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Proper hydration is arguably the most straightforward route to healthy, glowing skin, but selecting the right face moisturizers for you is also essential. Choosing a proper formula that can improve moisture without worsening their concerns is key—this is where the best moisturizers for sensitive skin come in.
Best Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
- For Wrinkles: RéVive Sensitif Repairing Night Recovery Cream, $225
- For Dry Skin: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2, $150
- For Year-Round: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane, $38
- For a Drugstore Pickup: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer, $22
- For a Soothing Gel: Aveeno Calm and Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer, $21
- For a Night Cream: EltaMD PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer, $41
- For Hyperpigmentation: Kora Organics Turmeric Glow Brightening Moisturizer, $62
- For Mature Skin: Sente Dermal Repair UltraNourish, $179
- For Impaired Skin: Furtuna Skin Rinascita Delle Olive Replenishing Balm, $225
How do you know if you have sensitive skin, though? “Sensitive skin is more prone to react to stimuli like products, hormones, hot or cold temperatures, wind, or even emotions whereas normal skin adapts and compensates,” explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, who cites redness, dryness, itchiness, stinging, or burning sensation as tell-tale signs. Celebrity facialist Candace Marino emphasizes that skin sensitivity is related to a weakened lipid barrier.
According to Marino, this barrier should keep water in the skin and protect against environmental stressors (like UV rays, heat, cold, and wind). “When someone truly has sensitive skin, their barrier is not doing its job effectively, which causes skin thinning, [and] allows irritants to penetrate the skin, causing a reaction, burning, inflammation, [and more,]” she explains. “A thinning barrier will also allow for too much water loss in the skin, which is why dryness is almost always associated with sensitivity.” Our experts say this can be caused by fragrance, preservatives, over-exfoliating, harsh chemicals, and the aforementioned environmental factors.
“When someone’s barrier is weakened, they need to really focus on protecting and healing the skin,” Marino insists. That being said, ingredients like fatty acids, ceramides, squalane, hyaluronic acid, peptides, allantoin, niacinamide, lipids, and glycerin can be beneficial, alongside natural oils and botanicals like olive, sunflower, and jojoba oil in an effective moisturizer for sensitive skin. To help inform your buy, we’ve curated this edit of moisturizer for sensitive skin to choose from, whether you’re hoping to smooth fine lines or heal impaired skin. Read on to discover the one for you.
For Dry Skin
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2
- Why We Love It: Think of SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore as the moisturizer rich enough to quench thirsty skin, yet gentle enough to not to give rise to sensitivities.
- Key Ingredients: This formula is enriched with a unique, patented blend of ceramides, natural cholesterol, and fatty acids to restore the skin barrier, boost plumpness, and provide lasting radiance.
- How to Use: According to SkinCeuticals, warm and melt the cream between your fingertips before applying once or twice daily. During the day, use this after vitamin C (but before sunscreen!), and at night, apply after retinol.
For a Soothing Gel
Aveeno Calm and Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: The soothing properties of the Aveeno Calm and Restore moisturizer make it worth stocking up on. A buzzy formula, this imparts 24-hour moisture while calming sensitivities and irritation.
- Key Ingredients: This fast-absorption, lightweight cream is infused with prebiotic oat and feverfew to soothe and calm skin.
- How to Use: According to Aveeno, gently massage this moisturizer onto the face in an upward and outward motion.
For Mature Skin
Sente Dermal Repair UltraNourish
- Why We Love It: “This cream is great for dry and mature skin that’s experiencing sensitivity,” says Marino. “It’s so healing that we often recommend it for post-procedure recovery from peels and lasers.”
- Key Ingredients: She continues that “Dermal Repair Ultra-Nourish combines patented repairing molecule Heparan Sulfate Analog (HSA) and a unique blend of lipids to nourish and smooth dry, sensitive skin.” The featured ceramides, omega fatty acids, and vitamin E are worthwhile mentions, too.
- How to Use: According to Sente, one pump is all you need to experience its nourishing benefits. Those using it in tandem with retinol should apply this cream after their chosen vitamin A derivative. Either way, let UltraNourish absorb fully before applying any other products.
For a Drugstore Pickup
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: A top pick of Shirazi’s is this acclaimed La Roche-Posay moisturizer. The formula, which also counts Stranger Things star Natalia Dyer as a fan, is known for its lightweight texture and ability to promote skin barrier restoration.
- Key Ingredients: Powered by the brand’s prebiotic thermal water, this also features ceramides, niacinamide, and glycerin. “It’s also fragrance-free, alcohol-free, and paraben-free, so even the most sensitive of users can use it safely,” she says.
