SENSITIVE SKIN can natural products help?
In this post we take a look at sensitive skin, from the perspective of Sanctum’s Chemist, Warren Taylor. The topic of sensitive skin is so broad – symptoms, definitions and successful treatments differ between each individual, and of course there is more to skin care than what you put on your skin.
For many people common sense would suggest that chemicals would be generally more irritating and less soothing to the skin than natural products. Research also cautions us against the use of certain ingredients and preservatives.
Whilst it is true that natural ingredients can be irritating on the skin, we hear over an over from delighted customers “Sanctum is the only range, the only products that i can use on my skin without a irritating reaction.”
Below are some questions – answered by Chemist Warren Taylor that you may find interesting.
1) how would you define a “sensitive” skin?
This is really something you find by experience. It is one that is easily irritated, that is goes red or itchy. There is some difficulty in finding more basic causes for sensitive skin but certainly some involve allergies.
2) in your experience, what are the most irritating ingredients/factors to skin
Apart from the AHAs and the citrus juices containing them some essential oils are very irritating. Synthetic surfactants are also very irritating to about 20% of the population.
3) have you found that natural products are less irritating to skin than products containing chemical ingredients?
Yes and I think for 2 reasons. They will not contain synthetic surfactants and many natural ingredients have an anti-inflammatory effect.
4) what are the key factors in selecting a product suited to sensitive skin?
Knowledge of what products have caused an adverse reaction. With any luck an ingredient will stand out.
5) are there any other factors to sensitive skin, other than what we apply topically?
Sun and smoking have their role as do other allergic factors like pollen and pollution.
