No matter how your skin sensitivity manifests itself — redness [1], itchiness [2], dryness [3], or breakouts [4] — chances are you're not a fan of how it looks and feels when it happens. Plus, having a complexion that's super reactive might also deter you from trying out as many new skincare products [5] as you'd like.
We're here to help. We took a look at which products received the best reviews [6] from other Sephora shoppers with sensitive skin [7], and picked the best ones to share with you here. These items feature ingredients you'll likely recognize (like cucumber and lavender), and even a few that may be unfamiliar (like centella asiatica and purslane).
So, if you're ready to calm your complexion [8], there are cleansers and scrubs to get your skin clean [9], and serums, creams, and other treatments to keep it clear [10] and moisturized moving forward. Check out Sephora's top-rated skincare products for sensitive skin ahead.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
With more than 7,500 reviews and 168,000 loves from Sephora shoppers, the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser [11] ($15-$38) is a perennially popular product. It features amino acid-rich soy proteins to keep skin supple as it cleanses without removing moisture from your face. Then, sensitive skin gets an extra bit of love with soothing cucumber extract and calming rosewater, too.
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
If you want to test out alpha-hydroxy acids [12] but are worried your moody skin can't handle a strong dose at first, these First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads [13] ($17-$34) are gentle on sensitive complexions. Each pad features lactic and glycolic acids to brighten and improve texture (along with toning cucumber and Indian gooseberry), and there are more than 83,000 loves from other Sephora shoppers, too.
Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
With nearly 85,000 hearts from Sephora shoppers, the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30 [14] ($18-$52) not only covers redness and blemishes, it also protects skin from future UV damage with sun-protection inside. It doesn't just hide problems — the product is great for sensitive skin because the included Tiger Grass (centella asiatica) actually helps eliminate the irritation that's affecting a complexion in the first place.
Belif Hungarian Water Essence
For reactive skin that's also dry, the Belif Hungarian Water Essence [15] ($42) is a lightweight serum that quickly re-hydrates your face. The blend of herbs inside — like anti-inflammatory lavender and detoxifying rosemary — has been praised by many Sephora shoppers for working well to moisturize and also not aggravate their sensitive skin. (P.S. The product doesn't includes any potentially irritating parabens, sulfates, or phthalates either.)
Philosophy The Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash
If you want to polish your face but the idea of a scrub sounds too harsh, Philosophy's The Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash [16] ($8-$28) has tiny exfoliating beads that serve as a 30-second mini peel to buff, clean, and tone your skin. The facial cleanser has also earned an average rating of 4.6 stars from other Sephora shoppers, with nearly 2,400 5-star reviews.
Clinique Redness Solutions with Probiotic Technology Daily Relief Cream
Clinique Redness Solutions with Probiotic Technology Daily Relief Cream [17] ($50) is an oil-free moisturizer that tackles visible inflammation on your face (even from rosacea), and eventually reduces the appearance of the broken capillaries that cause that red color. The top-rated cream also includes probiotics to balance skin, but does not include any irritating sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or mineral oil.
Dermadoctor Wrinkle Revenge Eye Balm
If you're trying to tackle eye bags or puffiness but you also have sensitive skin, the top-rated Dermadoctor Wrinkle Revenge Eye Balm [18] ($50) is a good choice because it's actually doctor-approved to use all around your eyes including on the delicate upper eyelids and crow's feet sides (along with the under-eye area). It features peptides, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants to hydrate and plump in lines, too.
Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder — Indigo
While Tatcha actually offers four different formulas of this enzyme powder [19], The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder — Indigo [20] ($65) is the one that's best for people who have sensitive skin. It uses natural Japanese indigo to calm and soothe easily aggravated or already inflamed faces, and has more than 1,000 5-star reviews from other Sephora shoppers.
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Mini
This top-rated Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Mini [21] ($22) is a moisturizer that's highly concentrated with hyaluronic acid to attract and lock in moisture. There are also ceramides to help hold that hydration inside for up to 72 hours after it's applied — and it makes an excellent night cream for sensitive skin.
Make Up For Ever Sens’Eyes - Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser Mini
If you also have sensitive eyes, the Make Up For Ever Sens'Eyes - Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser Mini [22] ($11) is gentle on the eye area as it removes liners, shadows, and mascara. Plus, this makeup remover adds in honey extract to leave skin nourished and moisturized when it's done.
