You probably know the term: "sensitive skin. It's quite a broad term with many question marks. What exactly does sensitive mean? Because it doesn't mean that you spontaneously start crying at The Notebook.
It mainly means that your skin is in a state of hyperactivity. So, in a nutshell, your skin is working too hard, too much and reacting too quickly. Your skin is more vulnerable to both internal and external factors. Let's look at the causes of sensitive skin, how to recognize it and how to prevent it. Of course, we are going to create a step-by-step plan for you to soothe your sensitive skin and transform it into healthy skin.
How do I know if I have sensitive skin?
Every skin is different, which is why it is important to know what type of skin you have. Sensitive skin has a few typical characteristics. If you can identify with many, most or perhaps all of them, then you have sensitive skin.
- Your skin feels tight (especially after cleansing).
- Your skin may feel rough and flaky, especially around the beard area.
- Your skin tends to get red easily.
- Your skin is burning and red after shaving.
- You are prone to wounds or irritations after shaving.
- You are more prone to rashes due to certain allergies.
- Your skin often feels dry
- Vulnerable to weather conditions
- Vulnerable to moisture or dirt
As if this wasn't annoying enough, germs and harmful substances can also enter 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 is of course equally important to start looking at where that sensitivity comes from. Unfortunately, there is no bite-size answer for that. It may be hereditary, but it may also have to do with sensitivity to certain environmental factors. For example, soap, cosmetics or sunscreen may be the culprit. In addition, sensitivity can be a reaction to contact with plants or animals or the food and beverages you consume.
Your skin can also trigger a reaction due to climate. The sun, inclement wind, salty wind, freezing cold, humidity, etc. all have their own effects on your skin. Some skin can tolerate heat well, others cannot. Just think how your skin reacts when you are at home as opposed to winter sports or a vacation on the Costa del Sol. Your skin is a chameleon, some skin changes more easily than others.
Research has shown that all sensitive skins have something in common: a thinner top layer of skin. Also, the number of skin cells in this area are a lot less than normal. The result is an impairment of the skin's barrier function, making it less resilient than "normal" skin.
Tips for men with sensitive skin
To make things a little easier for you, we have prepared some tips for you. Don't let the tips scare you off, because most natural products have few ingredients so you can filter out the tricky terms you read below! It's child's play if you can read.
- Go for natural products! This way you avoid chemical junk that affects your skin.
- Always choose a product that does not contain perfumes and dyes. Perfume is a big culprit for sensitive skin and will quickly irritate it.
- Go for a product that does not contain alcohol. Unless it is a cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl or lanolin alcohol. These are not harmful to your skin, all other variants can cause redness, dryness and irritation.
- Go for products designed specifically for sensitive skin. In these you will often find ingredients like aloe vera, allantoin, niacinamide, green tea, betaglucan or licorice root. These ingredients are caring for your sensitive skin.
- Also, choose a natural sunscreen! Sunscreens often contain chemicals to which your skin can react severely. Beware of the following ingredients in your sunscreen: oxybenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, octocrylene and avobenzone.
- Make sure you find the right skin care routine for your skin. This is where we will go into more detail below and explain it step by step.
- Don't forget to check the shelf life of your products. Some men use the old jars that dad gave them sometime in 2010. Don't recommend this because personal care products can also go past their expiration date.
- Sensitive skin can indicate a certain reaction for cosmetic substances. If you want to find out what substances these are, you can make an appointment with a dermatologist.
- Keep your moisture levels up so that your skin does not dry out. It is also helpful to eat healthy. Good skin glows from the inside out!
- Hydrate and nourish your skin regularly. This way you strengthen your skin to cope with more stimuli from both internally and externally.
- Last tip, but a very important one: test your product before using it. Behind your ears or on your wrists. That way you will know for sure how your skin reacts to it before you generously apply it to 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 important not only for blemished skin types, but for all skin types, including sensitive skin. However, it is extremely important that you use a good facial cleanser for sensitive skin. Many cleansers have the property of stripping the skin too much of its own oils, which will dry out and irritate your skin. So go for a cleanser without sulfates, silicones, parabens and perfumes.
Tip: Important when cleansing sensitive skin: be careful! Don't scrub and rub like crazy. 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.
- Gently pat your face dry, do not rub.
After skin cleansing, exfoliation is often recommended, but we like to skip this one if you have sensitive skin. Scrubbing is a slightly rougher way of cleaning your skin anyway, and often too rough for your skin type. If you do scrub, do it once a week max. Otherwise, you will only irritate your skin further.
2. Use a serum
After cleansing your skin, it is important to moisturize your face. After all, you want to provide your sensitive skin with sufficient moisture. This is where a serum is best suited. Especially one that contains hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid has the ability to absorb moisture into the skin and retain it, which will restore your moisture levels. This is because with sensitive skin, evaporation is low, so your skin will need it.
The substance hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule and is naturally stored in your connective tissue. Hyaluronic acid binds to collagen and water, keeping your skin hydrated and your joints supple. These miracle molecules can each hold 1000x their own weight within skin cells. So these powerhouses are hugely important building blocks for keeping your body hydrated and flexible. Let's just say we're quite a fan.
3. Use a day cream for men
Sensitive skin has a poor skin barrier. As a result, moisture is lost and the skin is not strong enough. So 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. These ensure that you build up a good layer of moisture in your skin.
4. Pamper your skin a little extra sometimes
Come on men, we're living in 2023. A face mask isn't just for women these days. Your sensitive skin will be very happy with a pampering mask from time to time. Take a look at masks with vitamin E, for example, which provide your skin with some extra hydration. A gel mask is also recommended. This cools sensitive, red skin and is skin restoring and soothing. We like.
The best products for men with sensitive skin
The last part. But the most important one. What products should you actually go out and buy? How do you decide which product you want with all the choices you have these days? That's where we've come up with a solution.
In collaboration with our skin specialists, we have put together a skincare kit specifically for men with sensitive skin. In it you will find top products that best suit your sensitive skin. A suitable skincare routine for men in one kit. We call it the skincare routine kit.
Skincare Routine Kit - Sensitive Skin
Of course, we have much more facial care for pigmentation and redness and sensitive skin. We have everything you need like serums, cleansers, day creams, night creams and so on.
If you still have any questions, feel free to contact us! We're happy to help you, that's what we're here for. You know where to find us.
Good luck men!
Your friends, The Alpha Men