Managing Sensitive And Acneic Skin
By Mari Bozozo

 Although having both sensitive and acneic skin is not necessarily a mutually exclusive
occurrence, it is more common than not for a person to have both. Yes, some of you may have
acneic skin, but are not necessarily sensitive. In your case, that is terrific! But for those of us
who have bouts with both, it can be a particularly slippery slope in dealing with it.
I have had very sensitive skin for as long as I can remember. The horrors that I have suffered
were thankfully not repetitive once I pinpointed the culprits. From those episodes, I learned to
take better care of my skin by the process of elimination going forward. One of the main
perpetrators for me was the chemical preservative Oxybenzone, a common ingredient found in
commercial sunscreens. Without having prior knowledge of my allergy to this ingredient, I recall
slathering it on practically all of my body in preparation for a fun day at an amusement park
many moons ago. Imagine after using a sunscreen that was marketed specifically as
“hypoallergenic”, experiencing the most heinous rash you could ever get in life on your exposed
skin. Your arms, legs, back, and, GASP, face!! It looked as if someone had taken a huge bucket
of the meanest, deepest shade of crimson that could be found and splashed it all over me!
Being in an amusement park with a tank top and shorts on with hundreds of onlookers did me
no favors. Naturally, when I saw how my skin was reacting to the sunscreen, I cut my trip short,
much to my family’s chagrin. Then there was the time when I tried a very popular brand of
medicated lip ointment that left my lips looking as if they were inflated with the same helium
used on those Thanksgiving Day Parade floats. The active ingredient in it was no other than,
you guessed it, Oxybenzone. Sigh. I didn’t need a ton of bricks to fall on my head after having
those two horrifying experiences. I learned from that point on to avoid any products with that
ingredient in it. Let this be a message of caution to all of you with susceptibilities- ALWAYS mull
over the ingredients list with a fine-toothed comb of every new product before trying them out.
ALWAYS.
After discovering that Oxybenzone was the enemy, I wasn’t completely out of the dark yet, as I
had encounters of the worst kind with peanut and fish oils, also. The irony was that I knew that I
was allergic to both far before any tragedies struck. However, I failed to yield to investigating the
ingredients prior. As a result, in one extreme case, I almost went into anaphylactic shock- while
at work no less. I will spare you the details on that. But let’s just say that my lesson was learned
the VERY HARD way. Now before ingesting any new foods or trying out a new restaurant, I
always do my research by calling ahead to the restaurant to learn of the oils that are used in
food preparation or simply do a check of the ingredients list if I am purchasing the food from the
market. For those of you who suspect that you may have a food allergy, but haven’t quite
pinpointed exactly what it is, perhaps seeking out an allergist will be of great assistance to you.
Having acne is an ordeal to go through all by itself, but throwing a cyclical eruption of blisters,
hives, welts, and/or rashes into the mix is downright cruel. You owe it to yourselves to know
what your triggers are.
Having sensitive and acneic skin is another reason why I prefer to keep my skincare routine
simple. I aim for the most natural and gentle of products to minimize the effects of irritation. I
start with a water-only wash in the morning, followed by an ice cube application. The logic
behind using an ice cube is that it helps to calm any signs of irritation, and reduces the
appearance of acne. A bonus is that in this sweltering heat, it is cooling and refreshing. I then
use a witch hazel based toner, and finally a day moisturizer with a sufficient SPF level. At night,
I cleanse with a gentle everyday cleanser, followed by the ice cube and toner. For moisturizing, I
use a natural Retinol A alternative that acts as a mask, as it smoothes, firms, and brightens the
skin. This moisturizer is marketed as an overnight mask and effortlessly melts into the skin after
about 10 minutes or so. I will be candid and admit that the price is a little steep, but it is
unequivocally worth the investment. Overall, keeping my routine basic safeguards me against
the woes of allergic reactions that could arise due to using too many products simultaneously or
using products laden with harsh ingredients.
In addition to checking the labels on all new cosmetics before purchasing them, I am a
proponent of tossing out old makeup. I also frequently wash all makeup application tools to ward
off dirt and bacteria to cut down on the risks of an outbreak. Having seen an allergist who
confirmed that I’m allergic to pretty much everything under the sun, I have no choice but to be
proactive in each and every area, in protecting myself against allergies and acne alike.
My advice to all of you with a similar fate is redundant but bears repeating: Be mindful of
everything that you’re about to ingest internally and absorb topically. Your sensitive and acneic
skin will thank you for it.
So how are you faring with sensitive and acneic skin? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave
your comments below!
All the Best to you in your Quest to have Happier & Healthier Skin!
Mari

www.losangeles-skincare.com
Los Angeles, USA Unknown location.

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