Sensitive skin needs special care at all times, but especially in the monsoon. Read on for some simple DIY tips.
by Beverley Lewis
Sensitive skin needs more TLC than any other skin type. Use one wrong product and you can kiss your flawless complexion goodbye. This is because sensitive skin is generally allergic to most products, especially those that contain harsh ingredients.
But it’s not an impossible task to take care of sensitive skin either, provided you play your cards right. We spoke to holistic practitioner Dorothy Fortner from the Flower Essence, New York, for easy-to-follow tips on sensitive skin maintenance.
Keep it simple: It sounds obvious, but the more products you use, the more likely you are to come across an ingredient that may trigger a reaction. It only takes one ingredient in a new product to cause a flare up.
Patch up: Always conduct a patch test before you buy a new product, by applying a drop of the new product on the inside of your elbow, before buying the product. If there’s no adverse reaction 24 hours later, you can use the product.
Take your make-up off before you go to bed: This is really a no-brainer, and yet, a surprisingly large number of women are guilty of not taking off their make-up when they get home from work or a night out. No matter how late it is, or how tired you are, you should always cleanse your face before falling asleep. Sensitive skin is extremely vulnerable to irritation. So the longer you leave make-up or dirt on your skin, the more likely you are to have a reaction.
Hands off!: Don’t keep touching your face all the time, as you run the risk of transferring dirt and other bacteria onto your skin. If you feel the need to touch your face often, try using a clean tissue or an anti-bacterial cleansing wipe.
Stay hydrated: It is important to drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day as this hydrates the skin and helps detoxify the 
body, which in turn prevents break outs.
Take a chill pill: If you have sensitive skin, try to avoid stress as this can cause flare-ups. If you do find yourself under stress, take up yoga or meditation, as this will benefit your skin and give you a healthy glow.
Dry and sensitive? If you’re wondering why you have dry as well as sensitive skin, this is because your skin barrier is not doing its job properly. For such skin, keeping in moisture is hard, and keeping allergens and other harmful skin chemicals out is even harder. So as your skin becomes drier, the barrier weakens further; it gets more sensitive and more prone to dry skin conditions. The only way to prevent this is to liberally apply an organic natural moisturiser like lavender, which works well for sensitive skin. Again, test the product before buying it.
(Pictures courtesy uk.carita-spa.com, www.missclinic.com, uptenlist.com)