SENSITIVE SKIN: Turn That Frown Upside Down
Jul 17, 2012 Posted by Corrie Shenigo
After enduring the trauma that was your acne-plagued teenage years, you’d think your complexion would give you a damn break, right? Sadly, for most of us, the dream of easy, breezy and beautifully clear skin throughout our adult years is not to be — and it seems it just keeps getting worse as the years tick on. Women’s Day magazine, in a deceptively titled article called “Fresh Face,” reveals the unwelcome truth that as many of us get older our skin gets more and more persnickety (read: sensitive.)
Oh sure, you do what you can:
You work out.
Your skin takes offense to sweating.
You eat right.
Your skin regularly changes its reactions to your breakfast, lunch and dinner.
You’re religious about your skincare routine.
Your skin is religious about letting you know that that $170 you spent on a “soothing” anti-aging serum was a waste.
You lay off the vino.
(Okay… lying isn't going to help matters.)
It seems it doesn’t matter how much your try to appease your sensitive skin, it still insists on behaving like a spoilt toddler at toy store. Whining, crying, and reacting adversely to each and every little thing you do to try to appease it. And if this scenario has you asking “why bother?” Well… here's why: You bother because there is nothing that makes a gal feel more confident than a glowing, gorgeous complexion.
So now that we’ve stewed on the negatives, let’s look to ways to turn your sensitive skin’s frown upside down.
First the “why.” Why does aging skin fight all your best efforts with blotchiness, irritation and dryness? According to NYC dermatologist Craig Austin, MD, it’s just one more symptom of the aging process, “Our skin naturally loses moisture and gets thinner as we age, causing it to become much more fragile and susceptible to inflammation.” (So this crap is inevitable. Noted.)
Then the good Dr. whips around like a whirling dervish until suddenly he’s ensconced in a flowing cape emblazoned with two letters: C. O. (Captain Obvious) and let’s fly this sage advice, “An easy way to stop adverse reactions is to avoid what triggers them.” (Well, gee. Thanks.)
Long hot showers got your seeing spots? Don’t take ‘em.
Cleansers containing solvents, like mineral oil and petrolatum leaving your complexion ruddy and dry? They’re out.
In fact, any skincare products that contain artificial dyes and fragrances are out too. Those days of opening a fancy jar and sticking your nose in for a big aromatic whiff — gone. (*Tears.) Forever.
Let’s move on to another tearjerker. If you had any sort of idea that you could continue to enjoy the ritual of a soft and silky makeup brush caressing your face into its daily visage of loveliness… think again. Those days are over. Apparently those brushes are just really expensive breeding grounds for bacteria, which can cause aggravation. (But, of course, you already know this because you read my previous article on the matter. Right?)
Women’s Day, shares the sensitive skin secrets of celebrity makeup artist Susan Posnick, who says that using disposable sponges (and then also disposing of them — ahem), instead of using and reusing those filthy, dirty makeup brushes, can help stave off any adverse reactions your skin might be having to the bacteria in question. (Wait? Are you saying that I have to stop brushing bacteria all over my face?! Life is sooo unfair.)
The beloved lady mag goes on to remind us that, milk, indeed, does a body good — and for more than those calcium and vitamin D benefits. (Chalk one up for the advertising world!) Got itchy, irritated, and inflamed skin? Dermatologist Neal Schultz, MD shared this little DIY fix, “When your skin is inflamed, its pH has become either too acidic or too basic, which causes a burning or stinging sensation. The proteins found in cow’s milk neutralize this imbalance, helping to restore normal pH levels and calm your complexion.” Not to mention the fact that a key chemical found in cow’s milk — lactic acid — can gently dissolve dry, dead skin cells to reveal fresher-looking skin. And what’s a DIY fix without a little direction, eh? Simply soak a soft cloth in a cup of cold milk, gently wring that bad boy out and place it over your face for 5 minutes. Once a week should do the trick. Cows + Women’s Day + Captain Obvious = Goodbye sensitive skin!
Oh sure, you do what you can:
You work out.
Your skin takes offense to sweating.
You eat right.
Your skin regularly changes its reactions to your breakfast, lunch and dinner.
You’re religious about your skincare routine.
Your skin is religious about letting you know that that $170 you spent on a “soothing” anti-aging serum was a waste.
You lay off the vino.
(Okay… lying isn't going to help matters.)
It seems it doesn’t matter how much your try to appease your sensitive skin, it still insists on behaving like a spoilt toddler at toy store. Whining, crying, and reacting adversely to each and every little thing you do to try to appease it. And if this scenario has you asking “why bother?” Well… here's why: You bother because there is nothing that makes a gal feel more confident than a glowing, gorgeous complexion.
So now that we’ve stewed on the negatives, let’s look to ways to turn your sensitive skin’s frown upside down.
First the “why.” Why does aging skin fight all your best efforts with blotchiness, irritation and dryness? According to NYC dermatologist Craig Austin, MD, it’s just one more symptom of the aging process, “Our skin naturally loses moisture and gets thinner as we age, causing it to become much more fragile and susceptible to inflammation.” (So this crap is inevitable. Noted.)
Then the good Dr. whips around like a whirling dervish until suddenly he’s ensconced in a flowing cape emblazoned with two letters: C. O. (Captain Obvious) and let’s fly this sage advice, “An easy way to stop adverse reactions is to avoid what triggers them.” (Well, gee. Thanks.)
Long hot showers got your seeing spots? Don’t take ‘em.
Cleansers containing solvents, like mineral oil and petrolatum leaving your complexion ruddy and dry? They’re out.
In fact, any skincare products that contain artificial dyes and fragrances are out too. Those days of opening a fancy jar and sticking your nose in for a big aromatic whiff — gone. (*Tears.) Forever.
Let’s move on to another tearjerker. If you had any sort of idea that you could continue to enjoy the ritual of a soft and silky makeup brush caressing your face into its daily visage of loveliness… think again. Those days are over. Apparently those brushes are just really expensive breeding grounds for bacteria, which can cause aggravation. (But, of course, you already know this because you read my previous article on the matter. Right?)
Women’s Day, shares the sensitive skin secrets of celebrity makeup artist Susan Posnick, who says that using disposable sponges (and then also disposing of them — ahem), instead of using and reusing those filthy, dirty makeup brushes, can help stave off any adverse reactions your skin might be having to the bacteria in question. (Wait? Are you saying that I have to stop brushing bacteria all over my face?! Life is sooo unfair.)
The beloved lady mag goes on to remind us that, milk, indeed, does a body good — and for more than those calcium and vitamin D benefits. (Chalk one up for the advertising world!) Got itchy, irritated, and inflamed skin? Dermatologist Neal Schultz, MD shared this little DIY fix, “When your skin is inflamed, its pH has become either too acidic or too basic, which causes a burning or stinging sensation. The proteins found in cow’s milk neutralize this imbalance, helping to restore normal pH levels and calm your complexion.” Not to mention the fact that a key chemical found in cow’s milk — lactic acid — can gently dissolve dry, dead skin cells to reveal fresher-looking skin. And what’s a DIY fix without a little direction, eh? Simply soak a soft cloth in a cup of cold milk, gently wring that bad boy out and place it over your face for 5 minutes. Once a week should do the trick. Cows + Women’s Day + Captain Obvious = Goodbye sensitive skin!