Sensitive Skin Myths Busted!

Taking care of sensitive skin can be a challenge at the best of times. Just when you think you’ve found the right combination of products, your skin has a flare-up, making you question what to use next. 

If you then add in the overload of information that is readily available on the internet, it can be really overwhelming to know what’s true and what isn’t. 

Here we sort the fact from the fiction when it comes to dealing with sensitive skin.

5 sensitive skin myths busted!

1. Washing your face with hot water is good for the skin, especially in the colder months. 

Myth: Hot water loves moisture, so it will naturally draw out much-needed moisture from your skin. (Have you ever had a scalding hot shower and felt like a lizard afterwards?) As cold water can be a little unbearable to use too, especially in the colder months, the optimal temperature is lukewarm. 

2. I should be exfoliating my skin every day to remove dry flakes. 

Myth: This is dependent on the type of exfoliant you are using. If we are talking about physical exfoliants (scrubs with granules to exfoliate), do not exfoliate every day! I beg you! Over-exfoliating can really interfere with your moisture barrier and lead to issues like dehydration and even greater sensitivity. 

3. You don’t need to moisturise if you have an oily skin type that is sensitive. 

Myth: A moisturiser is a must for all skin types. It helps to lock in your natural hydration. When we don’t use a moisturiser, our skin reacts to the loss of moisture and tries to replace it with what it has readily available oil. Resulting in an endless hamster wheel of oil production and moisture loss. Selecting the right moisturiser will help keep the skin hydrated and result in less irritation to the moisture barrier. 

4. Sensitive skin is an allergic reaction 

Somewhere in the middle: This is a tricky one. We can have a reaction to an ingredient in skincare or an ingredient in food and it can lead to sensitivity on the skin. But sensitive skin is not exclusively an allergic reaction. 

5. I don’t need to patch test when trying a new product 

Myth: A patch test for new products/ingredients is a must. No one wants to apply something that doesn’t agree with them all over their skin. A patch test is a simple tool to avoid potential irritation on the skin – especially if you have sensitive or easily irritated skin!