Having skin sensitivity doesn’t mean you have to miss out on professional skincare treatments. In fact, professional treatments can help to soothe, strengthen and improve sensitive skin. Whether you struggle with ongoing sensitivity or occasional flare-ups, the right approach can make all the difference. 

is sensitivity a skin type or a skin condition?

Sensitive skin can be either a genetic skin type or a temporary condition triggered by environmental and lifestyle factors.

• If you’ve always had sensitive skin and are prone to redness, irritation or discomfort – it's likely genetic. While skin types cannot be changed, sensitivity flare ups can be managed with the right sensitive skin care routine.
• If your skin suddenly becomes irritated, dry and inflamed, this suggests a temporary skin condition. Factors like weather changes, stress, diet, harsh skincare ingredients or over-exfoliation can compromise the skin barrier, leading to sensitivity.

A combination of the right skincare treatments and expert advice can promote calmer, more balanced healthy skin.

understanding sensitive skin

The root cause of sensitive skin is a damaged or impaired skin barrier. A healthy skin barrier retains hydration while keeping out environmental irritants and pollutants. 

A compromised skin barrier can result in visible redness, dehydration, irritation, dryness and discomfort – otherwise known as sensitive skin.

Think of your skin barrier as a brick wall. Lipids, which include fatty acids, ceramides, and other nutrients that make up the skin’s Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF), act as the “mortar” holding the skin cells or “bricks" together. When this structure weakens, skin becomes more prone to dehydration, irritation and sensitivity, like a “cracked” brick wall.

An impaired barrier will feel dry, flaky, itchy hot and will become increasingly reactive. You may feel especially sensitive to heat, cold, dry air, or certain skin care products.

Genetic sensitive skin means the barrier (or brick wall) is not formed correctly, making sensitivity management an ongoing strategy. For temporary sensitive skin, external factors like ageing, seasonal changes, stress and using harsh skincare ingredients can strip the skin’s natural lipids and further damage the skin barrier. Skincare for dry sensitive skin should focus on restoring hydration and reinforcing the skin barrier. 

how to soothe sensitive skin?

Whether your skin is consistently reactive or experiences sudden sensitivity and itchy, collaborating with a professional skin therapist can help you get a deeper insight into your skin. A qualified skin therapist will be able to help identify triggers of sensitivity and recommend solutions. In addition to prescribing the best skincare products for sensitive skin, they can perform professional skin treatments designed to reduce inflammation and strengthen the skin barrier. With stress being a major driver of skin sensitivity, the power of touch and time out on the treatment bed can have a profound impact on one’s stress levels and in turn, a positive, calming effect on the skin.

PRO Calm: a skin treatment designed for sensitive skin

Dermalogica’s PRO Calm professional skin treatment targets and alleviates sensitive skin concerns. From mild to more severe sensitivity, PRO Calm is designed to address the level of skin sensitivity you experience to visibly reduce redness, hydrate, soften and balance skin texture.

PRO Calm works in three actively calming phases:

• Soothing botanical actives calm and reduce redness.
• Lymphatic drainage and pressure point massage help to calm a stressed nervous system.
• LED light therapy minimises redness.
• Targeted treatments help hydrate, balance and restore the skin barrier for reduced redness and calmer skin.

To book in for a PRO Calm professional skin treatment with your local Dermalogica skin therapist, visit our professional services page here.

is PRO Calm suitable for eczema, psoriasis and rosacea?

PRO Calm will be tailored to your unique skin needs. If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis or rosacea, your qualified skin therapist will curate the treatment to address these inflammatory skin conditions.

what skin treatment is best for inflamed acne?

Acne often involves inflammation due to the bacterial infection that stimulates the immune system. PRO Calm helps soothe inflamed breakouts by reducing redness and reinforcing the skin barrier, making it an ideal treatment for acne. Dermalogica’s PRO Clear professional skin treatment is another option for treating breakout prone skin. A qualified skin therapist can create a program that alternates between PRO Calm and PRO Clear to treat your acne while calming the skin.

best at-home skincare for sensitive skin

A professional treatment plan encompasses expert advice, professional skin treatment recommendations AND a homecare prescription. Consistently using the right skincare at home has a huge impact on skin health.

Our top at-home skincare picks for treating sensitive skin:

• UltraCalming Cleanser – The best cleanser for sensitive skin should be one that is pH balanced to the skin (slightly acidic), as this is vital for protecting the skin barrier. Alkaline cleansers, such as soap, strip the skin’s lipids, worsening dehydration and sensitivity. All Dermalogica cleansers are formulated to be the same pH as the skin and are free from soap. Our UltraCalming Cleanser is a light, cooling cream-gel cleanser that gently cleans the skin, whilst reducing redness and improving hydration. If water is too irritating for your skin, then you can remove UltraCalming Cleanser by tissuing it off the skin.

• Daily Milkfoliant – You may feel you have to avoid exfoliation if you have sensitive skin, but this is not true! It’s about finding the right exfoliant for your skin. Daily Milkfoliant exfoliates the skin calmly. It features ultra-fine oat powder to polish the skin, whilst hyaluronic acid, oat extract and coconut milk soothe and replenish the barrier. It’s an exfoliant for everyone and ideal for inflamed breakouts and skin in need of calming. We recommend using once a day after cleansing or every few days depending on your skin. Try mixing it in with your cleanser to make it more gentle on skin.

• UltraCalming Mist – Toners are a great way to boost hydration and with Dermalogica’s spritz toners, you can hydrate throughout the day. UltraCalming Mist improves hydration but also helps to significantly reduce redness.

• UltraCalming Serum Concentrate – Serums work at a deeper level in the skin and provide specialised solutions to specific skin conditions. UltraCalming Serum Concentrate offers immediate relief to painful, red, inflamed skin. This lightweight serum combines a blend of barrier restoring lipids, moisture magnet hyaluronic acid and a peptide that helps to reduce reactivity and prevent sensitivity flare ups.

• Intensive Moisture Balance – Moisturiser for sensitive skin is a daily essential. They lock in moisture to prevent dehydration and help protect the skin’s natural defence against the environment. Intensive Moisture Balance is rich in lipids and hyaluronic acid and is an ideal face cream for sensitive skin, dry skin or those that experience eczema. A lighter option, ideal for acne, rosacea or hormonally driven sensitivity such as pregnancy and menopause, is Calm Water Gel. For severely impaired or fragile skin, we recommend our velvety moisturiser, Barrier Repair.

• Invisible Physical Defense SPF30 - Wearing sunscreen everyday (whenever there’s daylight) is another skincare essential. There are two types of sunscreens: physical and chemical sunscreens. Physical sunscreen is best for sensitive or reactive skin because it sits on the surface of the skin and reflects away harmful UV rays. Invisible Physical Defense SPF30 uses a non-nano zinc (physical sunscreen) that blends easily onto the skin, meaning there’s no chalkiness. It also contains hyaluronic acid and a blend of soothing botanicals, rich in antioxidants. Cancer Council recommends applying a teaspoon of sunscreen to the face, neck, chest and ears every two hours when spending time outdoors.