If you find that most of the skincare products which you put on your skin – ranging from sunscreens, serums to creams, cause red patches, itchiness or other negative response, you are likely to have sensitive skin.
For people with sensitive skin, trying out new and trendy products is basically impossible. But do you know which ingredients are the culprits to cause irritation?
Check the ingredients of the skincare products carefully before buying, and avoid those with the ingredients listed below.
1. Alcohol
Alcohol is often included in a skincare product to deliver a quick-dry finish. But in some cases, it causes redness and irritation.
There are different forms of alcohol, in which some dry out the skin while some actually help moisturize.
If alcohols such as ethanol, methanol, ethyl alcohol or benzyl alcohol are listed high in the ingredients, the product is likely to dry out the skin.
However, there exists another category of alcohol which is fatty alcohol, including cetyl, stearyl and cetearyl alcohol that are derived from fats. They will not cause irritation and help to lock moisture in the skin and form a protective barrier.
2. Fragrance
Fragrance is used in skincare products to reduce the less-pleasant scents caused by some other ingredients. Even if the fragrance added is claimed to be natural, it causes irritation on some sensitive skin too. It also causes inflammation and weakens the inner layers of skin.
Note: "Fragrance-free" is different from "Unscented" !!
"Fragrance-free" means that no additional scents are added, while "Unscented" means that an ingredient is added to mask the smell of the product.
3. Sodium Lauryl Sulfates
This ingredient is known as a very common cleansing agent, and it is normally found in shampoos, cleansers, body washes and so on. It often causes irritation and elicits an allergic response in the skin. If this ingredient is not washed off properly, it may dehydrate and reduce the ceramide level of the skin.
4. Chemical Sunscreens
There are two types of sunscreen in the current market: Physical and Chemical. Physical sunscreens work by blocking UV rays physically through two active ingredients which are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. While chemical sunscreens work by reflecting UV rays with the help of chemical ingredients such as octinoxate and oxybenzone.
Chemical sunscreens have more active ingredients if compared to physical sunscreens, which increases the risk of irritation for sensitive skin. Therefore, people with sensitive skin are preferred to opt for physical sunscreen.
5. Essential Oils/ Botanical Extracts
Even if the skincare products are labelled with "Natural" or "Organic", this does not mean that these products are 100% safe for sensitive skin. Dr. Schlessinger once said, "Products that are considered 'natural' often contain ingredients that may be unusual or untested". Plant-based ingredients such as fruit extracts still can cause irritation on skin.
