Can Our Skin Type Change? Mine Became Sensitive And Here’s What Brought It Back To A Healthy State

By Karmen on 24 Feb 2022

Digital Editor

We've all been through the drill: identify our skin type and then find skincare products that cater to it. Once I found a skincare routine that worked, I could keep sticking to it, or so I thought!

Recently, my combination skin seemed to have changed. My T-zone became less oily, the drier areas became parched, and I was noticing signs of skin sensitivity. Most telling of all, my trusty skincare routine that had kept my skin clear and bright suddenly wasn't doing its job as well as it once did.

That led me to question, can our skin type change?

Keep reading to find out more!

The short answer is: no, our skin type is genetic and cannot change. However, our skin condition can. Dry skin can become an oil slick, oily skin can get dry and patchy, and normal skin can turn irritable, red and acne-prone.

What Causes Skin Condition To Change?

The skin often changes as a result of multiple internal and external factors:

UV rays
Pollution
Diet
Cosmetics
Hormonal levels (menstruation, birth control pills, pregnancy, menopause)
Medicine
Ageing
Lifestyle (stress, sleep, exercise)

Natural VS Induced Sensitivity

In my case, my combination skin seemed to have become sensitive even though I don't have a sensitive skin type. Turns out, anyone can develop sensitive skin, which has two origins.

One is natural sensitivity, when someone is born with a biological dysfunction where their nerve fibres are easily hyper excited when exposed to triggers. This causes skin to overreact, resulting in different symptoms. Natural sensitivity tends to be a permanent condition.

Induced sensitivity, on the other hand, is something anyone can experience as it occurs due to irritants like pollution, UV rays and stress. To protect itself, the skin overproduces free radicals which creates oxidative stress. This alters the skin’s protective barrier function so that even more irritants penetrate, which in turn leads to inflammation and sensitised skin.

Mine is a case of induced sensitivity. While usually blemish-free and resilient, my skin started reddening easily and reacting to sunlight or strong winds. I also noticed dry, bumpy patches on my cheeks that would itch and even burn when applying products. These sensitised patches also became more prone to acne.

The culprit of my sensitised skin was a mix of factors, namely my mask rubbing against my skin, a lack of sleep, pollution and drinking too much alcohol. Trying on multiple new makeup products that contain fragrances was probably also a contributing factor.

Skincare For Both Sensitive & Sensitised Skin

Most products for sensitive skin are formulated to merely soothe symptoms rather than address the causes of sensitivity or help it become less sensitive. The skin is still stuck in a vicious cycle of getting triggered and then soothed, and triggered yet again.

Bioderma's new Sensibio Defensive is a new game-changer in the market. A moisturiser for both sensitive and sensitised skin, it helps strengthen the skin's self-defence mechanism so it doesn’t overreact to triggers and remains stable in the long term. No flare-ups even when I pull a few late-nighters, wear a mask all day or indulge in drinking? Sign me up!

Photo from GirlStyle Singapore

This active soothing cream has a Defensive Technology that acts on the causes of sensitive skin to prevent skin reaction. The antioxidant-rich Carnosine and vitamin E combats oxidative stress, Tetrapeptide-10 strengthens the skin barrier, and red sage polyphenols has a double anti-inflammatory effect which soothes skin instantly. It also contains biomimetic glycerin and squalane which keep the skin moisturised for up to 12 hours.

Eager to bring my skin back to its healthy, non-sensitised state, I gave this moisturiser a go for a week, applying it twice a day after cleansing.

Putting The Bioderma Sensibio Defensive Moisturiser To The Test

First impressions were great as it's fragrance-free and has a light texture.

Photo from GirlStyle Singapore

One pet peeve I have about moisturisers is that it takes forever to absorb and feels like a film sitting on the skin - an uncomfortable affair that's even worse when wearing a mask. Thankfully, the Bioderma Sensibio Defensive melts into the skin immediately without a sticky finish. A quick check confirmed that my skin remained dry to the touch.

The finish is neither matte nor dewy; the skin simply looks and feels like it's naturally hydrated and healthy.

Photo from GirlStyle Singapore

In the initial few seconds, my skin felt instantly refreshed and the itchiness around my cheeks was soothed. Minutes later, the redness had toned down significantly and my skin was already starting to feel like its old self.

But the real test is to see if my skin would remain in a good condition even when triggered. I spent a week using the moisturiser while making the usual questionable lifestyle choices that would cause my skin to get sensitised. Lo and behold, my skin didn't react the way it did before. While there was still a hint of redness on the top of my cheeks from the chafing of the mask, the itch, burning sensation and general discomfort were all gone for good.

Perhaps the best thing about this moisturiser is that it has made me stop stressing out about my skin. Knowing my skin is less reactive, I find myself worrying less about what I should or shouldn't do to avoid triggers. Regardless of what my skin is subjected to, it's nice to know that it won't freak out and will remain looking and feeling great.

If you have sensitive skin or unknowingly developed sensitised skin, the Bioderma Sensibio Defensive moisturiser might be the one for your skin that'll finally give it a permanent sigh of relief.

The Bioderma Sensibio Defensive moisturiser retails at $39.90 for 40ml at Bioderma's official retailers including Guardian, LazMall, Shopee Mall and Watsons. Find out more about Sensibio Defensive here.