Sensitivity
Barrier Repair
Tight, stinging, reactive skin that has stopped tolerating products it used to be fine with is usually not sensitive skin. It is usually a damaged barrier, most often from too many actives at once. The fix is subtraction before addition.
5 steps
The steps
Step 1AMDaily protection, Ultrasun Mineral Face SPF50
Ultrasun Mineral Face SPF50Ultrasun · 40ml · £25
Compromised skin is more vulnerable to UV damage and mineral filters are generally better tolerated than chemical ones while the barrier is healing.
Step 2BothJorgObé Glycerin Hydra Cleanser 200ml
JorgObé Glycerin Hydra Cleanser 200mlJorgObé · 200ml · £29
Step 4BothJorgObé Balancing Complex Moisturiser 50ml
JorgObé Balancing Complex Moisturiser 50mlJorgObé · 50ml · £29
Step 5BothOptionalSupplement support
Skin Omegas+ 60 softgelsAdvanced Nutrition Programme · 60 softgels · £34
Optional daily supplement support alongside the topical steps.
Swap option
Skin Moisture IQ 28 day supplyAdvanced Nutrition Programme · £81 · not added by Shop the routine
Guide
How to repair a damaged skin barrier →
A pharmacist's guide to recognising a damaged barrier versus sensitive skin, and the strip-back approach that actually fixes it.
What to expect
Most people notice reduced stinging within a week and visible calming within two to four weeks. The hardest instruction is the most important one: stop all retinoids, acids and vitamin C entirely for at least two weeks, then reintroduce one product at a time, two weeks apart. Reintroducing everything at once is how people end up back here.
When to see someone
Persistent redness, itching, scaling or flares that do not settle with a simplified routine may be eczema, seborrhoeic dermatitis or rosacea rather than barrier damage, and these need diagnosis rather than a different serum.