My skin is Sensitive......

I get a lot of emails from people suffering with sensitive skin and wanting advice on the best products for them.

It’s always tricky answering these types of queries simply because there are so many reasons someone may have sensitivity.

The obvious reason is an allergic reaction to a product or ingredient.

If this is the case then the best advice I could give is to visit a dermatologist and get them to do a patch test for you. Hopefully this will pinpoint the ingredient you are having trouble with.

If your skin has been exposed to extremes of weather or daily pollutants this could also lead to sensitivity or sometimes it's due to plain old genetics.

How do you know if you have sensitive skin?....

Although not exclusive to one skin type, sensitive skin is often dry, sometimes flakey and can feel tight after washing.

Occasionally skin may have a bumpy texture and usually has a pink or red undertone. The redness may be patchy.

Try to avoid any products, which contain fragrance or alcohol. A lot of products do contain these but the lower on the list of ingredients, the less they have in them.

With regards to colour cosmetics, over the years I have found people are more often allergic to colours pigmented with red or purple. Something in these colours makes the eyes water or puff up, most likely it is an allergy to the red pigment Carmine. If you prefer to wear these colours you can try a mineral or organic makeup range but it may still irritate.

When using mineral or iridescent eyeshadows consider that Mica can often irritate eyes. Therefore avoid cosmetics that are highly frosted.

Many brands are more skin sensitive aware these days and everyone seems to be opting for more natural, refined ingredients.

Here are some brands you could try if you suffer sensitive skin.