Kiehl’s Dermatologist Solutions Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser
There's absolutely no alcohol, fragrance, or soap in this Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser [23] ($30). Its active ingredient — the ancient medicinal centella asiatica plant — is well-regarded for how well it works to purify, soothe, and clean sensitive skin. Plus, 100 percent of the people who reviewed this product would recommend it to others.
Primera Gentle Comfort Concentrate for Sensitive Skin
Primera Gentle Comfort Concentrate for Sensitive Skin [24] ($35) features active botanical extracts like plum (to tackle dryness) and silver birch bud (to condition skin). The nourishing serum helps hydrate stressed skin as well, and conveniently comes in a set of four little bottles of the same product, ideal for travel [25], too.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel for Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin but would like to try out one of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare's top-rated peels, the brand offers their popular Alpha Beta line in a more gentle formulation: The Ultra Gentle Daily Peel for Sensitive Skin [26] ($88). The pre-soaked pads feature lactic, mandelic, and salicylic acids to exfoliate skin, reduce wrinkles, and minimize the appearance of pores. It was created by the NYC-based dermatologist to be a gentler at-home alternative that also keeps skin balanced, boosts radiance, and fights signs of aging [27], too.
Foreo Luna 2 for Sensitive Skin
Foreo Luna 2 for Sensitive Skin [28] ($169) is tailor-made for sensitive skin with 12 customizable intensities for lighter to deeper cleanses. (There are Luna 2 options for combination, normal, and oily skin as well.) The tool's surface texture gets out blemish-causing impurities like dirt and oil, reduces the look of wrinkles, and leaves skin ready to receive whatever products follow the face wash. Plus, there are more than 13,000 loves for this product.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream Light
If you have sensitive skin and want to pick up a cream from Dr. Barbara Sturm [29], the Face Cream Light [30] ($205) has a lighter weight formula to keep you hydrated without clogging pores. It also features antioxidants like purslane [31] that can calm redness on your face and repair cellular damage at the same time.
Dr. Roebuck’s Kibosh Weightless Foaming Cleanser
Dr. Roebuck's Kibosh Weightless Foaming Cleanser [32] ($25) reveals clearer, cleaner skin while also removing oil, pore-clogging debris, and makeup from your face. It's a sensitive-skin-approved product with no surfactants [33] to strip or dry out a complexion, and it features ingredients from Australia (like wild bush plum and wattle seed) to reduce irritation and improve skin's tone and texture.
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Sensitive Antioxidant Serum
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Sensitive Antioxidant Serum [34] ($80) not only helps redness and visible inflammation but treats tightness and itchiness, too. The antioxidant-rich serum features ferulic acid (to take on fine lines and dark spots), centella asiatica (to heal skin's irritation), and vitamin E to protect it in the future. Plus, the concentrate's reviewed at 4.6 out of 5 stars at Sephora.
Algenist GENIUS Collagen Calming Relief
The new-to-Sephora Algenist GENIUS Collagen Calming Relief [35] ($58) uses vegan collagen and calendula to reduce the appearance of redness and irritation on sensitive skin. The gentle treatment also supports moisture retention so skin stays plump and dewy, and already 97 percent of the people who reviewed this product would recommend it to others.
Primera Gentle Comfort Gel Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
Primera Gentle Comfort Gel Cleanser for Sensitive Skin [36] ($20) washes sensitive faces with natural cleansers derived from coconuts. It's especially meant for easily-aggravated complexions, including rosacea- and acne-prone ones.
Eve Lom Time Retreat Radiance Boost Treatment
If you want to polish and brighten sensitive skin, the top-rated Eve Lom Time Retreat Radiance Boost Treatment [37] ($95) gently exfoliates with AHAs from five botanical extracts while a more stable form of retinol (that's encapsulated in a bubble to burst on the skin upon contact) tackles lines and dark spots. The multipurpose serum also includes vitamin E to combat skin stressors like free radicals [38] and UV exposure.
Ren Clean Skincare Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk
Ren Clean Skincare Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk [39] ($32) is ideal for reactive or otherwise sensitive skin as it lightly cleans and adds in fennel seed extract to neutralize dust, pollen, or dirt particles from polluted air. The top-rated protect also takes on irritation long-term by adding in omegas 3 and 7 to increase skin's resistance to these pollutants in the future.
Dermalogica Ultracalming Serum Concentrate
Dermalogica Ultracalming Serum Concentrate [40] ($60) features collagen-stimulating peptides to improve sensitive skin's texture and tone. It has evening primrose oil inside to combat irritation and dryness, alongside oat to further calm inflammation (and help with burning or itching).