It’s always good to know how to calm irritated skin. Here, we offer a simple three step routine on how to fix your skin when it’s red and angry from too many Neogen Bio Peels or too much Skinfood Black Sugar scrubbing.
Exfoliating is one of the most satisfying parts of a skin care routine because it leaves you with soft, glowing skin. And because of this, it’s so easy to over-exfoliate. The result of too much of the good stuff? Red, irritated, and damaged skin.
To alleviate this situation (I’ve been here many times), I’ve developed a soothing and repairing post-exfoliation routine that will balance and calm your skin. Before I begin, let me give you some advice: I stick with exfoliating no more than one to three times a week, and I have a particular post-exfoliation routine that works to reinforce my skin’s moisture barrier so I can avoid leaving my skin unprotected.
Keep reading to find out my simple three step routine to soothe and protect skin.
Step One: Serum
I usually stick with chemical exfoliators but this routine works just as well for those who prefer physical ones. After applying my exfoliator, I let it absorb into my skin before moving onto a soothing serum like the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum. This lightweight serum contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate, centella asiatica extract to calm and prevent acne, licorice root to brighten, and a blend of organic ingredients, including celery, carrot root, and broccoli extract, to deeply moisturize the skin. Using a soothing and hydrating serum after exfoliating will aid in replenishing moisture levels and reinforcing your skin’s barrier.
The outermost layer of our skin is called the moisture barrier and it’s made up of a combination of lipids like cholesterol, free fatty acids, and ceramides, which help to maintain the optimal amount of healthy bacterias and flora for your skin to remain balanced and protected. This is why The Plant Base Quesera Ceramide is another great serum you can add to your post-exfoliation routine.
It’s excellent for repairing the skin since it contains ceramides, which work to rebuild collagen and is exactly what the skin craves. It also has panthenol to moisturize, and rice protein, rice bran oil, and over 74% rice water, that are rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, to brighten and smooth skin texture. A few drops of this serum in your routine will effectively repair and restore the skin.
Step Two: Sheet Mask
After using a hydrating and repairing serum, I sheet mask! Using a sheet mask is an excellent way to not only soothe skin but impart deep hydration. One of my favorites is the Round Lab Mugwort Calming Sheet Mask because it’s extremely cooling upon application and it effectively calms my skin from any potential irritation I experienced while exfoliating. This soothing mask contains mugwort and madecassoside that all work in tandem to brighten and calm inflamed skin.
Step Three: Moisturize
To seal in all that moisture from your serum and sheet mask, it’s important to use a calming and hydrating moisturizer. The A’Pieu Madecassoside Cream contains 40% centella asiatica leaf water and 0.1% madecassoside to soothe irritated skin and repair skin damage. It’s also formulated with panthenol and allantoin to soften and hydrate while further calming the skin. This moisturizer is excellent for post-exfoliation because it will soothe and hydrate without clogging pores, thanks to its lightweight formula.
The Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream is another go-to of mine. This gentle cream contains guaiazulene, a powerful skin-calming ingredient extracted from chamomile oil and centella asiatica, that work together to hydrate and relieve redness. I have super sensitive skin and no matter how gentle the exfoliator I use, I tend to always feel some sort of tingling and experience some redness. This Klairs cream really works to soothe my skin and keep that sensitivity at bay. Plus, it leaves my skin feeling super moisturized!
Together these three steps, effectively soothe and reinforce my skin’s barrier, helping to alleviate some of the damage done by exfoliating, allowing me to reap only good benefits from exfoliation.
Bottom line
While exfoliating is an integral part of any skin care routine, it’s important to know the correct balance for your skin so you can avoid damaging it. Stick with exfoliating one to three times a week and really pay attention to your skin. If you notice any redness, irritation, or even dry patches, take a break from exfoliating and instead pamper and soothe the skin.
+ What’s your best tip on how to calm irritated skin? Share your’s in the comments!
