Intolerance to Sensitive Skincare Products

by Melinda

I have suffered sensitive skin all my life. I sometimes have clear skin which will quickly deteriorate into peeling, rashes or acne in response to products that I have built up an intolerance to or to stress. I am keen to try the Cleure products and/or the Xtend life products. Which would you recommend? Is it possible that I may develop an intolerance to these products after a while as I have with everything else?

Thank you for pointing out that natural does not always mean safe! I have experienced this first hand. I have well meaning friends and family that constantly supply/recommend natural products. I actually find I react more to these than many of the chemicals.

I am concerned about aging. I am almost 40 and feel that my skin looks older than it should.

Thanks for the good work.

Melinda

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Our reply

Hi Melinda, thanks so much for your warm words of support! I'm so glad our site is helpful for you! Yes, many natural substances are potent medicines, and that is not necessarily a bad thing, however sensitive skin will often react to these substances. Also, our skin changes over time, so what worked one day or during one season, may not work the next. Yes, it can be quite frustrating!

I do have a question for you, and I am hoping you may be able to answer this in the "comments" area below, so that I can be more helpful. Can you share more about your experience of developing an intolerance to your skincare products? What happens, and is there any pattern you notice?

Many natural skincare products contain bioactive ingredients, these are potent natural substances that cause a change in the skin. They have different properties, for example they may reduce inflammation, or brighten skin, reduce wrinkles, etc.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, however most sensitive skin will react when trying any kind of new product that contains bioactives. That is why many people with sensitive skin use hypoallergenic products, as they are designed to be free of most of the ingredients that would cause a reaction, or at least they are supposed to! See our page on hypoallergenic products for more on this.

The reason why we recommend Cleure is that they are the only hypoallergenic products we've found that do not contain chemical irritants that can cause skin reactions. Please see our Safe Cosmetics Guide for more on the chemicals found in most skincare products.

The challenge with sensitive skin when you get older and want some of the nice anti-aging benefits that some skincare products provide, is that most antiagning skin care products contain bioactives which can cause a reaction.

With my own skin, I have had to find a balance between gentle, hypoallergenic products, and also finding products that offer a little extra help for my skin. What I've learned is that when you are using a more bioactive product line, you need to go very slowly and to make any transitions very slowly.

What I would recommend for you is to look at what your skin most needs right now. Is it very aggravated and needing help to calm down and stop the inflammation? If so, I recommend the Cleure products which are simple, safe, and effective without being overwhelming to the skin. Their night cream especially has an excellent anti-aging benefit.

If you are feeling that your skin needs some "intervention", or some extra help to address specific skin issues, then you can consider using one of the more bioactive lines. From what I know so far, the Xtend life products are among the gentler of the anti-aging skin care products, they are designed to provide a significant benefit without creating irritation.

There are also other options depending on what your skin needs. One skincare line we recommend claims to be self adjusting to the constantly changing needs of the skin. I find this is the case, and they do provide some of the most significant benefits in visible wrinkle reduction and brightening of the skin. This skincare line is the most bioactive of all that I have seen, and so any transitions need to be made very slowly. You can read more at our wholesale skincare products page.

I hope this is helpful for you Melinda. I wish you much success in finding a the right match for your sensitive skin!