Sensitive skin has very different needs to other skin types that can handle harsher products. With sensitive skin, it’s all about trial and error, and choosing the most gentle products with the least amount of irritants. You’ll want to avoid anything that contains essential oils, soap, parfum (fragrance), and anything that has chemical irritants like sulfates, petroleum (including paraffin and paraffinium), alcohol, linalool, citrus, alpha hydroxy acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid.
When it comes to the steps behind your skincare routine, less is more when it comes to sensitive skin. Trust me, you do not need an 8-12 step skincare routine! You just need the basics to keep your skin hydrated and healthy and glowing. Leave out the toner, acids and retinoids, and just stick to oils and moisturisers. And remember, your face oil goes on after your moisturiser because it’s the heaviest product so is able to penetrate through the moisturiser!
Cleanser
You’ll want to start with a cleanser to clean your face and get any makeup off if you wear makeup. Personally my favourite is the Balmonds Omega Rich Cleansing Oil. It’s a really lovely, gentle cleanser made entirely with 100% natural oils, and it’s one of the few cleansers that easily removes my waterproof mascara without dehydrating and stripping the skin and lashes. The Balmonds Omega Rich Cleansing Oil is free from parabens, preservatives, petrochemicals or perfumes, which makes it perfect for eczema-prone and sensitive skin.
The oil can be used as a natural alternative to soap-based cleansers or synthetic make-up removers, nourishing the skin rather than stripping it of its natural oils. When the cleansing oil is massaged into the skin, it binds to impurities and oily make-up, allowing them to be gently wiped away without clogging pores and leaving the skin clean, soft and hydrated.
Purchase the Balmonds Omega Rich Cleansing Oil
Serum
Many serums contain linalool which can be an irritant for some with sensitive skin, but many of them have it in very small quantities so it’s unlikely to irritate your skin unless you have extremely sensitive skin. If you think your skin can cope with linalool (mine can, thankfully!), I would recommend the Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum.
However, if you definitely can’t use linalool or you’re unsure, then I recommend the Green People Nordic Roots Hyaluronic Booster Serum. It’s a natural, fragrace-free serum with hyaluronic acid (which is not a harmful acid – find out more about hyaluronic acid here) for calm, dewy skin. This scent-free hyaluronic acid serum that instantly hydrates and renews the skin. Certified cosmos natural by Ecocert with 100% ingredients of natural origin and 22.8% of the total ingredients from organic farming.
Purchase the Green People Nordic Roots Hyaluronic Booster Serum
Moisturiser
Your moisturiser is one of the most important aspects of your skincare routine. Most people tend to just moisturise their face, and forget about their neck, decolletage, hands, and rest of the body. It’s super important to moisturise your whole body after washing (whether it be a bath or shower!) to put that moisture back into the skin.
Face
So many face moisturisers contain linalool or fragrance, but Green People do the most amazing ultra-gentle, scent-free day moisturiser. It’s super light but is moisturising enough and balances ultra-sensitive and blemish-prone skin. It’s ethyl alcohol-free and naturally soothes and protects easily irritated skin. Because it’s a very concentrate formula, a little goes a long way so only use a small amount! The moisturiser contains prebiotics to restore a healthy skin balance to help prevent acne and impurities, and it also contains Willow Bark, which is rich in Salicin, an anti-inflammatory which reduces irritation and helps control acne breakouts.
Purchase the Green People Scent Free Day Moisturiser
Body
My favourite body moisturisers are from MooGoo. I personally use the MooGoo MSM Cream and really love it. It’s super moisturising and makes your skin silky smooth and moisturised thanks to the 10% of MSM sulphur in the formula. It’s ideal for those with severely sensitive skin and those suffering from eczema on the face and body.
Purchase MooGoo MSM Cream
Hands
The only hand cream I trust for extremely sensitive skin is the Green People Scent Free Everyday Hand Cream. If you have mildly sensitive skin you can try the Weleda Almond Sensitive Skin Hand Cream, but if it’s more on the extreme side, you definitely need to go with Green People as the Weleda hand cream contains a small amount of fragrance.
Purchase the Green People Scent Free Everyday Hand Cream
Facial Oil
If I had to choose one face oil to use for the rest of my life, it would be the A’Kin Rosehip Oil. Rosehip Oil isn’t an essential oil, so don’t panic, it’s a carrier oil. It contains antioxidants and is vitamin rich so is perfect for sensitive skin, and A’Kin’s rosehip oil contains 100% Certified Organic Rosehip oil with a minimum concentration of 80% essential fatty acids (Omega 3,6,9). Not only does it nourish and hydrate your skin, but it also helps to reduce the appearance of scars, uneven skin tone, and stretchmarks.
A’Kin is one of the purest oils on the market, and it’s purity helps restore moisture, revitalises skin, and also helps protect the skin from the effect of environmental elements, prevent signs of ageing and help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Purchase the A’kin Rosehip Oil
Watch my video on my four favourite face oils
Once a week skincare routine steps
Once a week you should add a gentle scrub and an overnight mask to your skincare routine.
Gentle scrub
Although it contains minimal amounts of linalool, the Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream is the gentlest and best scrub I have found for my sensitive skin. It smells divine, is suitable for sensitive skin, and eliminates dead skin cells and gently cleanses and purifies the skin with a combination of jojoba microbeads and nourishing grape oil. In an instant your skin is clear, soft and bright!
Purchase Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream
Overnight Mask
I love an overnight mask! Because my skin is okay with linalool and fragrance, my favourite overnight masks are actually the Clinique Moisture Surge, and the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturising Mask. They’re super moisturising and feel very luxurious on the skin, and I love using each of them once a week to keep my skin hydrated.
If you want to avoid linaool and fragrance, then you need to try the Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Mask. It’s a rich, hydrating mask for very thirsty, dry skin, that calms and hydrates very dry, sensitive and flaky skin. This ultra-creamy mask combines the richest plant oils, antioxidants and essential fatty acids to replenish dry, rough and flaky skin. The intensely, moisturising formula restores skin for a radiant, dewy complexion.
Purchase Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Mask
