Product Recommendations for DRY & SENSITIVE SKIN

Written on 10/24/2024
Nadia Tamara Lee

If your quiz results point to dry or sensitive skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis, your skincare routine requires extra care to soothe irritation, rebuild your skin’s barrier, and maintain long-lasting hydration. These conditions often result from a weakened skin barrier, leading to redness, dryness, itchiness, or flare-ups.

To address these challenges, your skincare regimen should focus on gentle, hydrating, and barrier-repairing products while avoiding harsh ingredients that can aggravate sensitivity. Alongside personalized product recommendations, you’ll find helpful lifestyle tips to manage triggers and maintain skin health, promoting balance from the inside out.

The following list of products is handpicked by me with a deep look into ingredients and the effectiveness of each product chosen. 


ROUTINE FOR DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN

Recommended routine: Rich, soothing moisturizers, fragrance-free products, hydrating masks, barrier repair treatments, and minimal exfoliation.

  • AM Routine:
    • Cleanser: Start your day with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser specifically formulated for sensitive skin. Look for non-foaming, hydrating cleansers that won't strip the skin's natural oils. Recommended product: SKIND by Nadia Natural Soap Rose & Honey
    • Toner: If you prefer, follow cleansing with a soothing, alcohol-free toner to rebalance the skin's pH levels and prepare it for subsequent skincare products. Recommended product: Aloe Vera Face Toner
    • Serum: Apply a lightweight, hydrating serum containing calming ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, or chamomile extract to soothe and moisturize sensitive skin. Recommended product: SKIND by Nadia Hydrating Serum
    • Moisturizer: Hydrate your skin with a gentle, hypoallergenic moisturizer formulated for sensitive skin. Choose a non-comedogenic formula that won't clog pores or cause irritation. Recommended product: SKIND by Nadia Hyaluronic Moisturizer
    • SPF: Finish your morning routine with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, specifically designed for sensitive skin. Opt for mineral-based sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for gentle, effective protection. Recommended product: Paula’s Choice Calm Redness Relief SPF 30 Mineral Moisturizer
  • PM Routine:
    • Cleanser: Double cleanse your skin in the evening to remove makeup, sunscreen, and impurities. Start with an oil-based cleanser to dissolve makeup and excess oil, followed by a gentle foaming or cream cleanser to cleanse the skin without stripping its natural moisture. Recommended product: SKIND by Nadia Makeup Remover Solution & Kale Face Cleanser
    • Exfoliant: Once a week, use a mild exfoliating scrub or enzyme-based exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and promote cell turnover. Avoid harsh physical scrubs or chemical exfoliants that may irritate sensitive skin. Recommended product: The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA (once or twice a week)
    • Serum: If your skin tolerates it well, you can incorporate a gentle, fragrance-free treatment such as a soothing gel or spot treatment containing ingredients like aloe vera or calendula extract to calm inflammation and redness. Recommended product: SKIND by Nadia Hyaluronic Acid Serum
    • Moisturizer: Apply a rich, nourishing night cream or moisturizer specifically formulated for sensitive skin to replenish moisture and support the skin's barrier function overnight. Recommended product: SKIND by Nadia Hyaluronic Moisturizer
    • Facial Mask (Weekly): Treat your skin to a hydrating or soothing mask containing ingredients like oatmeal, cucumber, or aloe vera to calm inflammation and replenish moisture. Recommended product: Deep Cleansing Green Tea Mask

Product Recommendations for DRY & SENSITIVE SKIN

MORE PRODUCT EXAMPLES

It's important to switch your products throughout the year. Over time, if you're using the same products over and over, they will become ineffective and no longer work.  Once you finish a product listed above in the recommendations, refer to the products below to choose your next batch of products for a new cycle.

CLEANSERS:

1. Aveeno Restorative Skin Therapy Sulfate-Free Body Wash: With oat and shea butter, it hydrates and soothes sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

2. Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser: A mild, soap-free formula designed for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Free of irritants like dyes, fragrances, and parabens.

TONERS:

1. Avene Gentle Toning Lotion: Contains thermal spring water to soothe and calm irritated skin while providing hydration.

2. Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal-Extract Alcohol-Free Toner: Made with calendula and allantoin, this toner helps soothe and reduce redness in sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

3. Aloe Vera Face Toner: Aloe vera's natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties help reduce redness and prevent acne, making this toner ideal for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

SERUMS:

1. CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help restore the skin barrier and lock in moisture.

2. Avène Hydrance Intense Rehydrating Serum: A gentle, fragrance-free formula that calms and hydrates sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

3. SKIND by Nadia Niacinamide Vitamin Boost Serum: Niacinamide helps soothe irritated skin while reducing redness and inflammation.

DAY MOISTURIZERS:

1. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: Contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help restore the skin barrier and provide lasting hydration.

2. Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream: Infused with colloidal oatmeal to soothe irritation and protect the skin’s moisture barrier.

