With over 10 years of working intimately with clients who have sensitive skin, we truly understand just how challenging (and frustrating!) it can be when not much seems to work. There is a whole spectrum of skin sensitivity, not just one. From our experience, knowing what type of sensitive skin you have is the first step toward making peace with your skin and developing a skincare routine that is tailored to your requirements.
Read on as we break down three of the most common sensitive skin conditions we experience commonly here at Pure Tincture, as well as some resources, and actionable steps you can adopt right away to get started on your skin’s healing journey.
A deeper look into what may be contributing to your skin sensitivities
Other than first knowing what type of sensitive skin you have, we recommend reviewing your daily routines and habits to see what can be improved on before you go further with your treatments.
- Check to see if you're using the proper skin care products for your skin type.
- Recognising behaviours that could be contributing to your sensitivity.
Common factors from our clients are eczema/ acne flaring up a week before your period, reaction to food consumption, redness flare from hot weather and stress triggers.
- Are you being gentle with your skin when you’re taking care of it? Be careful not to rub your towel on your face—instead, dab it dry.
- In the shower and at the sink, keep an eye on the temperature of the water. Washing with anything too hot will irritate and dry up your skin.
- Avoid using a scrub if you have sensitive or delicate skin.
- Every night, you're sleeping with your pillowcase against your face for (hopefully) eight hours. So, make sure to replace your pillowcase on a regular basis. You may even want to try out brands that carry hypoallergenic fabrics such as organic bamboo and cotton sheets.
- In that same vein, take a look at your laundry detergent—does it contain fragrances or other irritants? Try a natural alternative!
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And lastly, remember to hydrate your skin! Dry, dehydrated skin is more susceptible to a variety of factors, including UV damage, inflammation, and your own natural immunological reactions. The best time to moisturise your skin is while it is still damp from cleansing. You should reapply during the day if you feel like you need it. We find it especially important to reapply moisturiser for skin that is feeling dry, tight, rough and red. Spritz first and press a few drops of moisturiser over the skin to comfort and create a barrier against the elements.
Once you have covered all your immediate bases, it’s time to look deeper into what you might be experiencing. The quickest way to determine this is to come down for one of our organic facial treatments. This way, we can offer you a full skin assessment and curate an experience where you get to thoroughly test out the products that could be a potential game-changer for your skin.
Read on as we share some of our most trusty, tried and tested products for varying skin conditions.
Caring for your skin sensitivities with the right products
If you suspect that you may be experiencing any of these skin conditions — Redness, Eczema, or Acne, we have some products to recommend. These products are frequently used during and after our treatments and have worked wonders in improving the skin conditions of many of our clients who experience redness, eczema or acne.
Redness
Skin redness can have many different causes and can range from sunburns, friction burns, inflammatory skin conditions such as dermatitis or eczema, heat rashes, folliculitis, rosacea, or even drug allergies!
Although certain causes are more severe than others and may require medical treatment, we have found these products to work well for the less serious conditions when it comes to skin redness.
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Odacite Apricot Palmarosa Serum Concentrate (Capillaries): An ultra-soothing Serum Concentrate expertly formulated for fragile and sensitized skin to help mitigate the appearance of redness and visible capillaries. Powered by mineral-rich Apricot and calming Vitamin E!
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MV SKINTHERAPY Signature Mineral Mask: A wonderful mineral drink from the outside in, this award-winning mask made from the world's most refined white clay will soothe and soften to transform your skin in the most gentle way possible. A game-changer for reducing redness and evening out skin tone. Results are almost guaranteed. Check with us on the proper way to use this mask.
Eczema
Eczema comes in a number of forms, and anyone can be affected by it! Although each eczema type has its own set of symptoms and triggers, the most common symptoms for all types of eczema are dry, scaly skin, redness, hyperpigmentation and itching.
If there is one thing we have learnt over the years, it is that one of the most important parts of eczema care is keeping your skin moist. Reapply reapply reapply moisturizer as often as possible. You should also take steps to avoid triggers, which can help you prevent flares. More so, because your skincare routine will vary based on your triggers and what you’re planning to do each day, it’s best to get a well-rounded view of how to care for your skin in different scenarios.
If you have trouble developing an effective routine, check-in with one of our qualified therapists to provide you with more specific recommendations that may help your individual situation.
Some products we swear (tried and tested!!) by when it comes to caring for Eczema include:
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MV Skintherapy Multi Balm: Known as a 'one-pot wonder'. This golden, buttery balm is enriched with powerful plant compounds to soothe, soften, and nourish any areas in need of therapeutic care.
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MV Skintheapy Jojoba Oil: The gold standard for sensitivity, safe for even our most hyper-sensitive customers. Pure Jojoba is an indispensable daily calmative and can be used as a natural ‘buffer’ when applied before many common and potentially irritating products such as make-up, sunscreen, and even other skincare products (think, harsh conventional cosmeceuticals).
Pro Tip by the MV team: Smooth just 2 drops of Pure Jojoba over the face and neck before showering, providing protection from the often harsh and drying effects of water and preserving the skin microbiome!
Acne
Acne is a skin disorder characterised by changes in your sebaceous glands (oil glands), which cause plugs to form in skin follicles, resulting in blackheads or whiteheads. Swollen, inflamed pimples or, in severe situations, deep nodules or cysts can form from either type of blockage.
When it comes to acne, it is not always so easy to guess its cause. It could range from having enlarged sebaceous glands and increased sebum production to hormonal activity, genetics, stress, exposure to certain ingredients in personal care products, a high GI or high carbohydrate diet, and even contraceptive pill and IUD (birth control devices)! You just never know!
Whatever the cause, we want to focus on avoiding clogging the pores, and allowing build-ups and bacteria to grow on the skin. Although we believe in using clean and organic skincare, we also believe that extra help goes a long way! The technology we use in our customised treatments today, including LED, allows us to boost cell regeneration and combat acne-causing bacteria as well as soothe sensitive skin in a way that would be difficult to achieve without the help of these technologies.
However, although you may not always have the chance to come down for regular facials, you should still care for it regularly at home with supportive products. Some of our favourites for acne-prone skin have always helped our clients and we recommend it 100% wholeheartedly that it will work for you.
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Osea Blemish Balm: The secret of this product lies in the synergy between three types of nutrient-rich seaweed and Tea Tree, Juniper, and Thyme essential oils. Together, these powerful ingredients calm and clarify simultaneously.
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OSEA Essential Corrective Complex Oil (Pimples/Acne): Reduces the appearance of pores, breakouts and oily shine. A purifying blend of Tea Tree, White Thyme and Juniper delivers a non-drying complex to reduce blemish-causing oils and impurities.
Learn more about skin sensitivities
To learn more about the many different skin conditions, we love this resource by MV Skintherapy: Skin Advice Centre
To support you further on your skin sensitivity journey, check out the links below to receive two incredibly special guides curated and written by Sharon McGlinchey, MV founder, celebrity facialist, and sensitive skin expert.
You’ll receive advice and insights on the misconceptions about sensitive skin, learn about risks and aggravating factors, Sharon’s top tips on how to treat sensitive skin conditions, as well as a chance to follow along with the 2 key phases of Sharon’s specially designed Sensitivity Program!
The Sensitivity Skin Protocol
The Sensitivity E-Book
Disclaimer: The content found on this website is for informational and educational purposes only. Our products are meant for your skincare and beauty needs and the information provided has been collected from other sources to inform you about the possible benefits of herbs, essential oils, and other natural ingredients.
The products listed here are not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor meant to substitute the advice provided by your personal health professional.
