Sensitive Skin? Here's How To Care For It

Our inbox, Instagram DMs and website live chat are flooded every single day with similar questions: “I have (fill in the blank) skin. What’s the best way to care for it?”

So we’ve put together a new blog post series to help you navigate the products, practices and routines that best support where your skin is at today. With the ever-evolving nature of skin depending on seasons, stress levels or lifestyle shifts, you may find yourself moving from one post to another and taking a few topical suggestions from one and a couple self-care practices from another. And we 100% support that. 🙂 Acne-prone skin? Check out our first post of the series here.

While we’ve compiled our go-to solutions for caring for specific skin conditions, we always recommend letting your skin guide you. Feel it out, play with products and enjoy the process!

Alright, here we go, post #2.

Our top tips for sensitive, reactive or stressed skin in need of some serious TLC.

Because every part of our being is connected, it’s important to take a holistic approach for a full skin healing protocol – and these practices are the perfect place to start.

Eczema, acne, psoriasis, redness, dermatitis, rosacea, dry/scaly skin are all skin conditions which can have the same root cause. Often (if not, always) inflammatory skin conditions are a sign that something is out of balance within the body and can be closely linked to nutrient deficiencies or digestive issues. The gut-skin connection is a real thing! What matters even more than what we put on our plate or pour in our glass is how our body actually absorbs these nutrients. Regardless of how many vitamins, minerals and healthy fats we consume, if they’re not being received and assimilated by the body, the skin suffers. Enter: red, irritated, inflamed skin.

Here are a few ways to provide your skin with the nutrients it needs + support optimal digestion:

• Foods to remove: Before we tell you what you’ll want to give up, think about what you’ll be getting in return – a calm, balanced complexion. Worth it, right? Okay, so 3 foods known to spike inflammation in the body (and therefore, the skin) are: alcohol, dairy and refined-sugar. While everyone processes foods differently, eliminating triggers like these (for at least a month) is a powerful place to start. Ditch your wine for a glass of kombucha, order your grass-fed burger without the cheese and swap sugar for raw honey to sweeten things up. Try it out and see how your reactive skin responds!
• Foods to replace: Don’t worry, you don’t have to deprive yourself while trying to soothe your skin! Now it’s time to load up on healthy fats and mineral-rich foods that boost hormonal health, minimize inflammatory responses and balance nutrient deficiencies. Some of the best foods to supplement a calm skin diet are: Brazil Nuts (1-2 nuts/day gives your body all the Selenium it needs!), Celtic Sea Salt (we literally sprinkle this on everything) and Bone Broth (an abundant source of vital minerals + serious gut healer).
• Get to bed early: We may sound like a broken record, but we can’t stress this point enough. Minimal sleep spikes cortisol levels, causing inflammation to increase and sensitivities to flare up. When we’re able to kick in the Parasympathetic Nervous System (it’s known as Rest + Digest for a reason!), our bodies are able to focus healing energy and restorative function on repairing + rebuilding the body.
• Detox your home: Having a home that supports your health may not immediately come to mind as a remedy for damaged skin, but creating a space that’s free of toxic chemicals, artificial fragrances and other dangerous ingredients that wreak havoc on your skin (and your hormones and your overall health) is an effective + lasting solution for relief of skin irritations, allergies and sensitivities. Replace toxic cleaning products and improve your air quality with these safe options to positively impact the health of your home, your family and your complexion!

While these calm skin practices are more long-term solutions that will start to reveal themselves in the skin over time, we understand your poor skin is searching for some temporary support as well.

