Understanding skin sensitivity.

Would you believe me if I told you that there is actually no formal definition for sensitive skin? It's more of a layman term to explain what we are experiencing.

It's true...we're so complex that the powers that be can't seem to fit us into a sentence or two lol. However, it does not mean that there aren't real symptoms and REAL solutions!

Anyways, here's the general gist...you probably won't get a medical diagnosis of "sensitive skin" in the same way that you can be medically diagnosed with other skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea. It's going to be up to you to pay attention to whether your skin easily gets red, itches and burns with new/ most products/ prone to breakouts and rashes.

If this is you....then it may be safe to say...you should simply pay attention to what and how you use your products to avoid these issues

Skin Sensitivity can be temporary or on-going. We've already addressed how to deal with temporary sensitivity. If you are experiencing on-going sensitivity, you may need to see your Dermatologist to check whether you have rosacea, eczema or any other specific underlying condition.

If you get some stinging, burning and redness now and again, it's most likely not an underlying condition but if you have persistent burning, itching, bumps, blistering, etc., it's wise to see your Dermatologist.

Whether you've been diagnosed with any condition or not, the next step is to use the right products for your condition to manage it properly. So to answer the question, your skin can be sensitive & healthy but you must take the responsibility to do what's necessary as your skin may need a little extra love. Don't worry, we have products that can help you with rosacea and eczema and without.

Does Age Make a Difference?

Fun Fact, did you know that your skin can become more sensitive with age? Like we already have bad knees all of a sudden & now this?

On the bright side, knowledge is power so now that you know, you can take steps to make small changes to your routine.

The extent of increased sensitivity is sometimes not noticeable however, if you are experiencing sensitivity all-of-a-sudden when you did not make any changes to your skincare routine, it's possible that age is a factor so it may be wise to implement sensitive skin friendly products into your routine to help you out.

How to select products for sensitive skin?

So, having sensitive skin is not all encompassing when choosing your products, ingredients or building your routine. Think of it like this, your skin is "sensitive" because of how it reacts but your skin IS a type. So your skin can be dry & sensitive, oily & sensitive, combination and sensitive and normal and sensitive. Got it?

So, we have to add another layer to this. On top of being picky with ingredients that cause irritation....it's important to choose ingredients for your skin type.

We are beyond happy to share that ODAGECO is curated especially for dry, oily, combination and normal sensitive skin. We'll dig into it further so stay tuned!

 Sensitive Skin is not a skin type but can be an on-going issue, however, if your skin is easily irritated all-of-a-sudden, you may be experiencing Sensitization or Temporary Sensitivity.

Temporary Sensitivity occurs for many reasons such as pregnancy, menopause, weather causing dryness and also some ingredients like retinol.

So what to do? If you are experiencing this, take a step back and just use three things for a while

1. A gentle cleanser
2. A hydrating moisturizer (preferrablely unscented)
3. A spf that you love

You can shop for all three on our site to help get you back on track.

Follow along for tips on how to avoid these issues and share our page with a friend so they can learn to better manage their skin.

 Bonus Tip- Avoid Hydroquinone

So you've got some melasma or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation you want to get rid off but your skin is easily irritated...there are options that are effective and gentle enough for you. First of all.. do not even consider using a bleaching cream or soap...you will regret it. Thank me later!

You know by now that we do not support OTC hydroquinone here. HQ can cause irritation, redness and dryness for those of us who may need to be a little more picky with what we add to our routine.

Instead, try Alpha Arbutin. A safer (for many reasons) very effective alternative to HQ.

Our Luminate Glow and Recovery Serum includes Arbutin in a safe percentage and is carefully curated with 9 additional skin lighteners that addresses melasma and hyperpigmentation but is perfectly blended to not cause you irritation or redness.

Safe enough for rosacea and eczema skin. While you're here...check out our blog on rosacea and eczema.

Expression of Skin Sensitivity

Sometimes there is no physical manifestation of irritation such as breakouts or redness and sometimes there is.

If you experience itching, burning, stinging or a tight sensation after using cosmetics, soaps and sunscreens, its possible that your skin is either sensitive in general or sensitive to a particular ingredient.

Some ingredients that are the usual suspects for irritation include dimethyl sulfoxide, benzoly peroxide, salicylic acid or propylene glycol to name a few (source- In'l Journal of Cosmetic Science)

 Why do you need hydration skin care when dealing with sensitive skin?

 It's so important to understand this. People say let's "Build a skincare Routine". How are you building without considering the foundation?

Now acids are great and all but have you ever felt like you've been using a wonder serum or trending acid and feeling robbed or like you simply bought into a hype? It's highly possible that you haven't set the right foundation to receive these acids.

For example, one major culprit is Azeliac Acid. This acid clears pores, reduces inflammation, encourages cell turnover just to name a few but did you know it is extremely drying? Imagine bathing your face in an  Azeliac Acid  Serum daily while your skin was already dehydrated to begin with.