People with sensitive skin - how do you make it calm down?

[ProjectGainsborough]

I've always had the hide of a rhino (facially, I cry like a baby if people are mean to me!)

Now for some reason, my skin has gone bumpy and red on the cheeks and just looks a bit shit. I'm trying to weed out the product that has done this to me, but I have no idea which one it is. In the meantime, what can I do to make it calm down again?

Rosacea? Have you had spicy food, been in a hot room, really acid food?

I don't have personal experiences with rosacea, if that's what you have. But i had issues with random spots, redness, dermatitis etc. Skin has massively improved since I ditched everything else and am using Dr Hauschka sensitive skin products. I use their Melisse cream, Calming mask and also this soothing treatment. www.dr.hauschka.com/en_GB/products/soothing-intensive-treatment/

I just don't use any products on my face anymore except one moisturiser that works.

if I wear make-up, eg for a wedding, I spend a week with a red face afterwards

I've never got to the bottom of what causes my flare ups so I just use as few products/ingredients as I can. Normally if I cleanse and moisturise with oil (e.g almond, wheatgerm or avacado) I can get away with sunscreen and a bit of foundation on top.

If I have a flare up, I use nothing but almond oil until it clears up.

Thanks all. I will almond oil and hope it goes away

Darphin Aromatic purifying balm. My skin is super sensitive to everything but this always calms it down when it flares up

Just wanted to update in case it's helpful to anyone. Read a thread on here that said they were ditching the flannel cleanse. I tried that and poof, skin went back to normal.

(I'm a single use flannel-er, so I don't think it can be bacteria from the flannel. Guess my skin just doesn't like it.)

I'm so sorry you're having these problems. If there's any way you can see a dermatologist, that would be a first step. If you're near London I have great recommendations.

Product wise, I clean my skin with Epaderm
(its a children's eczema cream, you can buy a big pump bottle for £14 in Boots), as recommended by my dermatologist. I also used La Roche Posay Cicaplast, which is amazing for sensitised skin (developed for post facial treaments so is very calming and nourishing). For bad eczema (and I'm not sure if that's what you have?) I used Protopic, which is a fairly new prescription treatment. It's the next stage on from steroids and doesn't have the long term skin issues they do, but is much more expensive.

After my skin calmed down, I was able to add in other products (Linda Meredith Amazon and some from Skinceuticals) but I always return to the above.

I had massive problems with my sensitive skin following cancer treatment, having always had perfect skin and I've continued with the above and now have no issues. Good luck.

Interesting post Texan thanks. I have tried lrp products in the past but they made my skin react. Do you have any experience with other lrp products? I'm wondering if it is worth another try.

I use Cetaphil which doesn't set anything off. I would like something a little more nourishing but am too afraid to try.

Hi margaritas, I've used their factor 50 but that's about it. Cicaplast is very mild; I use it on the DC too who have sensitive dry prone skin, like me. You can buy a smaller tube to try too, to see if it suits you.

I can sympathise completely. The number of products I've bought and not been able to use after the first try is ridiculous. At one stage, I could only use Epaderm ointment (which looks like lard!) and various steroids. Not fun. I hope you find something to help.

I also sympathise: I had a horrible allergic reaction to some new (and expensive) oil/blemish free make up last week, just before a special occasion :( I stopped double cleansing and using nut oils which seemed to be making it worse. LRP Rosaliac helped to calm it down. I also used Nelson's Calendula cream which got rid of the burning feeling. Maybe give Avene a try if you are allergic to LRP? My skin doesn't like being dried out but it doesn't seem to like being over hydrated either for long.

Thanks Texan I'm going to give it a whirl