Seeing Red: Your Step-by-Step Skincare Routine for Irritated Skin - BioRepublic SkinCare | Face Mask Sheets | Vegan Skincare

Seeing Red: Your Step-by-Step Skincare Routine for Irritated Skin

When you look in the mirror, are you seeing red? If you have irritated, sensitive skin, you're hardly alone. An estimated seven out of 10 women have sensitive skin that leaves them more prone to annoying redness, uncomfortable tingling, and pesky breakouts. Don't let red, irritated skin ruin your day. With the right pampering and nourishing, you can rejuvenate your skin's health, soothe away redness, and restore your complexion's natural, flawless beauty.  

Nothing to Blush About: Your 5-Step Routine For Red, Irritated Skin

1. Detox Your Skin From the Most Common Skin Irritants

If you have the telltale signs of skin inflammation and irritation — redness, patchy color, breakouts, tiny bumps, etc. — don't grab your makeup concealer just yet.

Instead of simply covering up your irritated skin, you'll want to eliminate some of the most common irritants that trigger inflammation and irritation. Our goal here isn't just to hide your skin health concerns, but to truly keep your skin looking and feeling its absolute healthiest from the inside out.

Check your makeup, skincare treatments and even your hairstyling products for some of the most common culprits that may be triggering skin irritation:

  • Artificial fragrances
  • Very harsh exfoliants (ingredients like alpha hydroxy acid can help rejuvenate your skin, but may be too harsh for sensitive, irritated complexions)
  • Sodium lauryl sulfates
  • Alcohol (including variations like ethanol)

Skin irritation may also be a sign of some deeper health concerns, such as:

  • Food allergies
  • Seasonal allergies
  • Contact allergies (i.e. allergies to something in your clothes)
  • Medications
  • Poor diet

If you suspect that there's something going on in your skin above and beyond your skincare routine, talk with your doctor or a dermatologist. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so skin irritation, inflammation and redness is often your body's way of warning you and saying, "Girl, come check this out!"

2. Gently Cleanse and Soothe

Always cleanse your skin before applying any sort of topical treatment for irritated skin. If your skin irritation is due to an allergy or a reaction to something on your skin, gently washing your face helps removes the source of the problem.

Try a colloidal oatmeal-based facial cleanser and toner. It's not just marketing hype: Dermatological studies have found that colloidal oatmeal contains potent anti-inflammatory compounds that soothe and heal irritated skin. Plus, oatmeal cleansers leave behind a bit of a protective film that can guard against additional irritation.

When you're cleansing your irritated skin, consider a few more insider tips to banish redness and inflammation:

  • Splash with cool (not cold) water. The lower temperatures can help ease irritation and temporarily reduce redness. Avoid very cold or hot water, which dries your skin and leaves it more susceptible to future irritation.
  • Use just your fingers to massage the cleanser into your skin. Loofahs, scrubbing mitts and other rough treatments are a no-no when it comes to sensitive, irritation-prone skin.
  • Pat your skin dry with a soft, natural-fiber cloth. Don't rub your face while drying it — friction can further irritate your skin and strip it of its natural protective oils.

3. Apply a Calming Ceramides-Based Moisturizer

Creams are ideal if you have dry skin. Serums are more lightweight and are the perfect pairing for skin that's more prone to oil buildup and acne.

Whatever you choose, moisturize immediately after cleansing your irritated skin. This does two things:

  • It traps in the moisture, keeping your complexion radiant and glowing
  • It builds a physical shield between your skin and any potential irritants in the air or the general environment

There are numerous options on the market. As usual, check the ingredients label to ensure the moisturizer doesn't contain irritating chemicals, such as alcohol or fragrances.

For the best results with irritated skin, you may wish to use a ceramides-based moisturizer. Ceramides are a type of fat that's naturally found in your skin. Thus, it helps moisturize your complexion, and protect against visible signs of aging and stress, all while being very sensitive skin-friendly.

And because ceramides are naturally occurring in your skin, you can even use a ceramides-based moisturizer on sensitive areas that tend to be the most prone to irritation, such as the delicate skin around your eyes.

4. Target Your Skin Irritation With a Soothing Facial Sheet Mask

Invest in a high-quality soothing facial sheet mask if you want to quickly eliminate skin redness and irritation, and proactively prevent irritation and redness from reoccurring.

Sheet masks are especially beneficial for irritated skin because they:

  • Deliver a high dose of skin-soothing active ingredients targeted right at your problem-prone areas
  • Create gentle, cooling compression on your skin surface to help alleviate signs of inflammation and irritation
  • Help to physically lock in moisture and rebuild your skin's moisture barrier, making it more resistant to future instances of skin irritation

For the best results, try BioRepublic's Soothe and Calm Organic Facial Sheet Mask at least twice a week after you've cleaned your skin.

It helps to immediately and effectively eliminate redness and irritation with active ingredients like

  • Chamomile extract
  • Aloe vera juice
  • Snow mushroom extract

And just like all of BioRepublic's skincare products, this soothing facial mask is completely clean, meaning you won't find any ingredients or chemicals that will trigger skin irritation, inflammation, redness or breakouts.

5. Take a Skin-Savvy Supplement

Are you on the pill? No, not that pill. Skincare-savvy women know that their supplement choices can have a big impact on their skin's glow and radiance, and that's especially true if you're battling chronic skin inflammation.

Researchers have identified a handful of supplements (pun intended) that may help to soothe and heal your irritated skin from the inside out:

  • Alpha-lipoic acid: It's been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body, from your skin to your liver to your heart
  • Curcumin: The active compound in the turmeric spice doesn't just flavor your favorite Indian dishes, but it also reduces irritation, inflammation and redness
  • Fish oil: The healthy omega-3 fats in fish have been shown to soothe inflammation, and even improves skin moisture levels
  • Spirulina: This algae supplement isn't just a potent inflammation-fighter, but it also has anti-aging properties to help keep your complexion looking youthful

Remember, just because it's natural doesn't mean it's harmless. Before changing up your supplements game, talk to your doctor to ensure these supplements don't interact with any other medications or health concerns you may have.

Your Skincare Action Plan

Don't let red, irritated skin sabotage your confidence. Soothe inflammation and restore your skin's natural beauty and resilience by:

  • Avoiding skin-irritating ingredients and only using clean beauty products.
  • Cleansing your skin with an anti-inflammatory cleanser
  • Applying a gentle moisturizer that uses ceramides to heal and repair irritated skin
  • Targeting your skin irritation twice a week with a soothing, calming organic facial sheet mask
  • Managing skin inflammation and irritation from the inside out with skin-savvy supplements

To learn more about the importance of clean beauty products for all skincare concerns, explore BioRepublic's complete line of facial sheet masks today!



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