Understanding reactive skin
`Sensitive' and `reactive' are two terms often thrown around when discussing skin concerns.
While they may seem interchangeable, in fact, there are key differences between them.
“'Sensitive skin' is a self-reported symptom where the skin becomes red, itchy, flaky, stinging or burning and can be from a variety of reasons,” Dr. Janet Ip, a cosmetic physician of Project Skin MD in Vancouver and Richmond, explains. “Sensitive skin can react to external factors in the environment — sun exposure, changes in temperature, hot or cold water — as well as products.
Whereas reactive skin tends to be related to specific exposures, such as to ingredients in skin care and cosmetics, according to Dr. Ip.
“After prolonged use, contact allergies can develop, and by eliminating the identified trigger, the skin can return to normal,” Ip says.
For those with product-related reactivity, the skin professional recommends using a daily moisturizer containing ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in order to help maintain the skin's natural barrier, along with staying hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
“They should use sunscreen with minimum SPF 30 to protect against sun exposure; physical (mineral) filters like transparent zinc oxide and titanium dioxide may be preferable,” Ip adds. “Avoidance of extreme hot or cold temperatures in the weather or with water when cleansing can be helpful.”
People who have reactive skin often experience rashes with various skin care products, according to Ip, which can make it challenging to find products and makeup that are suitable for their needs.
“It is challenging as there are many anti-aging and antiacne products that they may want to use to treat wrinkles or pimples, but are unable to tolerate,” Ip says.
“Sometimes these rashes can be quite severe requiring prescriptions like topical corticosteroids to control and clear them.”
Triggers can be identified by a skin professional by identifying “reactive ingredients” in particular products, or by using a process of elimination in order to target a possible irritant in a more complex skin care regime.
A formal patch testing process can also be utilized in order to identify a particular allergen.
“People with reactive skin should avoid fragrances as this is the most common allergen, even if it is natural in essential oils,” Ip says. “They should try to stick with products with a simple ingredient list. Common irritants include sulfates, dyes, preservatives (parabens), and alcohols.”
Known irritants such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, vitamin C and retinol can prove problematic, though Ip says these types of ingredients can be used by people with reactive skin, provided they are introduced into a skin care regime gradually.
“I usually suggest starting with one day a week and gradually building up by another day each week,” Ip says.
Tata Harper, founder of the natural beauty brand Tata Harper Skincare, has released a new line of products with reactive skin customers in mind.
“I've been working on this for more than two years,” Harper said during a virtual meeting.
“This is a collection that is basically going to be a game changer for reactive skin.”
Called Superkind, the lineup includes a Softening Cleanser, a Radiance Mask, which Harper bills as a “softer” alternative to the brand's bestselling Resurfacing Mask, and a Fortifying Moisturizer.
“We formulate every product from scratch, so the products are really unique,” Harper says of the formulations, which saw the elimination of more than 80 common “skin triggers” like soy, wheat, gluten, nuts, legumes, fragrances and dyes from the mix.
“And then, on top of that, there's a list of 79 ingredients that are commonly monitored by dermatologists, included in their NAC list, the North American Comprehensive, which is the list that everybody goes by when they're doing all the patch testing and all of that,” Harper explains. “It wasn't about just eliminating nuts or illuminating gluten, but really trying to be as comprehensive as possible.”
While researching Superkind, Harper's product development team uncovered a total of 36 different ingredients from 13 different countries that could be utilized in place of more reactive alternatives.
“There is a lot of new green technology in Superkind,” she says.
The collection, Harper says, focuses on reinforcing the skin barrier, an area she refers to as “a living and breathing ecosystem.”
Two proprietary complexes in Superkind further this ambition.
The first is a lipid complex, which contains Omega 3, 6 and 9 to rebuild the lipid layer with a blend of four different oils including appleseed and grapeseed.
The second, called a Counter Stress Complex sourced from five flowers and botanicals from Harpers Vermont garden, soothes skin with minerals including magnesium, copper, iron and zinc.
“It's super powerful, but at the same time, it's super gentle,” Harper summarizes of the lineup. “It's kind of that juxtaposition.”