If you struggle with sensitive skin like yours truly, then you know firsthand just how vital using the right moisturizer is. “Right” meaning no fragrance, ultra nourishing and chock-full of hero ingredients that soothe, protect and deeply hydrate skin. Now, obviously there are seemingly endless face moisturizers on the market (many of which claim to work for sensitive skin), but which ones are actually worth your hard-earned money?
We turned to the experts to find out. Ahead, learn what you should be looking for in a moisturizer for sensitive skin, how to apply it for best results and which ingredients to avoid at all costs — plus top recommendations from two board-certified dermatologists.
How can you tell if your skin is sensitive?
According to Dr. Marisa Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology, you can tell your skin is sensitive if it’s reactive (gets irritated easily) and prone to redness, burning, itching or flaking. “People with sensitive skin more commonly tend to be afflicted by skin conditions like eczema, dry skin, rosacea, as well as asthma and allergies,” adds Dr. Pooja Rambhia, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. Like all skin conditions, sensitivity ranges in severity, meaning some folks may be able to tolerate certain fragrances in skin care products, while others won’t be able to handle any type at all. If you’re still unsure, here are a few questions you can ask yourself.
What triggers sensitive skin?
What really sets sensitive skin apart is its inability to stay calm and clear in the face of lurking allergens and environmental aggressors, which are, unfortunately, all around us. “Sensitive skin is easily prone to irritation and discomfort from exposure to allergens like fragrances and preservatives in personal care products, as well as environmental triggers,” Rambhia says. “This includes extreme temperatures, excessive wind, humidity and sun exposure.” On top of that, hot and spicy foods, as well as alcohol, can be a problem for some folks with sensitive skin.
What should you look for in a moisturizer for sensitive skin?
?“In general, people with sensitive skin should be avoiding fragrance-containing products, as these formulas often include low-molecular-weight chemicals that have the potential to trigger skin sensitization,” Rambhia says. “With adequate exposure, these substances can lead to the development of allergic contact dermatitis.”
So, what do you want to see on the ingredient list? Garshick recommends ingredients that help to support and strengthen the skin barrier, such as ceramides, as well as those that create a protective barrier for the skin, like petrolatum. “Since those with sensitive skin typically experience dry skin too, it’s important to boost moisture using ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin,” she adds. “These are humectants that help to hydrate the skin.”
How to use moisturizer on sensitive skin
To maximize the efficacy of your moisturizer, slather it on after gently cleansing and applying a soothing face serum of your choice. You’ll also want to ensure the skin is a bit damp so that the moisturizer can seal in that extra hydration. Then follow up with a soothing face oil to lock everything in.
Best moisturizers for sensitive skin
This classic, no-frills cream is a fabulous option for those with dry and sensitive skin because it’s devoid of dyes, fragrance, masking fragrance, lanolin, parabens and more. This helps reduce the risk of having a potential reaction. “The formula works to soothe and hydrate the skin, without leaving it feeling greasy,” Garshick says. “It’s also noncomedogenic and can be used on the face or body.”
The best moisturizer for sensitive skin that we’ve tested, we found Instant Angel’s creamy, ceramide-rich formula to feel deeply hydrating. It also contains urea, which is a great ingredient for calming dryness and irritation associated with psoriasis and dermatitis.
“This oil-free moisturizer will nourish the skin but won’t clog pores or leave skin feeling the least bit greasy,” Garshick says of this replenishing pick from Colorescience. “It contains a trimolecular hyaluronic acid to deliver hydration at all layers while also working to support the skin barrier and balance the microbiome, which is especially important for those with sensitive skin.”
Enriched with hyaluronic acid, skin-replenishing ceramides and soothing allantoin, this comforting cream from Tower 28 is noncomedogenic, alcohol- and fragrance-free, dermatologist approved and it has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. It’s incredibly gentle, hydrating and works over time to reduce redness without ever feeling sticky or greasy on the skin.
“This cream contains a combination of hyaluronic acid, peptides, vitamin C and E, and glycerin, all of which help to plump the skin as well as improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” Garshick says of this luxe option from Charlotte Tilbury.?Additionally, it contains aloe to help temper redness and keep skin calm in the face of potential aggressors.
