Skin feeling ultra-sensitive right now? This is why

If you’ve noticed your skin feels much more unpredictable than usual this month – you’re in good company. We recently surveyed our Pai followers and customers and 98% of you said that your skin feels more sensitive in the colder months – and that it needs more support in winter.

That’s because a reduction in our natural oil production along with extreme weather and central heating weaken the skin's natural barrier function. The very thing that holds moisture in, and irritants out.

You can take a deep dive into our winter skincare guide here to learn more about what happens to skin during winter and why it feels so dry.

But that’s not all you’re noticing… 

The season of sensitised skin

Even those that don’t consider themselves to have sensitive skin can experience the tell-tale signs of sensitivity in winter.

That’s because unlike sensitive skin – which is usually genetic and triggered by stress, illness or allergies – sensitised skin is temporary and caused by things like the weather or reactions to a skincare product.

Skin feels suddenly irritated, uncomfortable, itchy or inflamed because its barrier has been physically damaged. If that’s a new feeling for you, your skin is most likely sensitised – which is very common at this time of year.

Your biggest winter skin issues

Unsurprisingly, 52% of you told us your biggest issue was dryness – closely followed by redness, sensitivity and blemishes. Meanwhile 38% said their skin gets dry and flaky, while others were more concerned with angry, irritated skin or dull and tired-looking complexions.

Most of you reach for more cream to help solve your winter skin woes, while a smart 21% of you also add more oil to keep moisture in. You're less likely to use actives though – which is wise if your skin is particularly sensitive.

Whichever format you go for, there are ways to repair the skin barrier – but it’s choosing the right ingredients to do the job that is all important.

The best ingredients to soothe and strengthen stressed-out skin

Chamomile

A classic because it really works – well, ours does. We use CO2 extracted Chamomile because unlike the essential oil, it makes sure the raw properties and active agents remain at highly concentrated levels and undamaged by heat.

They include the powerful anti-inflammatory Matricine, antioxidant flavonoids which help protect the skin from environmental stressors, as well as skin soothing Bisabolol and Bisabolol Oxides. High grade Chamomile like ours is also known to help reduce redness in skin prone to rosacea or flaring.

You’ll find Chamomile in our bestselling moisturiser The Anthemis™️ – which is proven to soothe, calm and instantly make skin more comfortable while hydrating for up to 24 hours.

Rosehip

When CO2 extracted like ours, this organic wonder oil feeds the skin high levels of carotenoids – another potent antioxidant – as well as omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9 which have endless skin benefits from improving your skin's barrier function (to keep out irritants and seal in moisture) to reducing skin irritation and protecting against further flare-ups.

These fatty acids are thought to work even better when combined with ceramides – which we’ll get to next. Whether on its own as pure Rosehip Bioregenerate™️ Face Oil or inside another formula like  The Anthemis™️ – we use Rosehip to protect, soothe and nourish sensitive and sensitised skin.

Ceramides

Ceramides are oils that we naturally have in our skin – but which can become depleted with age as well as when our skin is under stress. An active ingredient which we source from wheat seeds, the skin benefits of Ceramides are endless, from reinforcing the skin’s moisture barrier against dehydration or irritation (that’s the omegas 3, 6, and 9 inside) to reducing inflammation.

As well as bringing the calm – they also helpfully plump the skin and tighten the appearance of pores. Skin under stress will love our ceramide-powered pairing –  The Light Fantastic™️ Ceramide Face Oil and Instant Kalmer™️ Ceramide Serum.

Sensitised skin’s reset routine

While eliminating or reducing your exposure to irritants might not be possible (we certainly won’t forgo central heating or winter walks) there are ways to soothe, protect and support the skin’s barrier. 

We recommend starting simple and small – with a gentle cleansing and moisturising routine proven to bring instant calm to unsettled skin. Enter, Partners In Calm: a kit containing two of our bestselling formulas, Middlemist Seven™️ Gentle Cream Cleanser and The Anthemis™️ Soothing Moisturiser. 

Once your skin starts to feel better – you might like to add in our alcohol-free face Century Flower™️  Barrier Defence Mist, which not only soothes and hydrates, but is rich in Prebiotic Inulin to rebalance the skin’s microbiota and help form a natural protective shield. 

Follow with British Summer Time™️ SPF30 Sensitive Sunscreen to help protect your skin from UVA, UVB and blue light damage all year round.

While some skin might like to bookend the day using the same moisturiser, you might prefer to use  Rosehip Bioregenerate™️ before bed – to absorb its high performance components and to lock in moisture while you sleep.

You can shop the Calm range here – designed specifically to soothe reactive skin and support the skin barrier.

Still not sure which products to choose for your specific skin type and concerns? We can help – book a free online skin consultation with our experts for personalised advice and recommendations here.