Sensitive skin and sensitized skin are often used interchangeably—but they’re not the same thing. Understanding the difference can completely change how you care for your skin (and how your skin responds). Sensitive skin is a skin type, while sensitized skin is a condition. That distinction is important. Your skin type is something you’re generally born with—it’s part of your genetics. A skin condition, on the other hand, is something that can develop over time… and in many c