On top of hydrating hero glycerin, this soothing formula contains La Roche-Posay’s iconic thermal spring water, as well as an ingredient known as neurosensine that works to reduce redness associated with dry skin. Another bonus? It contains color-correcting green pigment that can quickly improve the appearance of redness, which may be present in those with sensitive skin.
Currently 35% off on Solawave’s website with the code RED35, this expert-approved formula uses a triple threat of peptides, hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid to help intensely hydrate and comfort skin. And that’s not all: It also uses 5% Solabiome, which is a proprietary complex made of prebiotics and probiotics that aids in strengthening the skin barrier.?
This moisturizing cream, containing hyaluronic acid and three essential ceramides, works to both hydrate the skin and restore its natural barrier to combat dryness without being greasy. It’s also fragrance-free, making it an especially good option for those with sensitive skin.
Another La Roche-Posay formula worth writing home about is this balmy cream powered by soothing panthenol (vitamin B5), glycerin and shea butter. Despite being thick and creamy, it doesn’t leave skin oily or looking greasy — just glowy, soft and calm. It’s also great on areas that tend to get extra dry and cracked, such as knuckles, knees and elbows.?
This uses key ingredients designed to support and protect the skin barrier, including a patented B-L3 Complex, colloidal oatmeal, ceramides, antioxidants and more. According to clinical trials, it proved to be as effective as hydrocortisone 1% in treating eczema and has been recognized by the National Eczema Association. It soothes the skin, hydrates dry patches, reduces redness and calms irritation, making it great for sensitive skin on the face and body.
Another Charlotte Tilbury favorite from Garshick, this weightless gel cream uses a combination of the brand’s Waterlocking Fusion Technology, niacinamide and an innovative Biopeptide Complex to deliver deep hydration while improving the appearance of both skin tone and texture. “It’s lightweight, absorbs easily and is fragrance-free, making it a great option for dry, oily and sensitive skin types.”
The Magic Water Cream is also one of associate beauty editor Sophie Shaw's favorites for skin prep as the light gel cream creates the perfect base for makeup.
“A great option for somebody who’s looking for a cream to help address signs of skin aging, this cream incorporates bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol,” Garshick says. “It helps to target aging skin without irritating it, and also snow algae, another prized ingredient that slows down the aging process by mimicking a gene associated with longevity.”
This chic lotion bar makes it super easy to remember to moisturize by including it as part of your in-shower routine. “I love that by simply applying it to damp skin it transforms into a lotion to leave skin feeling hydrated, softer and smoother while supporting the skin barrier,” Garshick says. “Additionally, it works to lock moisture in without leaving the skin feeling greasy and is environmentally friendly.”
This ultra-rich, yet non-greasy moisturizer helps calm and soothe the skin while simultaneously helping to seal in moisture and restore the skin barrier. It contains thermal spring water, vitamin E and vegetable extracts, and is fragrance-free and preservative-free.
Tried-and-true, this drugstore gem not only helps to seal moisture in but provides a protective barrier on the skin with pure petrolatum. This shields skin from external irritants like wind, pollution and dry air, making it especially good for parched, chapped or cracked skin. It can be applied multiple times throughout the day, as well as at bedtime.?
This thick, creamy moisturizer deeply hydrates but absorbs quickly and contains glycerin, ceramides and other lipids that are naturally found in the epidermis. This helps fortify and strengthen the skin barrier, making it especially ideal for those with sensitive skin. Additionally, it features the brand’s patented Skin Barrier Therapy technology, which limits skin-irritating bacteria from adhering to the skin’s surface.?
This innovative essence-meets-moisturizer from Ilia checks all the boxes: It’s lightweight, it instantly soothes redness and it leaves skin looking and feeling supremely hydrated all day long. It features a barrier-renewal complex made up of fatty acids, lipids and sterols (a bioactive compound that can boost collagen), as well as hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich microalgae extract and prickly pear flower extract to keep skin comfortable.
