Sensitive skin is hyper-reactive. This manifests as tightness, tingling, itching, irritation, heat sensations, and sometimes redness. These discomforting sensations appear in an exacerbated manner in response to stimuli. These symptoms can manifest on the face or across the entire body. It is often advised against performing exfoliations on this type of skin. But what is the real situation? Let's focus.
Exfoliation for sensitive skin: how to choose and apply it?
Summary
Published on February 16, 2024, by Maylis, Chemical Engineer — 6 min of reading
Themes:
Mechanical exfoliations, treatments to be avoided for sensitive skin.
Sensitive skin often signifies an increased reactivity to friction as well as certain compounds.
For those with sensitive and/or allergic skin, it is recommended to favour gentle, hydrating/nourishing treatments and to avoid products containing perfumes and irritating surfactants such as sulfates. As a reminder, there are several types of exfoliation, all of which serve a similar purpose: to remove dead skin cells and stimulate cell renewal. These different types of exfoliation include chemical exfoliation, enzymatic exfoliation, and mechanical exfoliation (or grain exfoliation).
Mechanical exfoliants should be avoided for sensitive skin. One should turn to chemical or enzymatic exfoliants as these do not require overly abrasive rubbing.
Chemical and enzymatic exfoliations, the best alternatives for sensitive skin.
It is recommended to choose a facial scrub specifically designed for sensitive skin, gentle, to be emulsified with water or ideally, for an exfoliating treatment based onfruit acids which requires no rubbing.
Fruit acids such as blackberry, blackcurrant or even raspberry acids are enzymatic exfoliating agents. They remove dead cells on the skin's surface for an immediate radiance boost. They reveal smoother skin and a refined skin texture.
Chemical peeling differs from enzymatic exfoliation in terms of the exfoliating agents used.In chemical peeling, the acids typically used are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic acid or lactic acid, beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid, or poly hydroxy acids (PHAs) such as gluconolactone.
Enzymatic and chemical exfoliations offer numerous benefits for skin balance. A wide range of formats exist: peeling or exfoliating lotion, peeling or exfoliating mask, serum, or even powder that transforms into foam upon contact with water.Their benefits are as follows.
A targeted action: the enzymes included in the skincare product act solely on impurities and dead cells;
A soft texture for the skin, ideal for irritated or sensitive skin;
A rapid action, which operates effectively in just a few minutes;
The feeling of clean and light skin after the session: the surface of the epidermis is better oxygenated. The skin texture is tightened and as a result, skin ageing slows down;
Generally, theabsence of tingling or pulling sensations that can be felt during a traditional mechanical exfoliation. Caution, very sensitive skin types should favour lactic acid over glycolic acid for chemical exfoliations.
How to properly use a chemical exfoliant?
Firstly, it is essential to remove makeup and cleanse the skin with gentle treatments recommended for sensitive skin. Each evening, apply ourmakeup removing oilwhich is fragrance-free, to rid your skin of the residues that have accumulated throughout the day. If you prefer a texture that transforms from balm - oil - milk, opt for thecleansing balmwithcamellia oil. This removes makeup from the face and eyes and cleanses gently. The skin is left supple, soft and comfortable.
Depending on the formulation of the chemical and/or enzymatic scrub, the method of use can vary (whether it requires rinsing or not, whether it is used in the evening or not). For rinse-off formulas, apply 3 to 4 drops of your exfoliant to the face and neck in circular motions, avoiding the eye contour, and leave on for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. As for the no-rinse chemical peels, these are applied by gently massaging the face in circular motions, avoiding the eye contour. Certain active ingredients such as glycolic acid or lactic acid increase the skin's sensitivity to the sun. Up to a week after use, the risk of sunburn is therefore higher. Therefore, they should not be used in the morning, and appropriate sun protection should be applied the next day. Moreover, initial uses may cause slight redness as the skin adjusts to the molecule. These effects fade after several uses. Discover our gentle peeling serum containing 10% lactic acid.
Calming the skin after exfoliation, an essential step.
Once the exfoliation is done, opt for soothing treatments. For instance, we have developed asoothing serumwith 9 specific ingredients for sensitive and reactive skin. Minimalist and fragrance-free, it hydrates and soothes the skin while reducing redness from hypersensitivity. It has been dermatologically tested and contains 99% naturally derived ingredients. Its soothing action is primarily due to thebeta-Glucan. This natural polysaccharide reduces skin hypersensitivity by stimulating the skin barrier's self-defence capabilities and accelerating the skin repair process. It also has a strong hydrating power. If you prefer a cream texture, theface moisturising creamwith 9 ingredients hydrates and nourishes the epidermis. It is enriched withhyaluronic acidandcoconut oil. Its texture is suitable for sensitive skin.
