How to Wash Sensitive Skin

If your face gets red or itchy after washing, you might have sensitive skin. Here's how to get clean without the irritation.


Does your skin get red, blotchy, and irritated after you wash it? If so, you might have sensitive skin, or what I call angry skin. The number of women who describe their skin as being sensitive has doubled over the past 30 years; in fact, some surveys show that up to 60 percent of women describe their skin this way. Based on what I see in my patients, sensitive skin is often the result of the overuse of facial cleansers and other products that are too harsh and “active.” Here’s how to get clean without aggravating your skin:

Choose a gentle liquid or cream cleanser. Save the bar soaps for your armpits and feet; the suds will get you squeaky clean, but they can strip your skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry, tight, and itchy. In general, the more a cleanser foams, the more potentially irritating it is. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is a popular drugstore option, although it may not remove heavier makeup. Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser contains licorice extract, which is a natural anti-inflammatory ingredient that’s been shown to reduce facial redness, including the redness of rosacea. For those who are trying to avoid sulfates (which are found in many soaps and detergents and can be irritating) and parabens (preservatives that can cause allergic reactions), Beauty Without Cruelty Extra Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk contains 100 percent vegetable ingredients, including vegetable glycerin and natural plant oils to help soften dry, irritated skin. Olay Daily Facials Wet Cleansing Cloths for Sensitive Skin are a time-saving option. Their soft texture won’t scratch delicate skin.

Watch the temperature. Hot water can cause more redness and irritation, so use lukewarm water and wash with fingertips, then pat dry with a soft towel.

Don’t overwash. Unless your skin is very oily (or you went to bed without washing your face), simply splash with water in the morning to get the sleep out of your eyes. This way, you won’t start off the day with red, flaky skin that’s hard to hide with makeup.

5 Tips for Natural Skin Care

Tip 1: Give Yourself a Dry Brush Exfoliation :
                    A dry brush exfoliation can be done in the morning before you shower. It eliminates dead skin cells and allows the skin to detox (skin is the largest organ of elimination). Dry brush exfoliation also improves lymph and blood circulation and decreases puffiness. An added benefit is that the gentle pressure is calming to the nervous system. To give yourself a dry brush exfoliation, you'll need a soft, natural bristle brush.


Tip 2: Rev Up Your Digestion :
                   In alternative medicine, good skin is a reflection of a good digestive system. People with skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, and psoriasis often suffer from constipation, imbalanced "good" vs. "bad" bacteria, leaky gut, and other digestive conditions

Some suggestions:
Add Whole Grains - Choose whole grain products over refined. Have brown rice instead of white or make            your own 50:50 combination.
An Apple a Day - Have an apple, skin on, as a snack.
Eat Cauliflower - Try this delicious Roasted Cauliflower recipe!
High-fiber snacks - Snack on nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, such as dates, figs, and prunes.
Eat Beans and Legumes - Open a can of your favorite beans or legumes. Rinse them well and add them to your meal.
Ground Flaxseeds - For any easy fiber boost, sprinkle ground flaxseeds (available at health food stores) on rice, salads, oatmeal, or any other meal. Store flaxseeds in the fridge.


Tip 3: Invigorate Sluggish Circulation :
                 Do you sit at your desk for hours, only getting up to go to the bathroom? One of the best things you can do for your skin, stress level, and overall health is to get moving! Inactivity may affect skin and promote bloating and puffiness, acne, cellulite, and loss of muscle tone. You'll learn more about exercise in Step 9 of the Wellness Makeover. Here are some quick
suggestions:
Take a quick break to go outside and walk around the block.
Book a massage therapy appointment.
Close your door and stretch.
Go to the gym.



Tip #4: Avoid Excess Sugar 
                 Most people do not realize this but excess sugar is considered one of the main causes of premature aging. The more sugar we eat, the more sugar we have entering our bloodstream. Over time, this can result in a process known as glycation, which is when a glucose (sugar) molecule damages a protein molecule by sticking to it. The new molecules formed are called advanced glycation end-products, or AGEs. AGEs damage collagen in skin, cartilage, and ligaments and promote a loss of elasticity. Wrinkles form and skin begins to sag.


Tip #5: Eat Some Good Fats
                  Essential fatty acids are simply fats your body cannot live without. They are needed to make cell membranes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Essential fats are thought to keep your heart healthy, fight inflammation, and possibly prevent cancer. They are also particularly important to people with inflammatory conditions such as eczema and acne, and also for people with dry skin. People with essential fat deficiency sometimes notice bumps on the backs of their arms.

Skin Care Naturally

Loofas and Dry Towels :
              There's nothing like a good old fashioned friction rubdown! A coarse, sponge-like "loofa" is great for this. A loofa is actually the dried center of a squash-like plant, which grows easily in a garden should you have the seeds and the inclination to grow bath-sponges. Loofas are sold at many drug stores for a few dollars. Brittle and dry when you buy it, the loofa softens somewhat when wet but remains an excellent skin toner.  While showering, just scrub with soap and the loofa and you'll see what I mean. Old dry and scaly skin is rubbed away and the friction will give you a healthy pink glow all over. If you finish your warm shower with a cool water rinse-off and then a dry towel rub-down, you will find it both relaxing and invigorating. If you scrub, and rub, towards the heart you'll be giving yourself a valuable massage.  Masseurs always work in the direction of the heart to stimulate blood flow in and below the skin. The direction would be up the arms and up the legs and then up the trunk 




Soaps :
             I think that simple, pure plain-old soap is best. After all, all soaps are basically the same anyway with added colors, fragrances, chemicals, fancy boxes and higher prices. As the founder of the large Pear's Soap company said a century ago, "Any fool can make soap. It takes a clever man to sell it." The best soap on the market is unquestionably still plain no-colors, no-perfume soap. You can use soap sparingly and still get very clean.  This is especially beneficial if a person is prone to dry skin. Supplementing the diet with vitamin E may also help you as much as it has helped my family's complexions. Soap really doesn't harm healthy skin, but so many people don't know what it's like to have healthy skin because of... here it comes again... because of an unnatural diet that doesn't nourish the skin in the first place. Beauty is not only skin deep: it goes from your nose to your toes and from inside out.

Skin Care Basics

          There are plenty of reasons to take good care of the skin you're in. This versatile organ forms a protective layer around your body, shielding it from germs, pollutants, heat, cold, UV exposure, and more. Now isn't that worthy of a little daily TLC?

Find the right regimen : 
          Different types of skin require different kinds of products and treatments, so figuring out what kind of skin you’ve got is key to buying the proper products and using them correctly. If you have dry skin, it’ll likely need help retaining moisture; oily or combination skin may benefit from an oil-free regimen. Skin-care treatments may also vary depending on whether your skin is fair, olive, or dark.

Fight the aging clock :
         Sure, aging is a part of life, but that doesn't mean we can't turn back the clock…a little. When it comes to keeping skin looking younger as we get older, a few simple habits can go a long way. The first step: Practice smart basic skin care with a daily regimen that focuses on maturing skin.

Shun the sun :
          With more than a million cases of skin cancer diagnosed in the United States each year, everyone under the sun — from beach beauties to snow bunnies — must practice safe sun strategies and wear sunscreen year-round.

Treat your skin well :
Caring for your skin can involve both basic steps and more specialized treatments. Some treatments you can do yourself, while others must be performed by a professional aesthetician or dermatologist