Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin: a routine that does not sting
Updated 12 October 2026
Sensitive skin stings, burns, flushes or itches with products other people use without trouble. Usually the skin barrier is weak, so ingredients reach the nerves more easily.
The answer is fewer products, gentler formulas and a stronger barrier.
The routine
- A cream or soap-free cleanser, once a day if that is enough.
- A fragrance-free moisturiser with ceramides, twice a day.
- A mineral (zinc oxide) sunscreen, which stings less than many chemical filters.
Ingredients that calm
- Ceramides, glycerin, panthenol and colloidal oat.
- Centella asiatica (cica) and niacinamide at low strength.
Ingredients to go slow with
- Fragrance and essential oils.
- Alcohol high on the ingredient list.
- Strong acids, scrubs and high-strength vitamin C.
- Retinol: only after the skin has settled, and only twice a week at first.
How to patch test
Put a little of the new product behind the ear or on the side of the neck every night for five nights. If there is no redness or itching, try it on the face.
