what to use when your skin reacts to everything

"my skin reacts to everything" makes me ask questions

i have heard some version of this sentence for years.

"i can't use anything." "everything makes my skin react." "my skin is so sensitive."

my first thought is always the same. what is everything?

sometimes people have tried product after product without really knowing what is in all of them.

sometimes they know they are sensitive to strong aromas.

sometimes there are so many products in the routine that it becomes almost impossible to tell what their skin is responding to.

and sometimes they are simply scared to try again, because they have already had enough uncomfortable experiences.

i don't hear "my skin reacts to everything" and think your body is being difficult. i hear information.

now we have somewhere to begin.

understanding gives you something to work with.

should sensitive skin start fragrance-free?

if someone tells me she is ultra sensitive, fragrance-free is where i usually recommend she begin.

that is why i point our most sensitive customers toward clarity. start there. see how your skin responds.

then please report back. seriously. i love hearing what happens.

we do use essential oils in our aromatic products, and we are very mindful about both the quality and the amount. people constantly tell us how light our aromas are.

they are designed that way, because sensitive people are part of who we have been making hellomellow for all these years.

but lightly scented and fragrance-free are still two different things. if aroma makes you nervous, you do not need to force it. start fragrance-free.

you don't need a giant new routine

this is where skincare can get ridiculous.

your skin is already making you nervous, so you go looking for help. then suddenly someone is telling you that you need seven new products.

now if something does not feel good, which one was it? you have no idea.

that is why i love minis for someone who is hesitant. you get to try something without making a giant commitment. you get to notice. you get to gather information.

your body gets a vote.

so here is where i would actually start. one clarity mini butter. that is it. use a little. notice how your skin feels. you can always build from there.

what to look for in a body moisturizer for sensitive skin

i am a big believer in simple, nourishing body care.

our formulas are water-free, and our butters are made with rich plant fats like mango and avocado butter.

i have always thought about skincare as nourishment. not the trendy ingredient of the month. not a gigantic list of promises. good ingredients, thoughtfully chosen, used consistently.

i love mango and avocado butter because they give me the richness and the texture i want when i am working with dry skin.

after all these years, i still believe most skin is asking for good nourishment far more often than it is asking for something extreme. and when your skin already feels sensitive, simpler can feel really good.

stop fighting your skin and start learning from it

there can already be so much stress around sensitive skin.

you try something. you worry about whether you are going to react. then something feels different and you watch it. then you buy another thing, because maybe that one will be better.

new product. new ingredient. new promise. new routine. more things to watch.

that does not feel very mellow to me.

if your skin reacts easily, the goal isn't to stress it out trying to fix it.
the goal is to mellow the routine down, nourish it, and pay attention to what it tells you.

the stories that kept me making hellomellow

some of my favorite hellomellow memories happened when we were selling at Whole Foods.

every once in a while i would hand someone one of these ridiculously tiny one-time samples. nothing glamorous. just enough to take home and try.

then people would come find us at the shop later and tell me these crazy "i can't believe it" stories about what they had noticed with their skin, or with their kid's skin. then they would buy a real size.

i swear those stories are part of what has kept me making and selling hellomellow this long.

not because everyone's skin is going to respond the same way. it won't.

but because there is something really wonderful about watching someone who felt like she could not use anything discover that maybe there is still something she can work with.

sometimes that starts with the tiniest little jar.

how to try new body care when your skin is reactive

you do not need to solve your entire body-care routine today.

that is the part i care about most. once something starts making sense, taking care of yourself can feel a whole lot less stressful.

and yes, please tell me how it goes. those are still some of my favorite stories to hear.

take good care of yourself,

♥ tracy

if you are experiencing a persistent or severe reaction, swelling, pain, or something you cannot identify, talk with a dermatologist or an appropriate healthcare professional. body care can support how your skin looks and feels, but it cannot tell you what is causing a reaction.