5 things you should never use on sensitive skin

Reading your messages, e-mails and letters it appears as if the world was full of people with sensitive skin. But according to experts, that is unlikely. The issue is rather with people using more and more different cosmetic products in general – and more and more people are suffering from unpleasant symptoms caused by chemicals that are used by the cosmetics industry. 

Symptoms of heightened sensitivity can vary a great deal. Itchiness, blushing, nettle rash, eczema, inflamed spots, dry skin – each of those may be caused by certain industrial ingredients. In other cases, your skin may start reacting differently to the same old product. Bear in mind that a sign on the bottle that says the product is hypoallergenic is not 100% guarantee – any cosmetic product may cause allergic reactions.

When it comes to skin problem triggers, it’s worth noting the usual suspects:

Artificial scents and perfumes

Many people are sensitive to artificial scents that can be found in almost every cosmetic product, detergent and cleansing agent. If it has ever happened to you that you got a headache or struggled for breath inside a perfume shop – or indeed if the test area on your skin was left cracking, blushed or itchy by perfumes then it’s best to use cosmetics and detergents that are made with natural essential oils. It’s rare but not unheard-of that somebody is intolerant even to essential oils found in natural cosmetics. If you are one of those people, choose a scent-free Manna product!

Anti-spot products

Products made for oily skin, spots and acne are often full of strongly exfoliating and antiseptic chemicals. Especially the products made for teens tend to contain alcohol, retinol and salicylic acid that may dry the skin further and damage its natural acid mantle. By doing so, they further stimulate sebaceous glands instead of helping to restore balance.

Preservatives

All liquid, water-based cosmetics contain some kind of preservative – and the actual type of the preservative does matter too. Most facial creams, body lotions, shower gels and deodorant do contain additives that may cause irritation on sensitive skin. Most preservatives have had quite bad press lately and the harm they can do is not limited to your skin.

Foaming agents

You’ll find my latest posts on SLS and SLES here. Shower gels, face wash liquids and shampoos that contain sulphate compounds can cause dry skin, spots, dandruff, itchiness in the eyes and even hair loss. Avoid them if you can – but it won’t be easy. It’s a safe guess that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Ammonium Laureth Sulfate will be among the first ingredients you will spot on the label of just about any cosmetic product retailed in shops today.

Makeups

Powders and makeups that contain talc (now suspected carcinogenic) and/or mineral glimmer (mica) may also irritate the skin. It’s worth knowing that blue and green shades are the most likely to irritate the skin around your eyes.