In this article:
Does sensitive skin need moisturiser?
The best skin care ingredients to look for in a sensitive skin moisturiser
What to avoid in a sensitive skin moisturiser
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for my skin type
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for normal skin
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for dry skin
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for oily, blemish-prone skin
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for combination skin
Sensitive skin is misunderstood– mostly because what many think they know about it probably isn't accurate. In actuality, anyone can experience sensitive skin because it’s not a skin type but a skin concern.
Sensitive skin occurs when factors disrupt skin’s barrier, leading to the hallmarks of reactivity we know, including redness, tenderness, stinging and tightness. It’s for these reasons that sensitive skin often requires extra TLC in the form of soothing skin care products — including moisturisers.
Is it possible to find a non-irritating, soothing moisturiser that delivers the skin-beneficial ingredients you want while still coddling sensitive skin of all skin types? Thankfully, it is and below, we show you how to do just that.
Does sensitive skin need moisturiser?
Absolutely! Sensitive skin needs moisturiser to get back into fighting shape and build up skin’s barrier.
In most cases, moisture barrier disruption causes reactive skin, so delivering healthy hydration to skin is non-negotiable (1). The result is skin that experiences immediate soothing and becomes less sensitive over time.
The best skin care ingredients to look for in a sensitive skin moisturiser
Not all moisturisers are created alike. Though adding any hydration to your skin care routine will help with some troublesome symptoms of sensitivity, it’s important to seek out formulas including ingredients specifically designed to soothe skin. These include (but are not limited to):
- Allantoin - well known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (2)
- Bisabolol - a prolific soothing ingredient often derived from chamomile
- Centella asiatica extract - a plant-derived ingredient containing madecassoside that’s a component of many Korean beauty (K-beauty) cica creams
- Licorice and its various compounds, among them glycyrrhetinic acid - research-proven to have soothing properties
- Colloidal oatmeal - gentle enough for even the most compromised skin and US FDA-recognised as a skin protectant
- Green tea - loaded with soothing polyphenols
- Mineral sunscreen active ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide - gentler and better tolerated on sensitive skin than synthetic sunscreen actives
What to avoid in a sensitive skin moisturiser
Just as crucial as what to look for in a sensitive skin moisturiser is what to avoid. Counterintuitively, numerous products marketed for sensitive skin actually include ingredients that worsen sensitivity. Here are red flag ingredients to avoid:
- Drying alcohol - which damages lipids within skin that keep its barrier intact (3)
- Fragrance - whether natural or synthetic, fragrance is bad news for all skin, but especially sensitive skin (4)
- Essential oils - though many essential oils do contain compounds that soothe skin, their volatile components instead wind up sensitising it
- Harsh scrubs, brushes or other manual exfoliation tools – the abrasion they cause chips away at skin’s defences, leading to increased sensitivity
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for my skin type
As stated previously, it’s important to remember that any skin type can fall victim to sensitivity. It doesn’t matter if your skin is super oily, desert-dry or somewhere in between, if your barrier becomes compromised you can experience reactivity. This is why, when selecting the best moisturiser for your skin, you take your skin type into account first.
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for normal skin
Normal skin is a bit tricky in that it isn’t exactly “normal” - “well-balanced" is a more accurate term. When normal skin’s barrier is disrupted, it can easily become upset and exhibit signs of sensitivity.
For those with normal skin, looking for middle-of-the-road textures – that is, not overly emollient nor too lightweight – is ideal. Lotion-like textures suit normal skin with signs of sensitivity wonderfully.
The best Paula’s Choice Skincare moisturisers for normal, sensitive skin
At Paula’s Choice we have moisturisers designed to soothe and further safeguard skin from factors that could lead it to become sensitive – ensuring that your normal skin stays normal.
Daytime: CALM Barrier Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 15- Texture: Gel-cream
- Key ingredients: Allantoin, Centella asiatica extract, alpha-glucan oligosaccharide
- This super-gentle moisturiser helps provide mineral SPF protection while soothing skin and reinforcing its barrier.
- Texture: Light lotion
- Key ingredients: Butyrospermum parkii butter, Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed oil
- Clinically proven to improve skin’s barrier, this wrinkle-smoothing lotion hydrates all day while it supports lasting hydration and elasticity.
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for dry skin
When it comes to moisturisers for dry skin prone to sensitivity, richer textures (think creams or balms) packed with hydrators and soothing ingredients can help curb signs of sensitivity while giving parched skin the moisture it needs.
The best Paula’s Choice Skincare moisturisers for dry, sensitive skin
Paula’s Choice Skincare knows dry skin needs emollient textures and skin-calming ingredients to tamp down reactivity instantly and over time.
Daytime: SKIN RECOVERY Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 15
- Texture: Rich cream
- Key ingredients: Zinc oxide, glycerine, Avena sativa (oat) kernel extract
- This skin-recovering, soothing cream offers moisture and UV defence while delivering soothing ingredients and impactful emollients for serious hydration.
- Texture: Rich cream
- Key ingredients: Inulin, allantoin, Albatrellus confluens (mushroom) extract
- This soothing, creamy moisturiser supports and helps soothe skin as it targets underlying causes of redness.
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for oily, blemish-prone skin
In this case of oily, blemish-prone sensitive skin it’s paramount to look for feather-light formulas that won’t clog pores and ingredients designed to control shine as well as hallmark soothers.
The best Paula’s Choice Skincare moisturisers for oily, blemish-prone sensitive skin
Paula’s Choice Skincare’s moisturisers for oily, blemish-prone sensitive skin are designed to provide gentle hydration without a thick, heavy feel while curbing visible signs of sensitisation.
Daytime: RESIST Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30- Texture: Sheer lotion
- Key ingredients: Epigallocatechin gallate, willow bark, tocopheryl acetate
- This daytime mineral moisturiser defends against sun damage while providing lightweight hydration and a mattifying finish for oily, sensitive skin.
- Texture: Lightweight lotion
- Key ingredients: Glycogen, Laminaria digitata extract, Opuntia ficus-indica stem extract
- A weightless, lotion texture visibly calms redness while restoring healthy, youthful-looking skin.
How to choose a sensitive skin moisturiser for combination skin
Combination skin, in general, requires formulas – just as with normal skin – that are middle of the road, providing sufficient hydration without being too rich.
If you have extreme combination skin, with areas of intense oiliness and intense dryness, applying differently textured moisturisers in different areas of your face to achieve balance might be integral for you. The key is to experiment to see which sensitive skin care moisturisers are right for you, then use them every day so you’ll see calmer, less reddened skin both now and over time.
Another option for extreme combination skin is to apply a lightweight moisturiser all over and then follow with a milky serum or concentrated oil on drier parts.
Learn more about sensitive skin.
Learn more about our editorial mission.
References for this information:
- Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, January 2023, pages 45-54
- Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica - Drug Research, February 2023, pages 965-976
- Royal Society of Chemistry Advances, March 2020, pages 12,234-12,248
- Allergologie Select, August 2017, pages 190–199
