You probably know the term: ‘sensitive skin’. It's quite a broad term that can raise many questions. What exactly does sensitive mean? Because it doesn't mean you spontaneously start crying at The Notebook.
It mainly means that your skin is in a state of hyperactivity. In a nutshell, your skin works too hard, too much, and reacts too quickly. Your skin is more vulnerable to both internal and external factors. Let's delve into the causes of sensitive skin, how you can recognize it, and prevent it. Of course, we will create a step-by-step plan for you to calm your sensitive skin and transform it into healthy skin.
How do I know if I have sensitive skin?
Every skin is different, so it's important to know which Skin Type you have. Sensitive skin has a few typical characteristics. If you find yourself in many, most, or maybe all of them, then you have sensitive skin.
- Your skin feels tight (especially after cleansing your skin)
- Your skin can feel rough and flake, especially around the beard area
- Your skin is easily Red over the General
- After Shaving, your skin feels burning and Red
- You quickly get wounds or irritations after Shaving
- You are more susceptible to rashes due to certain allergies
- Your skin often feels dry
- Vulnerable to weather conditions
- Vulnerable to moisture or dirt
As if that wasn't annoying enough, germs and harmful substances can also penetrate your skin more easily. This is because the skin barrier is less thick and developed in people with sensitive skin.
Why do you have sensitive skin?
Now that you know if you have sensitive skin, it's of course just as important to look at where that sensitivity comes from. Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer. It can be hereditary, but it can also be related to sensitivity to certain environmental factors. Soap, cosmetics, or Sunscreen can be the culprits. Additionally, sensitivity can be a reaction to contact with plants or animals, or the food and drinks you consume.
Your skin can also react to the climate. The sun, harsh wind, salty wind, freezing cold, humidity, etc., all have their own impact on your skin. One skin can handle heat well, another cannot. Think about how your skin reacts when you're at home versus during winter sports or a vacation on the Costa del Sol. Your skin is a chameleon; one skin adapts more easily than another.
Research has shown that all sensitive skins have something in common: a thinner upper skin layer. The number of skin cells in this area is also much less than normal. The result is an impairment of the skin's barrier function, making it less resistant than ‘normal’ skin.
Tips for men with sensitive skin
To make it a bit easier for you, we have prepared some tips. Don't be put off by the tips, because most natural products have few ingredients, allowing you to easily filter out the tricky terms you read below! A child could do it, at least if they can read.
- Opt for natural products! This way, you avoid chemical junk that affects your skin.
- Always choose a product that does not contain Fragrance and colorants. Fragrance is a major culprit for sensitive skin and will quickly cause irritation.
- Opt for a product that does not contain alcohol, unless it is cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl, or lanolin alcohol. These are not harmful to your skin, while other variants can cause redness, dryness, and irritation.
- Go for products that are specially developed for sensitive skin. These often contain ingredients such as aloe vera, allantoin, niacinamide, green tea, beta-glucan, or licorice root. These ingredients are nurturing for your sensitive skin.
- Also choose a natural Sunscreen! Sunscreen often contains chemical substances that your skin can have a strong reaction to. Be cautious with the following ingredients in your Sunscreen: oxybenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, and avobenzone.
- Ensure that you find the right care routine for your skin. We will elaborate on this further below and explain it step by step.
- Don't forget to check the expiration date of your products. Some men use old jars that their dad gave them somewhere in 2010. We do not recommend this as even care products can expire.
- A sensitive skin can indicate a certain reaction to cosmetic substances. If you want to find out which substances these are, you can make an appointment with a dermatologist.
- Maintain your moisture balance so your skin does not dry out. Additionally, it is also helpful to eat healthily. A good skin radiates from within!
- Hydrate and nourish your skin regularly. This way, you strengthen your skin to handle more stimuli both internally and externally.
- Last tip, but a very important one: test your product before you use it. Behind your ears or on your wrists. This way, you know how your skin reacts before you apply it generously on your Face.
How to care for sensitive skin?
1. Cleanse with a mild facial cleanser
Face Care for men always starts with cleansing the skin. Cleansing is not only important for impure skin types but for all skin types, including sensitive skin. It is crucial that you use a good facial cleanser for sensitive skin. Many cleansers have the property of stripping the skin too much of its natural oils, causing it to dry out and irritate. Therefore, choose a cleanser without sulfates, silicones, parabens, and Fragrance.
Tip: Important when cleansing sensitive skin: be gentle! Do not scrub and rub aggressively. Give your skin some TLC and treat it carefully.
- Cleanse with lukewarm water.
- Gently massage your Face with the mild cleanser.
- Rinse with lukewarm water.
- Pat your Face dry gently, do not rub.
After skin cleansing, it is often recommended to exfoliate, but we prefer to skip this step for sensitive skin. Exfoliating is a somewhat rougher way of cleaning your skin and often too harsh for your Skin Type. If you do exfoliate, do it a maximum of once a week. Otherwise, you will only further irritate your skin.
2. Use a Serum
Once you have cleansed your skin, it is important to hydrate your Face. You want to provide your sensitive skin with enough moisture. Here, a Serum is most suitable. Especially one that contains hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid has the property of absorbing moisture into the skin and retaining it, allowing your moisture level to restore. With sensitive skin, evaporation is low, so your skin will need this.
The substance hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule and is naturally stored in your connective tissue. Hyaluronic acid binds to collagen and water and thereby ensures that your skin remains hydrated and your joints remain supple. These miraculous molecules can hold up to 1000 times their own weight within the skin cells. These powerhouses are therefore extremely important building blocks to keep your Body moist and flexible. Let's say we're quite fans.
3. Use a Day Cream for men
A sensitive skin has a poor skin barrier. As a result, moisture is lost, and the skin is not strong enough. To protect sensitive skin, you should choose a moisturizing Day Cream (or Night Cream). Preferably as natural as possible without all the nasty substances we have already discussed. So go for a cream with lots of natural oils and butters. They ensure that you build a good layer of moisture in your skin.
4. Pamper your skin every now and then
Come on men, we live in 2024. A Face Mask is no longer just for women. Your sensitive skin will be very happy with a mask that pampers the skin a little extra from time to time. For example, take a look at Face Masks with vitamin E. These ensure that your skin gets a little extra hydration. A gel mask is also recommended. This cools the sensitive, red skin and is skin-repairing and soothing. We like.
The best products for men with sensitive skin
The last part. But the most important. What products should you actually buy? How do you decide which product you want with all the choices you have nowadays? We have come up with a solution for that.
In collaboration with our skin specialists, we have put together a Skincare kit specifically for men with sensitive skin. Here you will find top products that best suit your sensitive skin. A suitable skincare routine for men in one set. We call it the Skincare routine kit.
Skincare Routine Kit - Sensitive Skin
Of course, we have many more Face Care for pigmentation and redness and sensitive skin. We have everything you need, such as serums, Cleansers, day creams, night creams, and so on.
If you still have any questions, feel free to contact us! We are happy to help, that's what we're here for. You know where to find us.
Good luck, men!
Your friends, The Alpha Men