3. Eucerin Eczema Relief Cream: Formulated with colloidal oatmeal and ceramides, this cream provides relief from itching and dryness associated with eczema.

SUNSCREENS:

1. Vanicream Sunscreen SPF 50: A mineral-based, broad-spectrum sunscreen that’s fragrance-free, paraben-free, and non-irritating, making it ideal for eczema-prone skin.

2. CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30: Contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and protect sensitive skin from the sun while supporting the skin barrier.

3. Aveeno Sensitive Skin Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50: Formulated with oat extract and zinc oxide, this sunscreen is designed for sensitive and eczema-prone skin.

NIGHT MOISTURIZERS:

1. Whipped Tallow Cream for Sensitive Skin: Gently crafted to be gentle on even delicate skin types, this cream is a soothing for irritation, redness, and eczema-prone skin. 

2. Psoriasis Treatment Spray: Soothe and care for your skin with our Psoriasis Treatment Spray, designed to relieve irritation and support healthier skin.

3. Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cream: Rich in ceramides and Avène's thermal spring water, this night cream is designed for eczema-prone, sensitive skin to repair and hydrate overnight.

EXFOLIANTS:

1. First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads: Contain lactic acid and cucumber extract to gently exfoliate and soothe sensitive skin, making it ideal for eczema-prone skin.

2. Tatcha The Rice Polish Gentle Enzyme Powder: A gentle, water-activated exfoliant with papaya enzymes that sloughs away dead skin without irritating delicate, eczema-prone skin.

3. Neostrata PHA Renewal Pads: PHA-based exfoliating pads that gently remove dead skin cells and hydrate, making them ideal for sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

FACE MASKS:

1. Hydrogel Collagen Face Mask: Give your skin a refreshing boost of hydration with our hydrogel collagen face mask.

2. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask: A deeply hydrating mask formulated with colloidal oatmeal and shea butter to calm and restore moisture to eczema-prone skin.

3. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Mask: Enriched with panthenol and shea butter to soothe, repair, and hydrate sensitive skin prone to eczema.


Product Recommendations for DRY & SENSITIVE SKIN

Facial Tools for Sensitive Skin to Soothe and Strengthen

Sensitive skin requires extra care, and using the right facial tools can help calm irritation, reduce redness, and strengthen the skin barrier. These tools are gentle enough for delicate skin while enhancing the effectiveness of your skincare routine for quicker, more noticeable results.

  • Ice Rollers provide a cooling sensation to soothe inflammation, reduce puffiness, and calm irritated or reactive skin, leaving it feeling refreshed and revitalized.
  • Gentle Cleansing Brushes ensure a thorough yet mild cleanse, effectively removing dirt and impurities without causing irritation or disrupting the skin's delicate barrier.
  • LED Therapy Devices with red or blue light help reduce redness, inflammation, and sensitivity while promoting skin healing and improving overall resilience.

By incorporating these tools into your daily routine, you can amplify the efficacy of your sensitive-skin products, calm flare-ups, and restore balance and comfort to your skin.

Start with the ones that can be easily added to your routine without overwhelming yourself. The full list of recommendations are below for you to add more to your routine at a later time. If you would like personalized advice on what would suit your individual needs, feel free to book a consultation and a regimen will be provided for you.

Cleansing Brush

Waterproof Face Cleansing Brush

LED Therapy

Photon Therapy Facial Mask

LED Facial Therapy Dome

LED Facial Therapy Visor

LED Therapy Face & Neck Mask

Ice Roller

Ice Face Roller

Cooling Facial Globes

 

*Each link has been tested. If for whatever reason the links don't work for you, please copy and paste the name of the product or facial tool into your browser to find it that way. If the product or facial tool is not available in your country, do the same and copy and paste it in your browser to find it or something sismilar to what is recommended.

**Some of the links are affiliate links, therefore, a commission may be received from the purchase of any product or facial tool recommended. Thank you in advance! 

Happy Skin Happy Life!


✅ Citations 

1. Weakened Skin Barrier & Its Role in Sensitive Skin

A compromised epidermal barrier plays a central role in skin sensitivity, particularly in eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. This leads to increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL), dryness, and vulnerability to irritants.

2. Hydrating Ingredients for Skin Barrier Repair

Ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and colloidal oatmeal are proven to improve barrier function and reduce inflammation in sensitive skin conditions.

3. Avoiding Harsh Irritants

Fragrances, alcohol, sulfates, and preservatives like parabens can trigger flare-ups and worsen sensitivity in eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea.

4. Lifestyle Triggers

Environmental factors (cold weather, low humidity), psychological stress, and diet have all been identified as common triggers for flare-ups in chronic inflammatory skin conditions.

  • Source: Drucker, A. M., et al. (2017). “Environmental and lifestyle risk factors in atopic dermatitis: A systematic review.” British Journal of Dermatology.
    https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.15195

5. Psoriasis & Rosacea-Specific Support

Both psoriasis and rosacea benefit from routines that reduce inflammation, avoid triggers, and rebuild barrier health through regular hydration and minimal ingredient exposure.