When people hear "sensitive skin" I think they picture someone who just has to be a bit careful with not putting too many things on their skin. For me, it's never been that simple.
I've had sensitive, reactive skin my whole life. And I mean my whole life really. And it's not only my face. My body is just as reactive, which adds to the challenge I guess. Growing up, I went through things that went way beyond just "my skin is a bit sensitive." I've dealt with eczema, which anyone who's had it knows is not just dry skin, it's intensely itchy, sometimes painful, and it flares up at the worst times. I had it on my arms, sometimes on my eyes or behind my knees. These issues affected how I felt in my own skin for a long time.
But even outside of those bigger experiences, the day-to-day stuff is also kind of exhausting. I'm allergic to most soaps and shampoos, and finding products that work for something as basic as washing my hair or my body has always required way more effort than it should. And then there are little things you wouldn't even think about, like the fact that if I spill food on my cheeks or chin when I'm eating, I'll get a rash. One wrong move and I look like a freshly peeled tomato.
Living like this for your whole life does something to you. You become hyperaware of everything, what you're putting on your skin, what you're eating, what detergent you're using, what fabric is touching your face. It's a lot to think about, especially when you're younger and you just don't want to think about things like that. But eventually I decided to stop just dealing with it and actually try to understand it. And that started with learning about my skin type.
For a while I thought your skin could only be oily or dry, no in between. I actually learned about the term "combination skin" really late, maybe in my first year of college. It basically means your skin can't make up its mind and wants to be both oily and dry at the same time. Which is exactly how my skin is. I have areas that get oily, and then I have patches that are genuinely dry and flaky. On top of that, my skin is sensitive and reactive, so I'm not just managing oiliness in some areas and dryness in others, I'm doing all of that while also making sure I don't trigger a reaction. Balance really is the key.
When it comes to ingredients, fragrance is the big one I avoid. It's in so many products and it's one of the most common irritants for sensitive skin. The moment I started cutting out fragranced products, my skin calmed down noticeably. More generally, I try to keep my routine as simple as possible. The fewer products touching my face, the less chance of a reaction. I'm not doing a ten-step routine, it's way too much for me.
The same logic applies to makeup. I wear as little as possible. Foundation is a hard no for me, honestly the idea of something covering my entire face all day makes me nervous. Most of my makeup goes on my eyes and lips, where my skin tends to be less reactive.
And then there's the touching thing. I really don't want other people touching my skin. It's not about being precious, it's just that my skin reacts to almost everything, and that includes hands. So I'm very firm about it, and people in my life have learned to respect that.
I'm still figuring it out, honestly. But I understand my skin a lot better now than I ever did before. You try, sometimes you fail, and sometimes you succeed. That's how you get to know yourself better, and find what suits you best.