- How to Use: According to La Roche-Posay, this should be applied to the face and neck after cleansing morning and night.
For Wrinkles
RéVive Sensitif Repairing Night Recovery Cream
- Why We Love It: “This is a luxurious nighttime gel-cream that’s powered by bio-calming ingredients and prebiotics to help reduce redness and balance the microbiome of the skin for a healthy-looking appearance,” recommends Marino. Not to mention, it improves flakiness, diminishes the look of wrinkles, and evens skin tone over time.
- Key Ingredients: Here, a blend of skin-soothing extracts (licorice, cucumber, and chamomile), peptides, niacinamide, vitamin E, turmeric, prebiotics, and green tea come together to repair skin while you sleep.
- How to Use: According to RéVive, apply one to two pumps of this cream each night after cleanser, toner, and serums.
For a Night Cream
EltaMD PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: Even those with sensitive skin can make the most of their beauty sleep by incorporating a powerhouse night cream like this EltaMD formula which is designed to moisturize, repair, and restore skin.
- Key Ingredients: Through a combination of ceramides, niacinamide, linoleic acid, hydrolyzed rice protein peptides, and hyaluronic acid, this cream can help replenish dryness, retain moisture, restore suppleness, and improve skin elasticity.
- How to Use: According to EltaMD, apply a pearl-sized amount to clean, moist skin every evening—massaging in circular upward and outward motions.
For Impaired Skin
Furtuna Skin Rinascita Delle Olive Replenishing Balm
- Why We Love It: Marino calls Furtuna Skin’s Replenishing Balm her go-to for any irritated, dry, cracked, or impaired skin. “I call it my 911 product because it will literally heal, nourish and protect skin in a fragile state,” she says. “This balm replenishes the skin’s water levels by locking in moisture, soothes and calms red, irritated skin, strengthens and promotes healing to help the barrier repair itself without occluding the skin.”
- Key Ingredients: A supercharged blend of botanicals, including carrot, dandelion, hawthorn, hawthorn, and St. John’s Wort makes up this elixir, consisting of all organic ingredients. Per Marino, “the beautiful color (spirulina) and scent (magnolia oil) are plant-based and compatible with all skin types.”
- How to Use: According to Furtuna Skin, warm a dime-sized amount of balm on your fingertips before massaging across the face, neck, and décolleté. In the morning, this should go before SPF, but at night, it should be applied as the last step in your regimen.
For Lightweight Wear
Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream
- Why We Love It: Redness, tightness, and overheating don’t stand a chance against the Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream. And because it boasts a lightweight, nourishing texture, one can wear this without feeling too weighed down by their moisturizer.
- Key Ingredients: Here, there are Avène’s thermal spring water and postbiotics—free of preservatives, parabens, and fragrances—to calm discomfort, soften, and smooth the skin.
- How to Use: According to Avène, apply this to the face, neck, and eye contour morning and night.
For a Glow
Biologique Recherche Crème PIGM 400
- Why We Love It: If you want to illuminate dull skin, Marino would recommend the Biologique Recherche Crème PIGM 400, as “this cream instantly brings life to the face.”
- Key Ingredients: “It’s a concentrate of brightening and pigment-reducing ingredients and features mica, which is a crushed shimmery stone that provides an instant glow,” she says.
- How to Use: According to Biologique Recherche, the cream can be applied morning or night to the face, neck, and décolleté after cleanser, toner, and serums.
For Hyperpigmentation
Kora Organics Turmeric Glow Brightening Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: “This is a nourishing, ultra-hydrating moisturizer that visibly smooths and plumps the skin, while calming and soothing the skin,” Marino says. “And the packaging is an environmentally-friendly refillable pot, so you repurchase pods instead of the whole jar!”
- Key Ingredients: Furthermore, she shares that “[this] features a powerful blend of turmeric and noni fruit extract, [which] visibly brightens skin while minimizing the appearance of hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and wrinkles.”
- How to Use: According to Kora Organics, warm up a pearl-sized amount of cream with your fingertips, then gently massage into your face, neck, and decolletage in the AM or PM.
For Year-Round Wear
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane
- Why We Love It: A Vogue editor favorite for sure, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream is a year-round skin-care staple—lightweight enough for warmer temps, yet nourishing enough for cool temps. Either way, one can expect 24-hours-worth of hydration.
- Key Ingredients: Olive-derived squalane, glycerin, and glacial glycoprotein make up its formula which promotes soft, moisturized skin.
- How to Use: According to Kiehl’s, a dime-sized amount of the cream can be applied morning and night post-cleansing and toning.