What is Best for Sensitive Skin?

Would you prefer honesty or a sweet little set of carefully crafted product selling lies? I'm really not up for crafting hype today or any day. The truth is that skin can have so many variable sensitivity issues within each individual that there is no perfect product for everyone. Many factors such as the rate of sebum secretion and over all skin integrity come into play. When you hear pH balanced as a product selling point, ask yourself - what is it balanced in relation to? Is it pH balanced in relation to the acidity of our natural skin oils? It cannot be balanced in relation to the solid skin, because pH may only be measured in liquids. Are all natural products the best for sensitive skin issues? Er, no. Many natural plant extracts and even oils disagree with certain members of the population. That does not mean that they are unsuitable for everyone, it just means that a degree of caution should be exercised. Are products loaded with synthetic components automatically harmful? No, certainly not! Many people use and enjoy these products every day with no ill effects either immediate or long term. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, it is best to consult with a reputable dermatologist before you embark on any product sampling adventures. Incidentally, just because a product is marketed as "dermatologist tested" does not mean skipping a consult with a dermatologist, or that "dermatologist tested" really means the product will be better for your skin.
The same applies for products marketed as "hypoallergenic". Beware of products that claim to be unscented. Sometimes these products still contain some sort of fragrance cocktail. When a product here is designated as essential oil free, it truly has nothing added into it to mask its fragrance. Soap will smell like soap, and nothing else and lotion will smell faintly of the oils it contains. I have a policy. When someone contacts me for advice regarding their sensitive skin, I tell them that there is no one great guaranteed suitable product for them, because this is truth. I tell them also what works for me or others that I know and that such products may or may not be suitable in the individual instance. I do always caution about any sort of fragrance-even essential oils, sometimes-especially certain essential oils. These are key things to eliminate when dealing with sensitivity issues otherwise uncomplicated by a medical diagnosis. Sometimes, the product that is great for you is found by ruling out things with long lists of ingredients since it is hard to pick out the cause of irritation in these instances.