Is Your Skin Feeling Irritated? Try These 4 Calming Skincare Ingredients

No matter how well you’re looking after your skin, every skin type is prone to irritation.

Whether it's redness and itchiness, or random tiny bumps or flaky dry patches (or all of the above), skin irritation can pop up for a lot of different reasons.

And almost always at a really inconvenient and annoying time.

But what actually causes skin irritation, and is there such a thing as a product that can calm and soothe irritated skin?

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of some of the reasons your skin might be feeling angrier than usual, and the ingredients and skincare products that can help.

Sensitive Skin vs Sensitised Skin.

First, let's unpack the difference between someone with a sensitive skin condition and sensitised skin.

If you have a sensitive skin condition like eczema, dermatitis or rosacea, then you're likely to be more prone to irritation and inflammation because your skin barrier is naturally weaker and more fragile.

For many, their sensitive skin condition is something they have to manage ongoing to avoid flareups. If you think you might have a sensitive skin condition, go and see a your GP, dermatologist or dermal therapist for expert advice.

On the other hand, sensitised skin is a temporary skin condition that can happen to anyone and usually occurs in response to an internal or external factor.

This reaction leads to irritated, inflamed or hyper sensitive skin, which can appear as redness, itching or flaking, dryness, breakouts or stinging after applying products that don't usually sting.

You can learn how to tell if your skin is sensitive or sensitised in this episode of the Skincare School podcast below.

Why Is My Skin So Irritated?

OK, so you've figured out your skin is sensitised... but whyyyyyyy?

Excellent question, and the answer could be a couple of different things.

Over-exfoliation is probably the most common issue I see in clinic as it’s a very easy thing to overdo at home.

This is because we're sold the glowy skin dream, but more exfoliation does not equal better results.

Many exfoliators might not feel harsh or drying when you slather them on, but if they contain active ingredients or aren’t right for your skin type, overuse can cause irritation.

Ditto with active serums, including serums containing vitamin A (retinol), vitamin C and exfoliating acids.

Dehydration or drying out the skin is also another very common issue that might be causing your skin to feel irritated or inflamed.

Again, perhaps your skin barrier has been impaired because of using too many products or the wrong products for your skin type. Or maybe you heard oily and combination skin shouldn't use moisturiser, or that hydrating products will break you out.

Then, there are lifestyle factors that can cause skin irritation.

Things like wearing face masks, environmental irritants, sun exposure, seasonal changes, excess heat, hot foods, hormonal changes, some medications and even not removing your makeup properly at the end of the day.

You can learn more about what happens when you over-exfoliate in this YouTube video below.

Best Calming Skincare Ingredients.

Next question is, what can you do to get rid of or minimise irritated, stressed-out skin?

Here are a few key tips:

• Strip your skincare routine right back to the basics: cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen.

• Analyse the products you're currently using and ask yourself if there might be anything in your routine to blame.

• Ensure you're using skincare products designed for your skin type. For example, if you have dry skin, using a cream cleanser and a thicker moisturiser can help to keep skin feeling comfortable.

• Ensure you're hydrating your skin adequately - yes, even if you have oily skin. A hyaluronic acid serum will help your skin retain water to stay hydrated.

• For immediate relief, look to products with calming, soothing ingredients.

On that note, here are four calming skincare ingredients to reach for when your skin is feeling irritated:

1. Cica.

Cica (full name centella asiatica) is the healing ingredient of the moment.

It contains a heap of active ingredients known as terpenoids. These have been studied and proven beneficial when applied topically, especially when it comes to wound healing.

Cica speeds up skin cell production and collagen synthesis. Plus, it’s high in antioxidants, meaning it’s a great anti-ageing ingredient, too. 

Try: Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask.

What: Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask

Why it’s so great:

This is a super calming night time mask/moisturiser full of cica. If your skin is feeling sensitive and irritated, do a gentle cleanse and use this in place of your evening moisturiser.

The lightweight texture feels very cushiony and comforting, but most importantly, it will help reduce redness and calm down your skin while you sleep. 

Shop it here:

2. Vitamin B5 (Panthenol).

Vitamin B5 is a humectant or water-retaining ingredient found in many moisturisers.

It’s a must-have for sensitive and sensitised skin, and is often used to treat skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis.

Why? Because it attracts and binds to moisture, improves hydration levels in the skin and reduces inflammation to help restore the skin’s barrier.

Try: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5.

What: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Balm

Why it’s so great:

This is such a great emergency balm and one I think everyone can benefit from having on standby.

Destroyed your skin barrier by exfoliating too much? No worries. Skin feeling dry and itchy? Too easy. Need something to put on your skin after an in-clinic treatment like laser or skin needling? This multi-use balm can handle that, too.

Use it on its own or over the top of a hydrating serum, or just on areas that seem irritated and dry like the sides of your nose or chin.

Plus, you can even apply a light layer of this balm to dry lips, dry hands or other flaky patches on your body.

Shop it here:

You can learn more about panthenol in our vitamin B5 YouTube video below.

3. Ceramides.

Ceramides help to lock moisture into the skin to prevent dryness and irritation. These essential long-chain fatty acids are naturally found in our skin.

If you think of your skin being a brick wall, your skin cells are the bricks, and ceramides are part of the mortar holding everything together.

But as we age, this mortar starts to crumble away, which is why adding ceramides into your skincare routine may be beneficial.

Try: Medik8 Advanced Night Restore.

What: Medik8 Advanced Night Restore

Why it’s so great:

This cosmeceutical night cream is full of ceramides. It's great for when your skin is feeling irritated or inflamed, as it's very restorative, without an irritating heavy or thick feeling.

It's also the perfect moisturiser to 'buffer' with when using active skincare products.

Applying the moisturiser before and/or after your retinol or exfoliating serum will minimise irritation, without decreasing the effectiveness of the product.

Shop it here:

You can learn more about ceramides and what they do for skin in our YouTube video below.

4. Colloidal Oatmeal. 

Colloidal oatmeal provides hydration, is anti-inflammatory and has antioxidant properties too.

So yeah, it does a bit of everything.

It’s a great ingredient for all skin types and is often used as a calming ingredient to soothe itchy eczema and help with sensitive skin. 

Try: Cosmedix Humidify Deep Moisture Cream.

What: Cosmedix Humidify Deep Moisture Cream

Why it’s so great:

This is a thicker moisturising cream for anyone who needs that little extra oomph.

It deeply hydrates the skin while helping to restore your skin’s barrier. Anyone with dry, irritated skin that likes a thick cream will love this one.

Yes, the price tag seems a bit much, but trust me, you only need to use the tiniest amount. One tube of this will last such a long time.

Shop it here:

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