THE BEST SKINCARE ROUTINE
FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

7 min read

When you have sensitive skin, it’s important to know which products are well-tolerated for your skin, and which you would do well to avoid. Steer clear of common “nasties” (fragrance, colorant, lanolin and alcohol), consider patch testing your products and look out for airtight packaging which keeps the skincare formula in tip top condition.

A sensitive skin-friendly skincare routine is also a must:

• Gently cleanse with a micellar water to avoid contact with hard water and melt off makeup without rubbing
• Soothe skin with a spritz of thermal spring water
• Apply a daily care moisturiser formulated specifically for sensitive skin
• Defend sensitive skin against pollution and UV
• Lavish extra care on super sensitive areas such as the eyes and lips
• Seek out hypoallergenic makeup tested on sensitive to allergic skin

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WHICH MOISTURISER
AND SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR SENSITIVE SKIN?

Wondering which daily moisturiser you can safely apply to the sensitive skin on your face? Not even sure which “skincare routine” is going to keep your sensitive skin its comfort zone? You’ve come to the right place! Read on for the low-down on taking care of your sensitive skin, lips and eyes, as well as tips to avoid all those annoying pulling or stinging sensations.

LET’S START WITH 3 SENSITIVE SKIN
SKINCARE RULES

To keep sensitive skin in its comfort zone

Sensitive skincare rule 1. No nasties please! Stay away from irritants

For those with sensitive skin, be sure to look for the right products. Some may contain undesired and irritating additives tot adapted for sensitive skin, triggering prickling, stinging and redness. Because it’s particularly vulnerable to external aggressors, “less is more” when it comes to sensitive skin. So, when reading product labels, make sure they include certain claims like “tested on sensitive and allergic skin”.

Also check for common “nasties” that can provoke reactions such as:

fragrances
colorants
lanolin
alcohol

Sensitive skincare rule 2. Packaging matters!

Even the purest of formulas risks triggering skin’s sensitivity if it’s not protected. The reason why? A phenomenon called retro-contamination, where particles in the air – potential irritants or allergens – enter the pack after it has been opened. These microscopic irritants and allergens have the potential to contaminate your carefully chosen daily face care products. So if you have sensitive skin, opt for tubes rather than jars to avoiding contaminating the formula with your hands or airborne particles every time you grab some formula.

Ideally, packaging compatible with sensitive skin should be hermetic, in other words airtight, with protective valves to avoid contamination or oxidation. Plus, there should be no contact between the product and any metal components, since metal ions can sensitise skin. A shining example is TOLERIANE Ultra, whose minimalist yet soothing formula is protected in an airtight pump dispenser.

Sensitive skincare rule 2. Packaging matters!

The only way to be 100% sure of your tolerance to a product is to test it out. Apply a small amount to your forearm and cover with a waterproof band-aid. Check for a reaction after 48 hours – if the area is free of redness, you can use the product on your face with confidence.

Now you know the principles behind choosing face care products for sensitive skin, keep scrolling to start putting together your routine.

THE BEST DAILY SKINCARE
ROUTINE FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

Your 7 step guide to keeping sensitive skin in its comfort zone

Step 1: Gentle everyday cleansing

When cleansing sensitive skin, your buzzword is gentle. In order to respect its natural balance, use a pH-neutral makeup remover specially formulated to cleanse sensitive skin. Your top sensitive skin cleansing allies are gentle micellar waters which remove every trace of dirt and pollution from the skin without the need for it to rub or rinse with hard water, or cleansers specifically formulated for the most sensitive skin such as TOLERIANE Dermo-Cleanser.

Step 2: Follow up with soothing thermal spring water

If there’s one miracle in a bottle for sensitive skin, it’s La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water. Naturally soothing, calming and anti-oxidant thanks to its unique mineral content rich in selenium, it will instantly defuse any pulling, burning or stinging sensations.

Step 3: Choose a sensitive skincare product that answers all your skin's needs

Make sure you choose hydrating products targeted to deal with any issues your skin may have and that are also specifically formulated for sensitive skin.

Top of the list for sensitive skin prone to tightness, tingling, dryness, discomfort and occasional redness is TOLERIANE Sensitive. It not only repairs skin’s surface protective barrier: It also rebalances its invisible living barrier made up of friendly bacteria thanks to its prebiotic active ingredients. Its double barrier restored, skin is intensely soothed, its sensitivity reduced day after day.
Allergy-prone skin will thank TOLERIANE Ultra for its soothing and protective effects. Formulated for the most sensitive or even allergic complexions, it reinforces the skin-barrier. With TOLERIANE Ultra, allergy-prone skin can take on the world!
For oily and blemish-prone sensitive skin, La Roche-Posay's EFFACLAR range is formulated to retain moisture whilst targeting breakouts and reducing the appearance of enlarged pores and shiny, oily skin.

Step 4: Defend fragile skin against external stress

Applied in the morning, the right sensitive skincare products will help protect your skin against daily stresses such as pollution and UV. The ANTHELIOS range offers super strong UVA-UVB protection suitable for even the most sensitive complexions. Beyond UV protection, ANTHELIOS formulas integrate anti-oxidants to protect sensitive skin against free radicles generated by pollution and UV. ANTHELIOS Ultra has such a soothing, minimalist formulation it’s even safe on the sensitive eye area… Keep scrolling for more sensitive eye-friendly solutions.

Step 5: Pay attention to extra fragile areas such as the eyes and lips

There’s sensitive… and then there’s super-sensitive! Some parts of your face, such as the lips and around the eyes, have particularly fine, fragile skin. Did you know? The eye contour skin is ten times thinner than the skin on the rest of the face! So be sure to choose products formulated specifically for this area.

Step 6: Take care of your flaking lips

Lips are integral to our communication and expression, but they’re also prone to troublesome dryness and chapping. This area of skin can become sensitive to certain ingredients such as preservatives and balsam of Peru (a top allergen found in many toiletries). Plus, when lips are dry, it’s all too tempting to pick at flaking skin on or around the lips, which in turn increases irritation and inflammation. So resist the urge and kick-start a virtuous cycle towards smooth, healthy lips!