Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

Time and time again, I find myself complaining about my skin. It seems that no matter how many precautions I take to prevent another break out, it never works. I’ve tried millions of different face washes, moisturizers, toners, etc. throughout my life, but to no avail, I always end up with something foreign appearing on my skin. Therefore, I’ve decided to share my journey with having crazy sensitive skin with the hopes of helping others who may be going through the same thing. It is definitely a challenge, but with the right steps, sensitive skin is possible to manage.

skincare products on sink counter
Photo by Rebecca Wiggins on Unsplash
Like most teens growing up nowadays, I definitely can’t deny having a very strong YouTube addiction. Throughout my middle and high school career, many nights were absorbed through hours of watching different beauty gurus on my phone. In fact, I was so inspired that I bought my own camera and decided to start filming. Clearly, that never happened, but the moral of the story is YouTube opened up new possibilities of makeup and skincare that I had never envisioned before. I started trying new makeup products, but would constantly find my skin breaking out with acne. I had no other choice but to give up those products I had come to love, but in the end, it definitely made the problems a little better.

Makeup products
Photo by Raphael Lovaski on Unsplash

The next big realization that I had the world’s most sensitive skin surrounded the newest trend at the time that I had to try out: Kylie Jenner lip kits. Kylie was known for her lips, so I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I spent way too long waiting in line on the computer for the release of her newest lip kit, however I didn’t exit the website empty handed. I was able to purchase one lip kit, which was definitely a struggle at the time considering how fast they sold out. I waited eagerly for it to arrive, and when it did, I did not waste any time. I ran to my room and tried on the famous matte lipstick; I fell in love instantly. I told all my friends how amazing the product was and that they had to try it themselves. However, the next day I woke up to a big surprise. My lips were super swollen and blistering around the edges. Like most products I’ve tried, I was allergic to something inside the lip kits. There were unquestionably a few tears and lots of pain as I waited for my lips to finally calm down, but one thing that hurt the most was that I yet again discovered another product I loved and could not continue to use.

lipsticks
Dids

A few swollen lips and embarrassing school days later, we get to where I currently stand with my skin. Typically, whenever I try a new product, my face breaks out in dermatitis. For those who may not know, dermatitis is a contact reaction on the skin that causes it to be inflamed, dry and in my case, very itchy and irritable. Yet, the fun doesn’t stop there. The exciting thing about dermatitis is that it doesn’t always happen right away. That means you can be using a product that you believe is going well for a very long time, and then one day your skin decides to flame up. This makes it very difficult to pick out what products are working for  your skin and which ones are not. As a result, I constantly have to cut products out of my routine to help slow down the reactions.

blue open makeup bag with cosmetics inside
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Having sensitive skin is a daily struggle and involves a lot of pain, trips to the dermatologist and compromise. It’s always frustrating to go shopping and find new, trendy products that you end up having to trash. On top of that, having swollen lips and rashes all over your face does not contribute much to one’s self-esteem. However, learning to give up the urge to buy a new banana moisturizer and rather a boring, sensitive skin alternative instead, will, in the end, save your skin from another turn in the wrong direction. Sensitive skin is all about finding what works right for you; it’s a long and ever-changing journey, but with the right materials and mindset, it can be well managed.

Maddie Bergstrom

Wisconsin '23

Maddie Bergstrom is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Journalism and Psychology. She enjoys movie nights, listening to music, fashion and spending time with friends.
I am a senior at the greatest university— the University of Wisconsin. I am in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, double tracking in reporting and strategic communications and earning a certificate in and Digital Studies. I am a lover of dance, hiking, writing for Her Campus, the Badgers and strawberry acais. I am also a president of Her Campus Wisconsin.