Here are some tips to provide immediate relief to cool and comfort irritated skin conditions:

• Jade Roller: These precious gemstone rollers boost the natural healing process of the skin by encouraging circulation and combatting inflammation. Be sure to keep your roller in the fridge or freezer to soothe redness + calm skin conditions asap.
• Cooling Herbal Compress: Provide relief from a variety of skin issues with the power of herbs. All you need to do is make a pot of organic herbal tea (try chamomile, calendula or yarrow), let it cool in the fridge and soak a washcloth in your skin-soothing brew. Let the cool washcloth sit on your skin for as long as possible and deeply relax as your skin does the same!
• Breath: Take a deep, slow breath. Feel your shoulders drop, your heartbeat slow down, your furrowed brow relaxed. The benefits are immense and immediate. Deep breathing calms inflammation in the skin and body, boosts immunity, provides much needed oxygen to nourish and replenish vital nutrients to our blood and brain. It’s a simple reminder to remain present, plus keeps the skin calm and balanced.
• Aromatherapy: Stressed skin often means a stressed mind is behind it. Melt away stress and soothe an anxious mind by applying this blue oil with proven benefits to powerfully promote relaxation and relieve tension. The effects of stress on the skin can appear differently depending on the individual (rashes, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis can all be stress-induced skin conditions). Setting aside time for self-care and creating habits that help minimize stress levels is one of the most powerful healing approaches to skincare.

So you’ve got skin that’s seriously sensitive and trying out new skincare products might be terrifying, we totally get it. Trust us when we say, we’ve been there, we feel you, and we’ve formulated products to help you push past that fear. We want to educate and encourage our community to commit to using pure, unprocessed products that promote a balanced complexion – so keep on reading. 🙂

But first things first, we suggest taking a look at what you’re already using on your skin. Even if it claims to be “Dermatologist Recommended” or a “Gentle Cleanser” or “Allure’s #1 Pick”, turn that bottle around and read the ingredients on the back. Sadly, the majority of products on the market are misleading as their labels promise one thing but their ingredient list proves another. Many contain parabens, synthetic ingredients and other chemicals known to disrupt our skin’s delicate acid mantle and can lead to skin that’s seriously compromised.

This is our tried + true guide for a simple skincare routine that powerfully supports sensitive skin:

• Step 1: Cleanse. Taking a natural approach to care for and cleanse your skin means you’ll be avoiding harsh surfactants and detergents (definitely a “don’t” for sensitive skin!) that can strip beneficial oils and damage its microbiome. Keep skin strong, healthy and clean with this organic goat milk cleansing bar. Soothing ingredients such as shea butter, chamomile and calendula wash away the day while repairing damaged skin.
• Step 2: Tone. Pure botanical extracts offer multiple benefits in restoring and balancing skin. Unlike harsh astringents and harmful alcohols, hydrosols hydrate and replenish the skin’s protective barrier. We especially love this Lavender Complexion Mist for calming inflammation, reducing redness and rebuilding hydration. Plus, Lavender is proven to promote a calm mind and restful sleep (even more holistic ways to care for sensitive skin!).
• Step 3: Treat. Facial serums are serious skin soothers as they provide a powerful source of vitamins and nutrients – making this step a must for restoring reactive skin states. And we’ve expertly formulated a serum specifically for you, our sensitive skin friends! Our Soothing Serum is packed with anti-inflammatory herbs and deeply nourishing oils (like Pumpkin Seed Oil, Ashwagandha and Pau D’Arco) to minimize inflammation, strengthen damaged skin, and deeply soothe to create a calm, balanced complexion. This bottle is about to be your skin’s new best friend. 🙂 And stay tuned for our upcoming launch of our CBD Oil-infused Soothing Serum!
• Step 4: Moisturizer. Skin sensitivities and irritations can often occur because of a nutrient deficiency or imbalance – and when we only use plant-based products on our skin, we’re missing out on several key nutrients found abundantly in animal fats. Tallow (high in restorative fatty acids) and Emu Oil (rich in anti-inflammatory properties) are extremely effective in calming inflammatory skin conditions. Both of these animal fats (along with deeply healing herbs like calendula and marshmallow root) can be found in our nourishing Baby Balm – the moisturizer we always recommend for adults with sensitive skin!

We hope this post has proven that balanced skin is actually possible – and that there are powerful, natural ways to support your skin’s health and help to provide a lasting solution for sensitive, inflamed skin states.

Stay tuned for more skin-specific products + customized support launching soon to care for your sensitive skin! And as always, please share your go-to calm skin tips in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear what has been helpful for you in creating a balanced complexion! XO