How To Soothe Irritated Skin: Causes, Remedies & A Derm's Expert Tips 

So here we explain what's going on with angry skin and then dive into solutions specific to the causes. 

So in order to decide what solution may work for you, you'll need to first understand why the irritation might be occurring—and what, exactly, is causing damage to the skin barrier. Once you have a better understanding of that, you can put in the work to calm your finicky complexion. 

This is because these skin types have a naturally compromised skin barrier, which isn't as effective at keeping irritants out—nor keeping the water in. 

Well, we encourage you to put in the extra work in the hydration and soothing department. There are several ingredients that can help you get there. Look for these on your ingredient lists to soothe and moisturize the skin. 

One such issue that research is showing is that skin is more prone to irritation when it has an impaired biome. In fact, recent research shows that having a diverse microflora (in both the skin and gut) helps crowd out potential allergens and irritants.

Here's a quick breakdown of what each does topically:

Essentially the inability of the barrier to perform its duties naturally leads the skin and body to be more susceptible to other irritants, causing flare-ups that may look like rough patches, overall dryness, discoloration, bumps, sores, and physical sensations like burning or itchiness. 

But the journal can do more than that: It can provide context for what you're going through—and perhaps provide a gentle reminder to not be so hard on yourself or your skin. "When I get flare-ups, I remember it lasting longer than it actually did," she notes. "I look back to my journal, and it was only three days when it felt like two weeks."  

Technically speaking, acne does loosely fall under the category of an inflammatory skin condition. However, acne's issues are twofold—so we decided to break it out into its own section. First, acne is inflammatory by nature: "Acne is caused by a combination of excess oil production, overgrowth of acne-causing bacteria in the skin, sticky skin cells that block the pores, and inflammation," according to board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D. Second, the way we often treat acne can cause additional irritation itself, as many of the traditional acne-treating products on the market lean aggressive. 

A few key ones to look out for:

Speaking of aggressive products or overdoing, several harsh topicals—including retinoids and exfoliators—can strip the skin barrier, leaving otherwise "normal" skin irritated. It's a phenomenon many derms, including board-certified dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D., have coined "sensitized" skin. 

"This is something you are doing to yourself," says Bowe, who also notes this is not an official diagnosis. And it's done by stripping the top layer of skin. Essentially, you can turn balanced skin into reactive skin by exfoliating away that protective layer with scrubs, face brushes, acids, harsh toners—or even just overwashing. "It's a tricky balance: You want to remove dead skin cells so you get a nice glow but don't want to do it too much and thin out that layer," warns Bowe. "You need to be careful."

The fix here isn't that complicated: Stop using the products immediately, nurse your barrier back to health with moisturizers, then you can fold exfoliating topicals back into use sparingly. But in case you need some indication of the products and ingredients that may be causing the barrier damage, keep your eye on retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, physical exfoliants, and strong face cleansers. We repeat: It is so important to use potent topicals in moderation and as tolerated.

This is essentially an allergic reaction (usually in the form of a rash) to something that's touched your skin. Common causes are allergenic topicals (like certain essential oils, fragrances, methylparaben, or butylparaben) or even things like physical rubbing and tugging (like from dirty makeup brushes or masks).    

From there, the most important thing you can do is to identify your major triggers or allergies and avoid using them as best you can. Sometimes, this is easy: If you know you're allergic to a certain herb or plant, you can just double-check ingredient labels. (If you're unsure, spot-check on your wrist before applying it to your face.) Other times, it requires being more mindful about your habits, such as making sure you wash makeup brushes and towels regularly. And still others, it's unavoidable—like is the case of masks. In these situations, try your best to soothe your skin after the fact as much as possible. 

"We all know that stress is an inevitable part of life and arises when we are under mental, physical, or emotional pressure that we perceive exceeds our ability to adapt to it," says board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr, M.D. "Our brain plays a major role in the stress response, which exerts its effect on the skin mainly through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. When this response is activated, stress hormones such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), glucocorticoids, and epinephrine are released. This results in a wide range of physiologic and immune reactions that can trigger or exacerbate skin conditions."

Let this serve as a reminder that your mental health is just as important and valuable as your physical health. Carve time out during the day to care for it through meditation, movement, talking to loved ones, journaling, a creative hobby, or whatever helps you. 

We'd be remiss not to include the much-loathed pollution, windburn, and sunburn! These can all damage skin immediately and over time, causing rashes, texture and tone woes, and premature aging. See, since your skin is a barrier—it often takes a hit while protecting your body from the elements. While these present themselves differently on everyone, unprotected exposure to harsh elements does trigger oxidative stress, which may result in symptoms of irritation.  

Be sure that your skin care routine contains hydrating elements, antioxidants, and sun protection. The hydrators can keep the moisture barrier intact, antioxidants fight free radicals, and the sun protection shields the skin from UV rays. 

We've covered some of these above, but there are just some good general tips and tricks from pros that most people will benefit from—so we condensed it down into one simple list. Good to have these ideas on hand when you have a flare-up: 

Irritation comes via several avenues—but can ultimately be traced back to a damaged skin barrier. You can tend to skin by first figuring out what is compromising your skin, and then tending to it accordingly.