How to soothe sensitive skin

When you touch as many faces as I do, skin sensitivity becomes a daily concern. And in the same way that no two faces are the same, no two skin sensitivities are the same either.

Often when I quiz people with reactive skin about their routines, five to eight minutes later, they’re still listing products. I always recommend going back to the basics – and using them consistently. Start the day with a fragrance-free cream cleanser such as Clinique’s Redness Solutions (£27) to remove residual make-up and impurities without upsetting the skin’s barrier. How you prep your skin’s canvas will set the tone for the rest of the day.

I always recommend going back to the basics – and using them consistently

Skin sensitivity is on the rise. As the market has focused on active ingredients – retinol, Vitamin C and acids among them – over-treatment has contributed to irritated skin. One solution is Embryolisse’s Cicalisse Restorative Skin Cream (£9.99), which works like a bandage for angry, inflamed skin. Over the years, I have pressed this on clients who come to me for help with post-operative cosmetic scars, burns, psoriasis and eczema scabs. The hero ingredient is 3 per cent acexamic acid, which accelerates skin repair.

Clinique Redness Solutions, £27

Embryolisse Cicalisse’s Restorative Skin Cream, £9.99, sephora.co.uk

Environmental stressors are not helping either. Pollution, extreme temperatures and humidity can all have a negative effect on the skin. As can stress, poor diet and lack of sleep. One of the most distressing outcomes of this is rosacea, where blood vessels enlarge to give the skin a flushed appearance. Sufferers are also more likely to age prematurely due to daily weakening of the skin barrier. Treatment is based on managing and reducing inflammation, as well as protecting the skin from further environmental damage. Bioderma is a go-to brand for dermatologists as it supports the idea that our skin’s biology is linked to our individual lifestyles. I recommend the brand’s Sensibio Defensive Serum (£24) to clients looking for pollution-proof calm that lasts the whole day.

Consultant dermatologists such as Dr Alexis Granite also laud the use of in-clinic LED phototherapy for rosacea. Her go-to treatment, which helps “reduce redness and broken capillaries – as well as giving the skin a nice glow” – is Sciton BBL (broadband light). Granite recommends a course of three to five treatments (from £650), four weeks apart. Results appear from one week on and last up to 24 months.

Bioderma Sensibio Defensive Serum, £24, boots.com

Esse Probiotic Serum, £105.50

Even before I became a facialist, I was hyper-aware of how skin sensitivity can take over one’s life. Nearly a decade ago my mother was diagnosed with urticaria (hives), a condition characterised by red, itchy welts that can appear anywhere on the body. Triggers are similar to those suffering from rosacea: from hormones to heat, exercise, stress and sun exposures. One product she used often was Esse’s Probiotic Serum (£105.50), which contains 50 million live probiotics per drop. The product helps create an optimal environment for your skin’s natural microbes to flourish. Similar to how they function in your gut, these bacteria, fungi and viruses play an important role in boosting immune defences. A balanced pH leads to calm, healthy skin that looks better and ages more slowly.

Eye sensitivities are also on the rise thanks to lack of suncare and overexposure to screens and skincare actives. All of this can lead to a dry, gritty feeling, visible blood vessels, light sensitivity and excess watering. Treat this delicate area with simple products such as Voya’s seaweed eye masks (£32). Each pack contains four hand-harvested Irish Laminaria Digitata seaweed pieces, and nothing else. Cool when applied, the masks help to decrease trans-epidermal water loss, soothe irritation, and you can rub in the excess seaweed gel for an added collagen and antioxidant boost.

But all the calming skincare in the world will be useless without sun protection. Sensitive skin is best served with a layer of non-greasy sunscreen such as Allies of Skin’s new Invisible Sunscreen Gel (£43), an ingredient-rich buffer with vitamin C, green tea and carrot seed, as well as five antioxidants and skin conditioners. Layer it with pared-down skincare to manage sensitivity.