Evoking Emotion: Internal and External Factors in Sensitive Skin via Cosmetics & Toiletries

About 50% of women declare they have sensitive skin. This skin sensitivity can create emotional turmoil when itching, burning and irritation are not even visible, or when irregular blemishes occur. Sensitive skin remains a largely unanswered problem since it does not correspond to a specific physiological pattern. It also presents the challenge of uneven skin appearance ranging from dryness to oiliness. The following highlights recent work related to sensitive skin and first impressions, interpretations in the brain, different types of sensitivity and more.

First Impressions

Judgments of character can be based on facial appearance which, in turn, guides personal interactions in terms of social engagement and/or avoidance. In fact, research has shown that people are particularly sensitive to skin blemishes as these may indicate poor health and the presence of an infectious disease. The negative effect of blemished skin also can create the impression that a person is immature and less trustworthy—versus the positive effects of smooth skin, which impart opposite assumptions of trustworthiness, competency, attractiveness and health.