How can I get rid of my irritated skin?

Irritated skin can be painful and unpleasant. But the chapping, rawness, and stinging that you experience are the body’s ways of asking for help. When skin becomes inflamed and irritated—from windburn, an allergen, even a new retinoid—it turns red because blood rushes to the site with oxygen and immune cells to fix the damage.

There’s many different reasons that sensitive skin can get aggravated – by the wind, being sunburnt, overwashing, anti-aging ingredients, or even stress.

The best advice is to be gentle. Apply a soothing moisturiser containing ceramides or the antioxidants feverfew or licorice extract. Then smooth a pea-size drop of 1 percent hydrocortisone cream over irritated areas twice a day for up to two weeks. The hydrocortisone chases away inflammatory cells and constricts blood vessels to get the red out.  But do not use it for longer than two weeks, as it can ratchet up redness by creating more blood vessels.

If there’s no improvement, see a dermatologist for a prescription barrier-repair cream. You’ll also want to rethink your anti-aging routine if it involves a retinoid: Stop using the product until your skin heals completely to avoid even worse irritation, then ease back in, using it only every second or third night to start and putting it on over a thin layer of moisturiser to prevent skin from drying out.

You should also apply a soothing serum. Maria Galland Gentle Soothing Infinity Serum 214 is a mild serum that is rapidly absorbed, providing moisture and calming sensitive, inflamed and irritated skin. Cell regeneration is encouraged and the skin can more effectively resist harsh environmental factors. The complexion becomes smooth and even.

Apply morning and evening as a course of treatment to the face, neck and décolleté. Use in the evening as part of your regular skin care routine.

Main active ingredients:

Calmosensine®, lotus extract