6 Common Sensitive Skincare Mistakes You're Making

Taking care of your skin can be hard. It requires a lot of attention, time, and often money. And as we all know, the end result is totally worth it: glowing skin that will age with you well. But having sensitive skin can make it a lot more difficult to maintain healthy skin year-round. From hives to breakouts and everything in between, when you have sensitive skin, it feels like your skin hates everything. You can’t use too much of something, or anything with fragrance – which basically cancels out everything. And if you do go ahead and use that amazing scented moisturizer, you will surely pay the price. So, what are the common sensitive skincare mistakes you're making? Where are you going wrong?

Expert Brandy Brogdon had to find the answers to those questions pretty quickly. When the now owner found out Simply Pure was going to shut down, she couldn’t handle losing so many products she loved, so she bought the company. This led her to learn as much as she could about skincare. And since Simply Pure specializes in all-natural products, she was the perfect person to ask for advice on common mistakes made by people with sensitive skin. Here are the 6 most common mistakes, and Brogdon’s answer to each of them.

1. Ignoring The Ingredients

Even if a brand is well known, not checking out the label is a no-no. Brogdon mentions how often big name brands use ingredients like formaldehyde and yucky petroleum. And why would you ever want to wash your face with formaldehyde? She dares you to take your favorite mainstream skincare product and look up the first five ingredients. Have any idea what they are? Probably not. Instead, choose a product from an all natural line. And if you can’t find one, Brogdon suggests reaching for the olive oil, which will pull out any impurities like magic.

2. Exfoliating Too Often

We always hear that exfoliating is the best way to get deep into your skin. But actually, most people exfoliate far too often. Too much exfoliating can lead to burst capillaries, which will cost you a pretty penny to get them removed. “When you get a facial, they’re always very gentle with your skin,” Brogdon says. “But between exfoliating and moisturizing, a lot of people scrub the snot out of their face. We really need to treat our faces a lot better.”

3. Using Water That’s Too Hot

We all know the way it goes: Hot water opens your pores, and cold water shrinks them back again. But are you using water that’s too hot? Brogdon thinks yes. “Hot water can be really harsh on your skin, and it can also burst capillaries.” So turn the faucet down a bit and use warm water instead.

4. Mistreating Inflammation Or A Breakout

Instead of just hoping it’ll go away or freaking out more (like me), do something about it. Brogdon recommends an essential oil. Things like evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, and shea butter all have powerful anti-inflammation effects. “My favorite is allantoin oil, which comes from the comfrey plant,” Brogdon says. “It is wound healing and promotes cell perforation.” But if you need a quick fix, mix aluminum-free baking soda with water until it’s paste, apply to your face, and let it dry.

5. Wearing Makeup 24/7

“Makeup is definitely something you want to wash off as soon as you get home,” Brogdon says. This is one mistake I make. A lot. Instead of coming home and washing my face, I just lounge in it. But as Brogdon points out, that’s not problem with wearing makeup all of the time. “You don’t want to cover up all of your hard work.” Because as you can tell, taking good care of your sensitive skin is hard.

6. Overdoing It With The Masks

We all love masks because it’s like finger painting our faces. But there is a limit. Brogdon suggests testing out a few gentle masks – something like a mud or clay mask – every two weeks. If you don’t have a reaction, try once a week. “And instead of mixing your mud mask with water, use olive oil. It will give you an ultra hydrating mask.”

Images: Giphy (3)