Skincare for Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is caused by irritation of the nerve endings in the top few layers of the skin, and the most common reason behind that is dryness. With dry skin, the skin barrier is already impaired. This makes it easier for irritants to get into the skin, which is what leaves your skin feeling itchy, or like it’s stinging or burning.

Other factors can also exacerbate sensitive skin. Some of the most common instances of this include:

• Age
• Cold or windy weather
• Dirt and pollution
• Hormonal changes
• Stress
• Too much sun exposure/UV radiation
• The wrong, or too much, skincare

Dr Sam’s sensitive skincare is designed with all the above in mind. We believe in having just a few products that do everything you need, so you don’t overwhelm yourself (or your skin!) with too many complicated steps and ingredients.

The most important thing for sensitive skin is to moisturise, moisturise, moisturise! Keeping your skin moisturised helps prevent the production of dry, scaly patches, but it also creates a barrier between the top layer of your skin and outside toxins.

With sensitive skin, you’ll also be more prone to sun damage, so a daily SPF is essential. This will protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays, which are likely to cause more irritation to your skin.

There are a few ingredients that should be on your radar when shopping for skincare for sensitive skin. Shea butter, ceramides, aloe vera, and lanolin are some of the big ones.

Shea butter and aloe vera are known for their soothing properties and can be found in our Flawless Moisturiser and Cleanser respectively. Shea butter is full of antioxidants and fatty acids, making it a rich and buttery ingredient for nourishing your skin. Aloe vera is very calming and boasts antibacterial properties that make it perfect for irritated skin.

Ceramides are found in the epidermis (the outmost layer of your skin) and are essentially what holds your skin barrier together to keep it healthy. While these are naturally occurring in the skin, ceramides in skincare make your skin stronger, sturdier, and healthier overall – particularly if your skin is sensitive!