Skin irritation, how do I relieve it?
How to Soothe Skin Irritation – 9 Ingredients You Need to Know
Regardless of your skin type, your skin will experience episodes of irritated skin. Contributing factors to skin irritation can include stress, overexposure to the sun, or air pollution. However, in most cases, skin irritation can be attributed to an accident with a skincare product. This can happen when you over-cleanse, over-exfoliate, or simply experience a negative reaction to the chemical composition of your new skincare product!
Whatever the reason, what you need is a "first aid" product in our inventory to quickly soothe irritated skin. Here, we've identified ingredients that can soothe irritated skin and restore it to its original state. Find products with these ingredients using our brand new soothing filter!
Soothing skincare ingredients:
1. Niacinamide
Also known as vitamin B3. By now you would know how much we love this ingredient! Niacinamide not only helps strengthen the skin barrier, it also has anti-inflammatory and brightening properties. Keep an eye out for this ingredient that solves multiple problems at once!
2. Panthenol
An ingredient that is friendly to sensitive skin. Panthenol acts as a great humectant, helping your skin retain moisture. In addition, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that relieve dryness, itching, and redness in your skin.
3. Allantoin
Another best friend for sensitive skin! You can find allantoin in several plant sources like beets, wheat germ, and tobacco. In addition to smoothing skin texture, you can also expect allantoin to speed up wound healing and relieve dry, itchy skin.
4. Green tea extract
Topically applying green tea extract can provide many benefits to your skin. It is rich in polyphenols, which are a highly effective antioxidant with extensive soothing properties. Green tea extract is often labeled as camellia sinensis leaf extract in products. Keep an eye out for it the next time you’re shopping for soothing skin products. While you’re at it, don’t forget to also use the Mega Ingredient Filter in your Picky app while doing your research!
5. Colloidal oats
An "FDA-approved" skin protectant ingredient since 2003. Colloidal Oats is scientifically proven to be effective in relieving dryness, itching and skin discomfort. The FDA has also classified it as a safe and effective ingredient for the treatment of certain skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. (FDA=Food & Drug Administration USA, the same as our "Health Authority".
6. Aloe vera extract
Don't be fooled by this plant! While it may look fierce and intimidating from the outside, aloe vera is actually packed with soothing properties to soothe skin irritation on the inside. It has been used for centuries to treat burns and wounded soldiers during wartime. Now, skincare enthusiasts are looking to this ingredient to help treat sunburn and burn cases!
7. Chamomile extract
Drinking a cup of chamomile tea before bed can help you relax, relieve stress, and promote a good night’s sleep. The active ingredients in chamomile include a volatile oil called bisabolol. Bisabolol has strong anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritation when applied topically. Its benefits don’t stop there—it’s also rich in antioxidants that improve overall skin health!
8. Centella asiatica extract
Cica, short for centella asiatica, is a medicinal plant that has been used in folk medicine for hundreds of years. The active ingredients in these ingredients are asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid. These active ingredients are rich in benefits – they improve the speed of wound healing, promote collagen production, and also have a soothing effect on irritated skin.
9. Licorice Root Extract
Licorice root extract not only evens out skin tone, it also effectively soothes the skin. This is due to its glabridin component, which is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
All of these ingredients help to relieve skin irritation, itching and redness by dampening our skin's sensitizing factors (or inflammatory cells). Once we dampen these factors, our skin will slowly recover to its 'normal' and healthier state!
Prevention is of course better than cure. Check out these skincare tips to prevent unpleasant episodes of skin irritation!
1. Don't wash your skin too much
One of the most important, but also potentially damaging, steps in your skincare routine is cleansing. As a rule of thumb, you should try to minimize the number of times you wash your face when your skin feels irritated.
For example, if you wake up with raw, red, and irritated skin, don't be afraid to skip cleansing. Instead, you can wash your face with just water before moving on to the rest of your skincare routine. However, always make sure to cleanse your face thoroughly at night.
2. Skip exfoliating ingredients and other potentially irritating ingredients while your skin recovers.
Being too aggressive with your skincare routine can actually damage your skin. If you struggle with irritated skin, stop using potentially irritating active ingredients! These ingredients include exfoliating ingredients (AHA, BHA), retinoids, and vitamin C.
Remember, our primary task right now is to restore our skin barrier and soothe irritation. You can incorporate these ingredients back into your routine once your skin is back to normal!
3. Avoid products that contain high levels of fragrance or essential oils.
You're better off avoiding these controversial ingredients if your skin is irritated or if you were simply born with sensitive skin.
