Sensitive skin

Sheabutter

Sensitive skin needs a thicker coat

It is often thin-skinned in the truest sense of the word, often dry, but definitely very delicate: That is why sensitive skin reacts to smallest influences that will leave more robust skin completely unmoved.

The reason may be certain ingredients of cosmetics, cleaning products, physical irritants like water or cold, allergens in your environment, foods, textiles or metals. But also stress, escitement and sorrow may throw your skin out of balance.

That’s when it shows redness, starts itching or burning, and shows pimples or wheals. Worst case results are neurodermatitis or psoriasis.

No other skin requires such an intense and loving care program. With such maintenance you provide the skin with a „thicker coat“ and lowered vulnerability.

Sensitive skin: vulnerable and hypersensitive

Sensitive skin means that the protective barrier is no longer working. The skin lacks in fat and moisture in order to build up a working shield of horn cells with a smooth hydrolipidic film.

The result: It becomes very permeable. Moisture escapes so that the skin dries out to the extreme. Additionally, allergens and irritants like bacteria have no problem getting in from the outside, and cuase inflammations.

This becomes visible in rashes: Special watcher cells from the immune system „sound the alarm“. Immediately blood and lymph fluid is transported to the affected regions, the skin becomes red, swells, and creates itching or burning pimples and blisters.

Skin may also react to emotional stress. After all, it is full of thousands of nerve fibres and continuously registers signals – even from our psyche.

Making sensitive skin strong again

There is not much to do against hereditary sensitive skin. However, it can be calmed down, and it can be strengthened. In order to do that, it needs to rebuild the protective barrier, and it needs to be kept from drying out.

Additionally it is important to attentively observe the skin and to „sense“ what it needs and what it needs to be kept away from. That’s because the triggers for redness and inflammations are quite variable and individual – and the skin’s „mood“ is not constant. Tipps:

Maintenance from within

  • For a healthy build-up the skin needs many nutrients. That is why you need to eat balanced, and eat everything you can stomach (try it out!): It is ideal to eat vegetables, fruits, whole grain and dairy products daily, eat fish twice a weeks – and to not eat meat and sausages more than twice a week. Eat lots of fresh foods, as preservatives and additives may irritate the skin.
  • Vegetable oils with polyunsaturated fatty acids are preferable, for example rapeseed, linseed, walnut, corn, safflower and sunflower seed oil. Many neurodermatitis patients profit from evening primrose oil or borage oil due to their linoleic acid.
  • Avoid spicy seasonings, as they pack a lot of „heat“ and may redden the skin.
  • Dink a lot, at least 1 ½ to 2 litres a day. That moisturises the skin from within and supports all skin functions.
  • Avoid stimulants like alcohol and cigarettes
  • Get enough sleep and fresh air – that doesn’t only help your skin, but your psyche as well.
  • Do what „caresses“ your soul and relaxes you, maybe learn some relaxation methods

Maintenance from outside

  • Very important: Even if the itching is arduous, do not scratch! That wounds the already irritated skin even more. Scratches, or even micro tears, allow bacteria or irritants to enter the skin and further worsen the situation.Better: Pinch the skin where it itches. The pinching sensation distracts from the itching and doesn’t hurt the skin. If you tend to scratch yourself in your sleep, consider gloves for sleeping so your fingernails can not do any damage.
  • Avoid anything that robs your skin of fat and moisture, such as long showers, hot baths … Also see Dry skin
  • A good guideline for cosmetics: Less is more! Products with as few ingredients as possible are preferable, as the skin may react to aromas, preservatives and dyes. Also avoid alcohols or peelings as they will irritate the skin.
  • Try unrefined, pure shea butter soap for cleaning. It is very mild and gently removes dirt. As it provides moisture and fat it simultaneously maintains the skin – a special extra for dry and sensitive skin. More about Shea butter soap
  • A wonderful cream can be found in unrefined shea butter by KARITÉ naturelle. Its natural ingredients are similar to our skin fat and ideal for building up a healthy protictive barrier from scratch. It improves the skin’s ability to bind moisture, regenerates stressed skin and has anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, shea butter can alleviate neurodermatitis and psoriasis. More about Shea butter

Tipp

Apply to face and body daily, and massage it in gently. After every cleaning or contact with water, it is important to apply cream! You may also apply extra dosages throughout the day to especially dry or irritated skin areas. And: Apply shea butter in larges doses to areas affected by neurodermatitis – ideally let it sit for several hours in the evening, and in the end remove surplus gently.

  • In order to relax the skin in cases of irritation or inflammation, our naturally pure argan oil is also perfect. It provides moisture and important nutrients to the skin, and accelerates the healing of damaged areas. It gets problematic skin back into balance and improves its resistance. More about Argan oil

Tipp

Use daily instead of shea butter for certain areas like the face. Or use in addition to the butter. Just try what does most for you. We also offer shea butter with argan oil as a „maintenance plus“ additive.

  • The precious naturally pure prickly pear pit oil by KARITÉ naturelle is instensely moisturising and nourishing, calms down inflammations and irritations of the skin and is an excellent addtional product for sensitive skin. More about Prickly pear pit oil

Proper skin care: how is your skin doing?

Beautiful skin

You don’t know skin problems, your skin looks beautiful and healthy? Congratulations! How to naturally keep it that way and make it stronger:

Beautiful skin

Dry skin

You are plagued by dry skin? What you can do against tension, itching and wrinkles:

Dry skin

Fatty skin

Your skin is fatty and tends to develop impurities and pimples? Then you have to keep some things in mind for the skin care.

Fatty skin

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin often reacts severely, shows redness, rashes, is prone to allergic reactions and neurodermatitis. What stabilises it and makes it stronger:

Sensitive skin

Stressed skin

Lots of sun, lots of water, heat or cold, but also handling of irritants, a large baby belly, or fresh scars may strain the skin. With proper care, it will still stay fit.

Stressed skin

Tired, pale skin

Your skin looks tired and pale, looks saggy and is full of lines and wrinkles? When blood circulation and vigour are lacking, a „fountain of youth“ is direly needed:

Tired, pale skin