Ask Anton: Cosmetics for Sensitive Skin

Dear Anton,

I’ve got ultra-sensitive skin and everything I’ve tried in both cosmetics and skincare (in every price range) either causes major breakouts or leave me with a gross, oily feeling. Are there any products you can recommend for someone in my situation?

- Jessica

Dear Jessica,

Every person’s skin type is wholly unique, so even top-of-the-line products that the hottest celebs swear by, may not work for you. One of the cardinal rules in taking care of sensitive skin is to keep it clean at all times. Most skin like this will react badly to dirt and dust, so choosing the right cleanser is important. If you’ve got sensitive skin, it’s important that you keep an eye out for these criteria when shopping for products: color-free, fragrance-free and preservative-free. Color, fragrance, and preservatives are irritants to your skin and are most likely the cause of any breakouts or blemishes. Instead, look for products with ingredients like aloe vera, orange oil, almond oil, beeswax. The ingredients are a gentle way for you to cleanse, smooth, and heal your skin. Napoleon Perdis offers a handful of these in their Auto Pilot Dream Cream, which contains free radical-fighting antioxidants and fig extract to help de-stress and restore moisture balance.

If you’re going to apply more make-up than your basic mascara, it’s best to go as natural as possible. Mineral powders are ideal for sensitive skin, and there are a lot of organic choices out there that are very gentle on one’s skin. If you’re partial to using a cream foundation or concealer, double check for the aforementioned irritants and choose a water-based formula that sits lightly on the skin. Heavy, thick make-up will only suffocate your pores, which leads to more breakouts, which leads to more make-up… you get the picture. The best thing you can do for your dainty skin is to let it breathe! The most highly acclaimed mineral make-up at the moment is Bare Minerals, but for a flawless porcelain finish, I would personally recommend NP’s China Doll Foundation and Concealer.

A few other helpful tips you might want to remember are 1. Touch your face as little as possible. Even the lightest little finger graze can inspire zit-causing bacteria to spread like mad, 2. Exfoliate with a gentle pore cleanser once a week to clean out all that nasty grit that’s accumulated deep in your pores, and 3. Don't forget that the health of your skin is related to the health of your diet. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. This will help the skin cleanse any toxins.

I hope this helps,
Anton