Shedding of dead skin cells is a natural process, however some skin cells stick to the skin surface which forms a layer of dead skin cells upon the skin that makes the skin look dull and uneven skin texture. Exfoliating is essential for glowing skin as it helps in clearing out the buildup of dead skin cells from the skin surface and gives a brighter looking skin.
However for reactive or sensitive skin exfoliation looks a disaster rather than a recipe. As harsh physical scrubs can fully lead to damaged skin barrier which leads to redness, dryness and increased skin breakouts. Therefore, advancements in technology makes the skin care formulations safer for even sensitive or reactive skin.
In this guide we shall discuss what makes the skin sensitive, what to look for in a scrub and the right way to exfoliate the face will help you to pick the right face scrub for your sensitive skin which provides the benefits without causing any unnecessary skin problem.
What Makes the Skin Sensitive or Reactive?
Both the skin types are the result of compromised skin barrier which acts as a protective shield against harmful substances. Sensitive skin is one of the skin types and their skin generally produces lesser protective lipids like ceramides which are responsible for making skin barrier and have a thinner epidermal layer. As a result, microscopic nerve endings are closer to the outer surface and get easily triggered and cause redness or irritation.
However, reactive skin is a temporary skin condition as is often caused by external factors such as harsh scrubs or face cleansers that strips out the skin’s natural moisture and results in weakened skin barrier and causes water loss and entry of harmful substances into the skin.
Is Face Scrub Good For Sensitive Skin?
This is the most asked question by many people and the simple answer to this is face scrub is only good if the product contains gentle formula and is used in the right way.
Generally traditional physical scrubs which consist of sharp, edged physical exfoliants particles which scratch the surfaces and cause micro injury on the skin and ultimately results in damaging the skin barrier. For that reason, these scrubs are not good for sensitive skin and should be avoided.
However a chemical exfoliant which contains gentle formula and safe ingredients such as lactic acid is more beneficial for sensitive or reactive skin as it kindly exfoliates the skin surface to remove the dead accumulated skin cells without causing any unwanted skin problem.
What to Look For in Scrub?
While choosing the right face scrub for sensitive skin out of all these available scrubs can be quite complicated. However these key characteristics help you to pick the the right face scrub for sensitive skin:
1. Fragrance Free Formula
Many face scrubs contain artificial perfumes or colorants which can fully cause allergic skin reactions and skin irritation while it does not offer any real skin benefits. That’s why you should look for a face scrub which is free from synthetic perfumes, colorants and should be non-comedogenic which helps in avoiding any unwanted skin related issues.
2. Gentle Chemical Exfoliants
While picking a chemical exfoliants, a lattice acid based face scrub works best for sensitive, reactive skin type as it is more gentle than other exfoliants as it kindly removes the assembled dead skin cells from the skin surface without compromising the skin barrier.
3. Barrier Supporting Ingredients
Checking the ingredients list is also important while picking the face scrub. You should look for barrier supporting ingredients such as ceramides or glycerin which helps in soothing the potential irritation after exfoliation.
4. Ultra-Gentle Exfoliating Agents
However if you want to use a physical scrub then you can look for rounded, soft and ultra fine exfoliating particles that gently rolls over the skin without causing micro tears on the skin and removes the dead skin cells from the skin surface.
Right Way to Exfoliate the Face
Using the face scrub in the proper manner is also important to avoid any unwanted skin related problems. Follow the expert tips to exfoliate the face correctly:
- Always start by washing your face with a gentle face cleanser to remove the skin impurities from the skin.
- Take a small amount of scrub on the hands and kindly rub it on the wet skin.
- Make sure you avoid harsh scrubbing during face scrubbing. Kindly massage in the circle’s motion for 30-60 seconds and clear off the residue.
- Moreover avoid areas like eye, lip or breakouts as the skin is delicate and can cause irritation.
- Apply a gentle and hydrating moisturizer within 60 seconds to properly lock in moisture.
How to Patch Test the Face Scrub?
For people with sensitive skin, a patch test is important as it will help in checking whether the product is actually suitable for skin or not. Tips to properly patch test the scrub:
- Apply a tiny amount of scrub on the area which is generally thicker like the inner forearm or side of your neck.
- Rub the scrub kindly for 30-45 seconds and completely rinse off with water.
- Now leave the area completely bare, do not apply any lotion, oil or other skin care products. Check after 24-48 hours to monitor the area.
If you notice redness or irritation then the product is not suitable for your skin. However if you see clear and calm skin then it is safer to apply on the face.
Conclusion
Sensitive or reactive skin is hard to tackle as their skin easily gets irritated by external factors like pollution, UV light and even skin products play a role in it. A face scrub is a great option for achieving a glowing and smooth skin. Knowing about what to look for in a scrub, right way to exfoliate and tips for patch test help you to select the right scrub for sensitive skin that provides benefits without causing any unnecessary irritation.
