Sensitive skin: how to recognize it and care for it

"I have sensitive skin": it is one of the most common phrases in cosmetics, and yet it covers different realities. This guide helps you understand your skin, spot what irritates it and build a gentle routine.

Sensitive, reactive, allergic skin: what is the difference?

  • Sensitive skin: it reacts easily (tingling, tightness, redness) to common factors such as cold, wind, friction, certain cosmetics or fragrance.
  • Reactive skin: it reacts more strongly and more quickly, with episodes of redness or heat.
  • Allergic skin: the reaction is due to a true allergy to an ingredient. It generally shows as patches, itching or swelling, and deserves medical advice.

The signs that should alert you

  • Tightness after cleansing or showering.
  • Redness that appears at the slightest change (temperature, new product).
  • Tingling when applying a product.
  • Skin that dries out and peels easily.

Why skin becomes sensitive

In most cases, the skin barrier is weakened: it lets water evaporate and irritants pass more easily. The causes are many: overly stripping cleansers, repeated exfoliation, cold, pollution, stress, fragrances. Strengthening the barrier is therefore the first step (see our guide on redness on sensitive skin).

The 5 rules of a routine for sensitive skin

  1. Simplify. Few products, but well chosen: a gentle cleanser, a moisturizing care and sun protection.
  2. Cleanse without stripping. Avoid very hot water and harsh scrubs. Try the Gentle Face & Body Cleanser or the Oil & Milk Cleanser.
  3. Choose formulas with no added fragrance when possible, like the Soothing Moisturizing Cream.
  4. Repair the barrier with ceramide care, for example the Ceramide Barrier Cream.
  5. Introduce actives gradually. One new product at a time, tested on a small area for 48 hours.

And actives?

Sensitive skin can use actives, provided they are introduced gently: niacinamide is generally well tolerated, plant-based retinol alternatives are gentler than classic retinol, and vitamin C is started every other day.

When to consult?

If redness, itching or patches persist for more than a few days despite a gentle routine, ask a doctor or dermatologist for advice: a cosmetic soothes, it does not replace a diagnosis.

Find all our face care and our guide to reading an INCI list to spot the ingredients that bother you.

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