Skin irritation: five products that work

When you suffer from irritated skin, you naturally want to be rid of it as soon as possible. Here we explain what causes irritation and what effect it can have on the skin. We also give tips that will quickly improve your skin condition.

Everyone’s skin is sensitive to some extent. It may become irritated, for example when it reacts to the environment around us or to something we apply to it. The reaction is not always visible. In many cases, this is a subcutaneous process. But the reaction may also build up, causing a rash or redness.

What causes irritated skin?

The main causes of irritated skin are sun damage, environmental factors (including the weather) and fragrances (including aromatic plant oils). Fragrances, whether synthetic or natural, are perhaps the least obvious cause of skin irritation. They usually smell lovely, but the scent of fragrant ingredients comes from a volatile reaction, which may cause skin irritation.

Effects of irritated skin

Often an irritated skin may involve more than just redness or itching. The skin will recover less easily if it is irritated, supporting substances such as collagen and elastin will be broken down and the outer layer (skin barrier) will be weakened.

Moreover, irritated skin has a higher chance of developing wrinkles, brown spots and other signs of skin ageing. In people with an oily skin, skin inflammations may have an effect on the nerve endings in the pores that stimulate hormone production, increasing sebum production and the likelihood of enlarged pores.

Five products that soothe irritated skin

Protect your skin with gentle, fragrance-free skin care products and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day. All Paula’s Choice products are fragrance-free and have been specially formulated not to irritate the skin. Here are our five favourite products that reduce skin irritation and sensitivity:

• Calm Repairing Serum
  Suited for all skin types. Immediately calms an irritated skin and reduces redness with mild yet highly effective ingredients such as antioxidants.
• Calm 1% BHA Exfoliant
  A gentle exfoliant lotion with a concentration of 1% BHA (salicylic acid) for all skin types. Helps reduce redness and inflammations. Cleanses the pores on the inside and improves the appearance of a rough, pimply skin.
• Earth Sourced Perfectly Natural Cleansing Gel
  A light cleansing gel that cleanses sensitive skin very gently. Suited for all skin types, especially skins that tend to get irritated quickly.
• Calm Moisturizer SPF 30 - Normal to dry skin
  Gentle, moisturising cream containing only mineral sunscreens. Offers protection against the sun and contains antioxidants to prevent skin ageing and to limit the damage caused by free radicals. Consider using Calm Moisturizer SPF30 - Combination to oily skin if you have oily or combination skin.
• Clinical Ultra Rich Moisturizer
  Specialised, rich cream for very dry skin. Helps strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and protect it against moisture loss for up to 12 hours.

Take a look at the full range of Paula’s Choice products for more skin care products for sensitive skin.

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• Fragrance-free products: essential for sensitive skin