleanse your face with lukewarm water instead. Lukewarm water helps to loosen the dirt and grime, but preserves your skin's natural hydrating oils.

Once you have finished cleansing, make sure to gently pat your skin dry with a cotton face cloth. Avoid rubbing your skin as this may cause irritation.

3. Use gentle skincare products to soothe and nourish your skin

Pictured: ARK Skincare's Skin Perfectors 

If you suffer from sensitive skin, it is important to steer away from products with any harsh ingredients that may cause irritation. Instead, choose skincare products which contain high-quality natural ingredients that will gently soothe and nourish your skin. 

Here at ARK Skincare, all of our products contain a high percentage of natural ingredients, created with sensitive skin in mind. We ensure our formulations are FREE FROM Parabens, SLS, mineral oil, S.D. Alcohol, Formaldehyde, and Artificial Colours & Fragrances as we understand avoiding these irritants is the first step in achieving optimum skin health. 

We also use hard-working active ingredients in all of our products which are  carefully selected to help nourish and soothe the skin. Allantoin & Bisabolol are used in many of our product collections and are especially gentle, making them ideal for sensitive skin. 

Allantoin offers exceptional healing, moisturising, and soothing properties, making it perfect for use on sore or irritated skin. It is found naturally in most organisms, and is the active ingredient in Comfrey Root which has been used for centuries in medicinal preparations. 

Allantoin's anti inflammatory and highly efficient hydrating properties make it a skin calming "must have" for anyone with skin sensitivities. Clinical trials demonstrated a significant decrease in irritation; a reduction in redness; and an increase in moisture content after application. It can help heal and protect skin. 

Find Allantoin in the ARK Skincare Reverse Gravity Eye Cream; Hydrating Beauty Mist; Radiance Serum;  Plumping Lip Cream; and Intensive Hand & Nail Cream. 

Bisabolol, is found in soothing Chamomile, but can also be sourced from the Candeia Tree in Brazil. It is a natural remedy which soothes very sensitive and easily inflamed, or irritated skin, and can also assist the absorption of other active ingredients. It has anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has been widely used for centuries to help calm and soothe and heal. In addition it can help fade hyperpigmentation and even out skin tone giving a brighter complexion.

Bisabolol is an active ingredient in the ARK Skincare De Stress Serum and the Conditioning Body Serum.

To learn more about our soothing products and learn more about the key-active ingredients we use, click here to visit the ARK Skincare website. 

4. Keep to a simple and consistent routine

While we know it can feel tempting to try lots of different products with the hope to treat sensitivities, doing so may overstimulate your skin and actually do more harm than good.

To keep your skin calm, resist the urge to chop and change between lots of products. Instead, create a simple routine with a selection of high-quality products which is easy for you to stick to. Consistency is key. 

Have you ever heard of a skin cycle? The skin cycle is where a new skin cell is formed at the deepest layer of the epidermis and works its way up to the surface of the skin. On average a skin cycle is 5-6 weeks. Therefore, we would recommend trying any new products for at least 6 weeks to see results. 

If you know your skin is particularly sensitive, we would always recommend patch testing any new products on a small area such as the side of your neck before applying it to a larger area to ensure your skin reacts well.

It is also a good idea to add new products to your routine one by one over a matter of days. This means that if your skin were to react to a product, you will be able to determine which one it was and narrow down which ingredients your skin may be sensitive to. 

5. Remember to apply your SPF 

Pictured: ARK Skincare's Skin Protector SPF 30 Primer 

The sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV) rays can cause multiple skin issues including premature aging, pigmentation and increased sensitivity. SPF products help to shield skin from these harmful ways and ensure it is kept protected. Look out for broad ‘spectrum’ protection which will protect your skin against both UVA (ageing) and UVB (burning) radiation. You can learn more about the importance of wearing SPF by visiting our blog. 

ARK Skincare’s Skin Protector SPF 30 Primer offers broad spectrum protection as well as working as your daily moisturiser and the perfect make-up primer, tackling 3 jobs in one. 

If you are experiencing soreness, redness, irritation, inflammation or tightness please do look at our collection of products curated for such concerns.

ARK Skincare’s Sensitivity & Redness collection is filled with products that utilise natural ingredients with proven soothing and anti-redness properties to de-stress and calm irritated skin, reducing the signs of redness. Plus, each of these formulations have undergone independent testing to verify their suitability for sensitive skin. 

To learn more about our products, you can visit our website www.arkskincare.com, or follow us on social media! @arkskincare 

For personal recommendations, please contact our customer care team who will be more than happy to help and answer any questions you may have.