What is going on with my skin?

[Phunkychicken]

Last night I cleaned my skin (with Byoma and LRP), used azelaic acid and niacinamide as per and M&S sleep formula cream and have woken this morning like a beetroot.

I have used all of these many times before fine but today this!

Should I keep up with the azelaic and niacinamide (I used to get from skin and me but just buy my own now), try something else or what?

Am 50, on full whack HRT and did eat gluten last night I think I am intolerant to. Hmmm, actually maybe it's that!?

PS it's much hotter and redder IRL

My skin got much more sensitive as I got older, with reactions to things that I’d tolerated previously. My first port of call if i have signs of skin irritation, is to pause everything I’m putting on my skin and see what happens. It’s then possible to work out if it’s a specific product, or maybe an issue related to general health.

Look up contact dermatitis for information.

Edited to add: this is NOT medical advice. To be on the safe side I would use the online 111 service or ask a pharmacist for advice.

I suspect you have developed a sensitivity to the products you are using on your skin. Skin sensitivity can increase with age, and can be hormonal. You can also develop rosacea. This happened to me when the cleanser ( Clearasil sensitive) I had used for decades changed formula without me realising ( duh) and I ended up with rosacea and broken veins ( I did a thread on this).The suspect ingredient in my case was niacinamide, which can be a great ingredient, but which a lot of people develop a sensitivity to and it can really wreak havoc. Azaleic acid. is another great ingredient, but again, it can be harsh. If it's not your skincare something else could have triggered your skin, so ask yourself if your skin could have been exposed to any new products in the environment (cleaning products, washing powder, perfume ( yours or someone else's) etc). The first step would be to be absolutely gentle with your skin. Stop using the products to see if it will settle down. Either use nothing for a few days whilst it settles ( splashing cool water on you face to cleanse, dab dry gently with a soft towel) or very gentle products (remember that products marked as " sensitive" aren't necessarily so). You don't want actives at this point. I use QV Gentle Wash to cleanse and argan oil to moisturise. Gluten can be a trigger for rosacea, so if you are sensitive to this, I wound avoid that obviously. Another thing that makes me flush is when the central heating comes on ( it's the dry heat and it causes the body to produce more histamine, apparently). Keeping your face a little cool, if possible, will help it settle. You could take some MSM, as it's a great anti- inflammatory. When your skin has settled down, you may be able to re- introduce your products cautiously (just one at a time, building up usage gradually) or you may have to avoid altogether. You have great skin though!

I'd just like to add that with skin sensitivity sometimes it's a build up of things that make your skin react, so whilst it may normally tolerate certain skin products, if you add other things into the mix, such as central heating or environmental pollution, diet, stress or sun exposure, your skin can suddenly react. Its a pile- on of things that can tip it over the edge, maybe because the body produces too much histamine. However it can also just be an age thing, sometimes it's because you skin is getting a little drier. Inflammation and irritation are the worst possible things for your skin, so keeping your skin calm is the best thing you can do for it, even if that means giving up the actives ( hopefully it won't come to that).

Thank you. I didn't realise that niacinamide could cause issues. I had just started using my Olay serum again, I've never managed to use vitamin c successfully nor get very far with tret either so think it's just my skin having a wobbly. So have bought some v calming skincare and will go back to basics for a bit then try things one by one.