Skin sensitivity is such a prevalent issue not just among Singaporeans but globally, with about 60 per cent of women and 30 to 44 per cent of men reportedly experiencing sensitive skin at some point in their lives. The surprising thing is how hard it can be to find the right and lasting solution to address this issue.

After years of ignoring skin tantrums, writer SH Xie is learning how to better understand and manage her sensitive skin. She shares her experience getting to the root cause of the condition.  

“My skin has its own alarm clock. When life hits stressful periods, puffiness, breakouts, itching, dryness, even breaking out in hives when my workload tripled after a colleague suddenly resigned - you name it, I have endured them at some point or another. 

It seemed like a losing battle and I had all but resigned to my fate of unfortunate skin incidents until I did some research and realised those were the classic symptoms of sensitive skin reactions. 

However, not all skin sensitivity issues come with obvious signs and your skin conditions change due to your environment, hormones, and as you age. 

What exactly is sensitive skin?

From my experience, sensitive skin can be triggered out of the blue and the source can be hard to pinpoint. When compounded by the city’s environmental pollutants, no wonder my skin can’t help but wave the white flag. That said, sensitive skin can also be seen as your body’s way of telling you that it needs help. 

Plus, given how much the way we feel and look affects our quality of life, addressing skin sensitivity – and preventing it from manifesting in the first place – should be right up at the top of our wellness priorities.

Dr. Michèle Sayag, Medical Strategy Director at Bioderma, puts it succinctly: “Many skin disorders can have an important impact, even burden, on quality of life. The burden is understood in terms of how it affects overall health, including psychological, social, physical, and economical factors. For sensitive skin, we need a specific tool that is adapted and relevant.”

To effectively combat sensitive skin and achieve a more balanced healthy visage, it’s important to first understand what actually causes skin sensitivity. 

Did you know that there are actually two origins of skin sensitivity: natural and induced? Naturally sensitive skin is a biological dysfunction of nerve fibres; while induced sensitivity (or sensitised skin) is an intermittent condition caused by lifestyle or environmental factors like stress and dust. 

Finding the right formula to soothe sensitive skin 

Without consulting a dermatologist, my problem seems to be the latter. After going through frustrating and embarrassing skin flare-ups, I began to realise the importance of building up my skin’s inner defence against daily stressors. 

So, like many others looking to alleviate their symptoms, I started looking for over-the-counter products labelled “for sensitive skin” to improve my condition. That proved to be easier said than done. 

Stepping into any drugstore can feel overwhelming, with so many products labelled “for reactive skin” or “for intolerant skin” – however, they are all simply referring to varying intensities of sensitive skin. Others include controversial ingredients, and the last thing sensitive skin needs is piling on products that can create even more problems.  

In addition, many products for sensitive skin tend to “over-protect” rather than fortify our skin’s natural barrier, says Aurélie Guyoux, R&D director of Bioderma, NAOS’s dermatological laboratory. This means while the skin may be temporarily soothed, it may lose its ability to adapt to new environments and potential irritants, thus repeating the vicious cycle of skin sensitivity over and over again. 

Like a strong and silent protector, the new Bioderma Sensibio Defensive moisturiser is an excellent choice as the dermatological brand’s gentle yet effective formula helps reduce skin reactivity and limit inflammation without the use of parabens, alcohol and fragrance. 

Clinically tested on Asian sensitive skin, it is an active soothing moisturiser that reaches deeply to help your skin defend itself from within, effectively calming both naturally sensitive and sensitised skin. 

Upon applying it, I like how it calms my skin almost immediately and was impressed by the moisturiser’s lightweight texture and how quickly it gets absorbed, forming an invisible shield over my skin.

And as a faithful believer in the regular use of moisturiser and sunscreen, I like trying different brands and sometimes encounter moisturisers that take a while to dry up, presumably due to its richness. Thankfully, this wasn’t an issue with Sensibio Defensive moisturiser, which sits comfortably on my skin the moment it is applied. 

After a week of using Sensibio Defensive, things are certainly looking up for my skin. Before, I always felt a slight dryness especially towards the end of the day, whereas now, my skin feels well hydrated round the clock.

I am glad to have also followed the advice of a wise friend who pointed out: why wait until the problem surfaces and it’s too late to do something about it? 

Like dealing with most challenges in life, the first step is to establish a strong support system with products that address the root cause, such as the Bioderma Sensibio Defensive moisturiser. After all, building up our skin’s defence starts with setting a stable foundation that can tackle whatever comes its way. 

The Bioderma Sensibio Defensive moisturiser, $39.90 (40 ml), is available at Amazon.sg, Guardian Health & Beauty, Lazmall, Shopee Mall, Unity, Watsons and Welcia-BHG.