Safe Actives for Sensitive Skin

Active ingredients can be a broad and confusing term in Skincare. What most professionals mean by “Actives” is a reference to products and ingredients that exfoliate and speed up cell turnover such as Retinoids, AHA/BHA, or Manual exfoliating scrubs.

These sometimes strong ingredients can be used together in a weekly skincare routine, but for those with already “Sensitive Skin” this can become too much. Even those with normal skin can become overly sensitized due to over-exfoliating.

It is important to understand the distinction between Sensitive skin and Sensitized skin.

• Sensitive skin is something that you are born with and you will often experience redness and dryness because the skin barrier is weaker.
• Sensitized skin is caused by the overuse of harsh products or external environmental factors. This temporary condition can be resolved by removing the irritants and restoring the barrier function of the skin. *Products to use when skin is Sensitized – Avene Xeracalm face wash, Tolerance Cream, and Cicalfate

Today’s professional-level active skin care is intended to create a response. But not every skin can handle every level of active ingredients. The most commonly found active ingredients are:

• Retinoids in all forms have become almost the holy grail in their ability to restore and maintain vibrant, smooth skin with fewer lines and wrinkles and far less unattractive sun damage.
• Exfoliants and chemical peels can lighten dark spots, clear clogged pores, quell breakouts, increase luminosity, and make skin feel as soft as velvet.

Too Much to Handle?

BUT…many of these actives, even the supposedly milder ones from a retail store, often are simply too much for sensitive skin to handle.

If you want the benefits of actives, but not the side effects, what should you choose instead and why?

Alternatives Geared to SENSITIVE Skin

Instead of Retinol  >  ISDIN Bakuchiol Melatonik. Why? Bakuchiol’s antioxidant effect helps already damaged skin repair itself similar to a retinoid without the irritation.

Instead of Glycolic acid  >  Mandelic Gentle Resurfacing Serum for skin more prone to redness or Glytone TranEXamide Discoloration Treatment Serum for skin with brown spots that can’t tolerate Hydroquinone or other aggressive brightening treatments

Instead of scrubs or harsh Exfoliants  > SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator for those who cannot tolerate AHAs or BHAs. Equivalent to 20% glycolic acid but in a gentle serum that protects the skin barrier