How to soothe sensitive, irritated skin this winter

Whether caused by skincare products, stress or hormones, it’s all too easy for skin to become sensitive, sore or irritated. Sensitive skin is especially common at this time of year, when the cold weather and central heating can also have an effect.

Sensitive skin is the result of a damaged skin barrier, and physical symptoms can include dryness, redness and itchiness.

Fortunately there are some easy steps you can take to get your skin back to its happy place. First, strip your skincare back to basics: no active ingredients (i.e. retinol, vitamin C, exfoliating acids), no fragrance, nothing that promises to brighten, resurface or renew.

Then use simple, soothing, barrier-repairing products only until your skin’s back to normal.

Here’s what to add to your SOS skincare kit…

A cleanser that won’t strip the skin

Pre, pro and postbiotics are big news in the beauty world at the moment, known for their ability to balance and boost the skin’s natural defences. Balance Me Pre and Probiotic Cleansing Milk is the perfect cleanser for delicate skin  – it has a lightweight, milky texture that gently yet effectively cleans the skin.

A calming moisturiser

Look for simple, barrier-boosting formulas with soothing ingredients like aloe vera, glycerin and chamomile, like Mudmasky Leave-Me-On Autumn Mask, a gel-based, oil-free moisturiser that’s just the thing to hydrate dry or stressed skin. It also contains allantoin, which helps to reduce redness, along with skin-strengthening Moroccan lava clay. 

A soothing toner

You’ll also find chamomile and aloe vera in Vegan by Happy Skin Original Skin Essence Toner too, along with calendula, as its name suggests, this is an effective combination for “happy skin”. Sweep it on after cleansing to leave your face feeling soothed and balanced.

You’ll find all three of these super skin-soothing products inside the Hydration Heroes OK! Beauty Box, along with two more brilliant skincare essentials: a hyaluronic acid serum and a nourishing face and body oil. It’s worth over £90 altogether, but new subscribers can get it for just £4.95 when they use the discount code 67BEAUTYBOX – that’s 67% off the usual monthly subscription cost of £15.

It’s your one-stop shop for happy, healthy skin this winter!