Skin Nerd: Do you have sensitive skin? Here's what to do

Jennifer Rock explains sensitised skin and what to do in a flare up

Skin Nerd: What is sensitised skin and do you have it?

If you typically consider your skin to be “normal,” but it’s suddenly feeling itchy, red or has become dehydrated, it’s possible that your skin has become sensitised. Suddenly reactive, ‘stressed out’ skin is often confused with sensitive skin, but sensitised skin differs in that it can occur suddenly due to an external or internal trigger, whilst sensitive skin is akin to a skin condition and is something you are born with. 

Skin can be sensitised by several external or lifestyle factors such as the misuse of harsh skincare ingredients, over-exfoliation, not moisturising or using SPF or simply changes in temperatures, such as going from freezing weather outside to an overheated indoor environment.