For the past couple of weeks the phone at Woohoo Skincare HQ has been running hot – we’ve become a hotline for skin advice, and we love it! 
And we’ve noticed that most of our chats have a common theme.
The multi-tasker in all of us wants our products to do the same – look after whatever skin issues you’re battling and also help slow down the inevitable fine lines at the same time.
You want every product to have plenty of pro-ageing juice because we are all battling Father Time.
So today we’re sharing with you a good skin care routine for maturing sensitive skin.
But first – we’ve got to mention here – we actually really dislike the term anti-ageing because we think growing older with grace is a wonderful thing. "Anti" just makes it seem so gosh darn negative, and that's not OK with us.
We want to help you reduce the damage that is being done to your skin – usually by the sun – in your day-to-day life which can cause your skin to lose its youthfulness prematurely, but without making you feel bad about it. Think of it more as pro-ageing or age-proofing your skin.
OK now that we’ve got that off our chests…
A Pro-Ageing skincare routine for sensitive skin
Sensitive skin generally goes hand in hand with dry or dehydrated skin. This is because dry and dehydrated skin doesn’t have a robust barrier and this allows your skin to be easily irritated.
As you get older your skin needs different things. Usually more moisture, and more help turning over skin cells (exfoliation). But you shouldn’t just reach for any old product to help because some of the more popular ingredients for mature skin (like Alpha Hydroxy Acids and retinols) can cause a flare up for sensitive skin, making your skin redder that the fire pits of Lucifer.
If you have sensitive skin then ingredients like these need to be used very carefully and in low concentrations.
Step 1 – Cleansing
The best defence sensitive skin has is moisture. So the last thing you want to do is use a cleanser which takes it all away. If you don’t get your cleansing right then every other product is less effective and you’re starting behind the 8 ball.
The last thing you want is to be not getting the most out of your fantastic night cream, facial oil and serum.
The Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm and 3 Cheers Cleansing Oil are our favourites. The Cloud 9 has MSM which is on the Mature Skin Top of the Pops chart (read more about our love affair with MSM (aka sulphur) here).
Phoebe has been trying out micellar cleansing waters for something different. Micellar water is a very gentle water based cleanser which is what some people may be looking for.
Phoebe has put in a wife’s request for a natural version to be added to the Woohoo Skincare range (Let us know if you’re keen on one too!).
Step 2 – Toning
A good toner soothes your skin and adds a little moisture straight back to your skin after cleansing. And this is just what the doctor ordered for sensitive skin.
The Raindrops on Roses Hydrating Tonic’s beautiful rose aroma is soothing for your skin and meditates your soul. It also has MSM which ticks the box of pro-ageing goodness.
Step 3 – Moisturise
Did we already mention that the best defence for sensitive skin is moisturising? Yes, well it’s because it’s a good motto
Finding a worthy moisturiser for sensitive skin can be difficult! Lots of moisturisers on the market contain fragrance or essential oils, and these don’t always play nice with sensitive skin.
Luckily the Over the Moon Rich Repair Cream is essential oil and fragrance free so it can be your sensitive skin body guard – on duty and fully armed with Vitamin B3 for optimal skin barrier function.
If facial oils are more your cup of tea, the Laugh Out Loud Active Jojoba Oil might be just your thing! It’s incredibly moisturising and fabulous for all skin types, and has CoQ10 for a pro-ageing boost.
If you need something extra for around your eye area, a sensitive skin friendly serum like the Happily Ever After Vitamin C Eye Serum will perk your skin up. Vitamin C is one of the best ingredients for repairing sun damaged skin and fade age spots over time.
Step 4 – Exfoliate
As you get longer in the tooth your skin needs more help to clear away dead skin cells, especially if your skin is on the dry side. Dry skin has more dead skin cells hanging around and they can clog your pores. This can lead to the confusing conundrum of ‘my skin is dry why do I have pimples’!?!?
The best thing to remember when exfoliating is to be gentle. You are not polishing concrete. If you get a red glow afterwards then you probably went a little hard, or the exfoliator was too harsh.
We’re working on a scrub at the moment but until it’s ready the Pig In Mud Mask can be used as an excellent exfoliator.
Once you’ve finished you mask time, simply wet the mask and give your face a good massage (you could do this with some Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm too if you like!). The tiny granules of clay are like having a microdermabrasion treatment and will gently exfoliate your skin helping to prevent clogged pores.
That is a basic routine which works for most people but naturally everyone is different. It’s perfectly OK to tweak it to find what suits you best. If you’re ever in doubt – send us an email or give us a call – we’re here to help
