As a beauty writer for the past 12 years, an important (and fun!) part of my job has been testing out new products. The ironic thing is that my sensitive skin usually couldn’t handle many different types of cosmetics. Before you play me the world’s smallest violin, it seems that I was born with easily irritated skin. Even as a kid, a popular shampoo gave me a full head-to-toe rash thanks to added fragrances. As an adult, I’ve had countless appointments at the dermatologist dealing with allergic reactions, redness, skin inflammation… all in the pursuit of finding the perfect face serum.
My journey to irritation-free products clearly had its trials and errors, which I’m learning is more common than I ever realized. I teamed up with Bustle and Carefree Breathe™ pads to share how I finally found a way to feel confident and happy in my skin — from head to toe.
Because of my profession (and with the help of my dermatologist), I became really good at reading an ingredient list. So now, I know what kinds of skincare products will likely irritate my skin before I even put them on. If I could give a piece of advice for my fellow sensitive skin friends, it’s this: patch test your products before trying something new. I learned the hard way that reactions can even occur up to 72 hours after your patch test. So it’s important to be patient about waiting a few days in between so you can tell exactly what’s causing a reaction. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s always been worth it to me if it meant avoiding irritation that would last for weeks.
Every now and then, I would incorporate something new, but within the last few years, I finally felt like I had a consistent routine that I could rely on and made my skin look healthy and dewy. The ultimate goal, right?
But just when I was feeling comfortable with my routine... I got pregnant.
Don’t worry, it was a part of the plan. But I guess my pregnancy hormones forgot the memo that they were supposed to give me that coveted “glow” and instead just left my skin dry and patchy. Once I had my daughter, postpartum hormones sent my skin into another whirlwind. Acne that I hadn’t had in years suddenly took residence on my forehead. I tossed my old beauty lessons out the window and slathered on whatever lotion and potion that I thought would work fast.
Surprisingly, I found that my skin was able to tolerate certain products and ingredients that I didn’t think it would. But I wasn’t celebrating just yet. I realized those sweet baby snuggles with my newborn also meant that the products on my skin were rubbing off onto hers. So now because of her irritated skin, I was rethinking my routine for a whole new reason.
I figured while I was revamping my skincare regimen that it shouldn’t stop at just the skin on my face.
First thing: My scalp needed gentle TLC (the postpartum shedding is real). I also came to the realization that my skin down there is different — and thus requires different care — from the rest of my body. Thanks to products like Carefree Breathe™ pads, it was easy to switch to irritation-, dye-, and fragrance-free feminine care. The pad is soft enough that I no longer have to worry about chafing, and I can feel confident knowing that I'll stay dry and comfortable no matter what's on my plate for the day.
When it comes to moisturizer for sensitive skin, my trick is to look in the baby aisle where most products are hypoallergenic. The summer heat can cause irritation (and, of course, sun damage), so I always layer on a mineral-based sunscreen. At the end of the day, I take my makeup off with micellar water and cotton pads. Technically, you don’t have to rinse off micellar water, but I don’t feel like my skin is as clean as it can be without following up with a cream cleanser (it hydrates sensitive skin as it removes dirt and impurities of the day). Thanks to late nights as a new mom, I started implementing an eye cream loaded with vitamin C that helps brighten dark circles.
My self-care journey has come a long way from the days of outbreaks and weekly visits to the derm, and through it I’ve found that feeling happy in my skin — all of my skin — puts me in a better mental place to be the best mom I can be — and soak in all those baby snuggles without worry.
This post is sponsored by Carefree Breathe™.
Photographer: Winnie Au; Prop Stylist: Olga Grigorenko; Art Director: Hannah Chua; Creative Lead: Molly Kugelmann; Producer: Julia Merenda; Editor: Suzanne McKenzie
