If you suffer from any of a wide spectrum of sensitive skin conditions, you know that almost anything that your skin comes into contact with can cause an outbreak or a reaction.  This unfortunate reality makes it quite challenging when you’re looking for products to apply to your skin that will actually nourish and protect it.  For many, the best option is to find natural sensitive skin care solutions.

Of course, sensitive skin can describe anybody that may get mild irritations or mild acne to somebody with eczema or rosacea to somebody with more serious conditions that require medical attention.  For our purposes, we like the WebMD definition as “skin that gets flushed, itchy and inflamed easily due to genetics, environmental factors…or using the wrong products.”

It’s not in our realm to discuss genetics and environmental factors, but we do believe that seeking natural sensitive skin care solutions are the right products for most people.  There is plenty of information online as to what ingredients and products would be best suited for sensitive skin.  But we just want to take this opportunity to provide warnings that not everything that is natural is beneficial.  And even all natural ingredients that are not formulated correctly will not provide intended results.

First, the term natural and even the term organic is not standardized or regulated in the skin care industry.  So buying products that are natural or organic is generally a good start.  But be warned that natural or organic can mean many things and may be nothing more than marketing.  In some cases, products conform to one of several trade association’s standards for sourcing their ingredients.  But in many other cases, a brand may be touted as organic or natural if only several ingredients come from natural or organic sources.  Unfortunately, without detailed research into not only the ingredients, but the product’s supplier sources, it’s difficult for a consumer to know.  Our advice is to look for natural products, but be hesitant to rank some products as better than others because of their “all-natural” or “organic” status.

Second, an often overlooked aspect of effective natural sensitive skin care is the formulation.  First of all, you can find hundreds of home remedies and recipes online for do-it-yourself skincare.  Admittedly, some of these solutions can work.  But many of these remedies only address one aspect or one main ingredient and also are limited in their absorption abilities and stability.  Even natural or organic products found in stores often have unstable formulas that separate with time, have expiration dates or do not absorb well into the skin.  Of course, the most effective formulation can deliver the vitamins, collagen, nutrients and anti-oxidants below the outer skin layer.  Many formulas today are produced by bench chemists with only speed to market and low-cost in mind.  In fact, many formulas you find today are actually sourced from locations like China where quality control is not assured and corners are cut so that the cheapest product can be put together.

So look for natural sensitive skin care solutions – but keep a critical eye on what you buy.