Women's Health Station

Archive for the ‘Beauty’ Category

 People with sensitive personalities are easily upset—and so are people with sensitive skin. Hey, patches of tiny red bumps or an itchy rash can make a girl cranky. The cause of an irritable complexion: “Women with sensitive skin have hyperactive immune systems that read certain products or weather conditions as enemies and fight them off as foreign objects,” says Marianna Blyumin- Karasik, M.D., a dermatologist in Miami. “This reaction often leads to skin redness, itching, stinging, burning, and peeling.”

Blyumin-Karasik says that 30 percent of the women treated in her practice have sensitive skin. However, many more experience symptoms at some point in their lives due to hormonal fluctuations or because they’ve slathered on products that contain harsh ingredients. “Women are using more anti-aging products than ever before, and the potent exfoliants in them can cause irritation,” says Francesca Fusco, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “So more women are experiencing the symptoms of sensitivity.” Keep your skin happy by staying away from the following saboteurs.

11 Best Foods For Sensitive Skin

Chemicals in Soaps and Cleansers

They may leave you feeling squeaky clean, but cleansing agents known as surfactants play a dirty trick on sensitive skin. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a harsh emulsifier that is found in body washes, facial cleansers, and soap; it rids the skin of dirt and oil while breaking down precious lipids, the glue that binds skin cells together, keeping them resistant to dryness and damage.

Some soaps also contain drying antibacterial agents such as tetrasodium EDTA and triclosan. Because sensitive skin is almost always dry, soaping up with moisture-sucking products can lead to itching and peeling, says Blyumin-Karasik. Instead, wash with soaps specifically formulated for sensitive or dry skin; these products contain the relatively mild sodium laureth sulfate. Try Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser ($9, at drugstores). Read labels to make sure you’re getting laureth and not the more common (and more irritating) lauryl.

Chemicals in Makeup

Ultramarine blue, a pigment commonly found in eye shadow, can be a bit of a bully to sensitive skin. If it’s giving you the blues, find relief by using neutral eye shadow shades like beige or brown, which expose skin to fewer irritating chemical pigments. Also, “mica, a light-reflecting particle with chemical properties, is found in mineral makeup and bronzing powder, and it can be a big itch inducer,” says Zoe Draelos, M.D., a consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine.

Another culprit is bismuth oxychloride, a sheen enhancer that’s known to cause stinging. “Unfortunately, these ingredients are found in products we aggressively rub in with a brush, which exacerbates the irritation by pushing the product deep into the pores,” she says. Choosing liquid blushes, bronzers, and foundations (which aren’t brushed on) will keep your skin placated. Try Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful Makeup SPF 20, ($30, at Sephora); it’s free of bad guys like fragrance, mica, and talc.