Irritated skin encompasses a wide range of skin conditions – from psoriasis to burnt skin and a compromised skin barrier. All of these different irritated skin complaints require different approaches to calm them down and repair the skin.
It’s important to note that if you have a medical skin condition, you should be seen by a GP or dermatologist to determine the best course of action to help heal your skin. However, if you inadvertently get sunburn, go overboard with the skincare acids, or just have a red or bumpy reaction to a product, the below products are for you. Your skin barrier keeps all the good things in and all the bad things out, so when you damage this, you experience moisture loss and dryness and your skin will be very sensitive and often sore.
There are certain ingredients that you should always have in your skincare stash to combat just those types of situations mentioned above. I always have propolis ampoules/serums to calm burnt skin, and I always have a good, thick ceramide cream to apply on top to help repair and strengthen my damaged skin barrier. Similarly, if I have a red rash, I love a milky toner or serum with calamine or cucumber or aloe to soothe the irritation. Strong hydrating serums with antioxidants to protect your skin from environmental agressors are also always a must-have.
Below are 8 products you need in your arsenal to combat irritated skin.
Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturising Cream – £60 from Cult Beauty
This luscious, heavy-duty but still lightweight, moisturiser is packed with the building blocks of ceramides (fats), that occur naturally in the skin and protect it from environmental agressors. Ceramides are essentially what holds your skin cells together, so they are essential to a strong and healthy skin barrier. As you age your skin produces less ceramides and they are also lost through skin damage e.g. sun damage. This cream will hydrate the skin and help fortify a damaged skin barrier to keep that moisture in the skin where it belongs. It’s very soothing too!
Murad Hydration Intense Recovery Cream – £68 from Murad
This new release from Murad is a super thick cream that’s definitely one for those emergency moments when you need to moisturise and comfort extremely dry or damaged skin. It will calm stressed skin due to its Mirabilis Jalapa Plant Extract, which soothes irritation and calms redness. There’s also calming Microalgae Extract. Shea Butter & Macadamia Oil make this a really intense moisturiser that softens the skin and relieves tightness.
Dermatology M Huang Lian Gao Soothing Ointment – £26 from Dermatology M
Created with the principle of Chinese medicine, this is a soothing ointment that’s anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Great for a bad breakout or rash and it’s even so beneficial for Eczema sufferers. This is the perfect targeted treatment for sore patches of skin as it has powerfully moisturising and soothing Huang Lian, Qing Dai and He Shi with intensely nourishing organic Beeswax and Sesame Seed Oil. Skin will feel softer, calmer and more supple and comfortable.
Kate Somerville DeliKate Recovery Serum – £74 from Look Fantastic
This milky serum is instantly soothing and calming. It hydrates and soothes and is designed for even the most sensitive of skins. Barrier fortifying Ceramides mix with soothing Cucumber Seed Oil and nourishing Omegas. There’s also antioxidant and anti-inflammatory Tasmania Lanceolata Fruit. Much like throwing water on a fire, this will immediately calm and soothe your irritated skin.
Osmosis MD Rescue Epidermal Repair Serum – £114.50 from Harvey Nichols
This doctor-formulated serum has been designed to neutralise toxins, calm inflammation, activate epidermal wound repair improve skin texture. It can treat anything from shaving rash to Acne and Rosacea. The hero ingredient is the oxygen molecule Trioxolane. Your skin uses it to fight pathogens and repair oxidative damage, making it great for inflammed skin and for detoxing blemishes. Another ingredient, Arctalis, will increase your skin barrier’s ability to repair itself, while Glycerin hydrates.
Eucerin Anti-Pigment Dual Serum – £38 from Boots
Eucerin is a brand that’s aimed sensitive skin. This is a hydrating, light emulsion that targets the appearance of dark spots – age spots or the marks left by blemishes and other skin breakouts. Treating irritated skin isn’t just about that initial calming, it’s also about targeting what’s left on your skin as a result – uneven skin tone and uneven texture. In this serum, Hyaluronic Acid hydrates, whilst Thiamidol targets the appearance of hyperpigmentation.
Decree Skincare Light Cleanse – £44 from Cult Beauty
Cleansing skin that’s burnt or irritated can be an uncomfortable experience, so it’s important that you have a cleanser at hand for just that purpose. This doctor-led formula is a light, extremely basic cleanser – just what sore and damaged skin needs as it never strips the skin and feels extremely soothing. Rose Water soothes, Glycerin hydrates and Rose Seed Oil provides antioxidant nourishment. It gently cleanses, removes excess oil and helps to maintain epidermal barrier health.
Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Lotion – £20 from Origins
This lotion is designed to be wiped over the skin on a cotton pad after cleansing. It soothes and calms the appearance of redness using its famous mushroom ingredients. The formula is light and milky. It contains Reishi mushrooms to soothe and reduce redness, antioxidant Fermented Chaga Mushroom to offer protection against free radicals, and Sea Buckthorn to hydrate, offer anti-inflammatory benefits and promote cell regeneration. A real soothing treat for the skin.
Written by Laura Pearson Smith
You can see more of what i’m loving over on my Instagram @lpearsonsmith
