7 Ingredients That Harm Highly Sensitive Skin, Including Retinol

Sensitive skin care

 7 Ingredients That Harm Highly Sensitive Skin, Including Retinol

Skin needs vary depending on your skin type, which necessitates adapting your skincare routine to suit its requirements. Caring for sensitive skin is a delicate task when choosing the right products for it, so we invite you to learn about the most prominent ingredients to avoid in your creams and serums.

Skin becomes sensitive when its hydrolipidic barrier is damaged and becomes highly susceptible to external factors. It also requires a gentle skincare routine.

Dermatologists point out that overuse of chemical exfoliants containing lactic, salicylic, or glycolic acids can damage the outer layer of the skin. The same applies to other ingredients that may be harmful to sensitive skin, such as retinol, benzoyl peroxide, vitamin C, and anti-acne treatments. Factors to consider include avoiding washing your face with very hot water and exposure to extremely dry climates.

- Care and Moisturizing:

Sensitive skin care involves using a gentle cleanser with moisturizing properties, followed by a moisturizing cream with a rich, restorative formula that is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic. If the skin is oily and sensitive, you can opt for gel-based skin care products that are both moisturizing and restorative. It's also essential to use sunscreen to provide the protection that sensitive skin needs. Mineral sunscreen is best, as chemical sunscreens can increase skin sensitivity.

- Harmful Ingredients:

• Perfumes, whether found in skincare products or makeup. They can cause irritation to sensitive skin, leading to redness and itching. This also applies to perfumes made from natural sources. It's also recommended to avoid soaps containing high levels of perfumes and replace them with soaps rich in plant extracts, such as rose and lavender for their anti-inflammatory effects, chamomile for its soothing effect, and aloe vera for its moisturizing effect.

• Sulfates: Sulfur surfactants, which are often found in skin-cleansing products, can be irritating and drying to the skin.

• Alcohol: When present in large quantities in skincare products, it can cause dryness and irritation.

• Exfoliating acids: Fruit acids, most notably glycolic acid, have an exfoliating effect that can be harsh on sensitive skin.

• Retinoids: Retinol and vitamin A derivatives are extremely irritating ingredients for sensitive skin.

• Abrasive exfoliants, as the use of mechanical or chemical exfoliants can damage the skin's surface and increase skin sensitivity.

• Some essential oils can be irritating to the skin, so it's recommended to mix them with a carrier oil such as almond oil before applying them to the skin. Oils that aren't suitable for sensitive skin include dill, bergamot, cinnamon, clove, coriander seed, sweet orange, and grapefruit.

- Gentle alternatives for sensitive skin:

Among the best skincare products for sensitive skin are:

• Soap-free cleansers, makeup removing milk, and micellar water for sensitive skin.

• Moisturizing creams containing soothing ingredients such as aloe vera and hyaluronic acid.

• Thermal waters used to rinse and revitalize the skin after cleansing.