Sensitive skin” causes skin irritation, redness, and burning. Many men may be concerned about how to choose a lotion, as skincare products can irritate the skin. In this issue, we will introduce the key points for choosing a lotion for sensitive skin, as well as recommended products.
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What is sensitive skin to begin with?
Sensitive skin is skin that is sensitive to various stimuli, such as a burning sensation after cleansing or applying lotion, or a feeling of tightness. In fact, although there is no clear dermatological definition, it is said to be caused by a deterioration of the skin’s barrier function. Symptoms vary from person to person, but if left untreated, it can lead to skin problems such as itching at the slightest touch or acne/pimples forming easily. Because of this, it is also referred to as a trouble skin condition. However, if the skin is not weak or allergic to begin with, it is possible to lead it to healthy skin by basically improving the barrier function. As the saying goes, “the skin knows best,” so it is worth trying various skincare products to find the one that suits you best.
How to choose a lotion for sensitive skin! Check 3 points!
The most important factor to consider when using lotion for sensitive skin is “skin-friendliness. Even if it contains good beauty ingredients, if it irritates the skin, it is meaningless. Here, we will explain the key points of lotion that is gentle to the skin and useful for improving sensitive skin.
How to choose a lotion for sensitive skin (1) “Check if it contains ingredients that enhance the barrier function!
A major cause of sensitive skin is ” deterioration of the barrier function. There are various causes for this deterioration, such as dryness, friction, ultraviolet rays, over-washing, etc. In any case, it is important to enhance the barrier function through skincare products. The skin’s natural barrier function consists of three elements: intercellular lipids, natural moisturizing factor (NMF), and sebum membrane, which are believed to be capable of creating moisturizing components and storing moisture in the stratum corneum. The balance of these three elements is important, so it is recommended that the following ingredients be selected to support these elements.
Ingredients that enhance the barrier function: “ceramide
Ceramide is the main component of intercellular lipids, and is essential for supporting skin moisture retention and making the skin more moisturized. Intercellular lipids play a part in the barrier function of the stratum corneum, filling the space between stratum corneum cells and preventing the intrusion of external stimuli and excessive evaporation of moisture from the body. In addition, it is said that sensitive skin tends to be particularly deficient in lipid, so it is effective to supplement it with skincare products.
Amino acids”: Ingredients that enhance the barrier function
Natural moisturizing factor (NMF), the skin’s moisture component, is made up of about 40% amino acids. Since it is important to increase the moisture content of the skin to improve the barrier function, amino acids are also an important ingredient to supply. Incidentally, NMF contains about 16 types of amino acids. Amino acids include serine, glycine, alanine, arginine, proline, and glutamine, to name just a few in order of abundance.
Oil”: Ingredient that improves the barrier function
Oil is mainly supplied by milky lotions and creams, so it is not particularly important in lotion selection. However, if the lotion also contains some oil, it will make the skin more moist. It is a good idea to choose an oil with natural ingredients to create a pseudo sebum film.
How to choose a lotion for sensitive skin (2) “Avoid ingredients that may cause irritation as much as possible.
Ingredients that are not problematic for normal skin may cause irritation or damage to delicate skin. For this reason, it is safe to avoid “mineral oil, synthetic surfactants, alcohol (ethanol), parabens, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, and UV absorbers,” which can easily irritate allergic or acne-prone skin. Lotion without these ingredients is often labeled “additive-free” or “hypoallergenic” on the package. In addition, if the product has been allergy tested, you can use it with more peace of mind.
How to choose a lotion for sensitive skin (3) “Moisturizing power is also a key factor.
When skin is in a sensitive state, the barrier function is disrupted and moisture in the skin evaporates more easily than on normal skin. Therefore, it is important to lock moisture into the skin through moisturizing care. Beauty ingredients such as ceramide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid are easy to use even on sensitive skin because they are naturally present in the skin. They also retain moisture quite well and would be ideal for lotion for sensitive skin.
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