Beauty · 6 min read
Skincare for Sensitive Skin
What to avoid, and the ingredients worth trusting.
If your skin reacts to everything, the problem is usually the routine, not the skin. Simplify aggressively.
Fewer products, less often
Cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen. That's the whole routine for two weeks before adding anything.
Ingredients to trust
Ceramides, panthenol, centella asiatica, colloidal oatmeal, squalane, glycerin. Boring, well-studied, forgiving.
Ingredients to think twice about
Fragrance (natural or synthetic), high-strength acids, denatured alcohol, essential oils. Not evil — just risky if your barrier is unhappy.
Patch test properly
Behind the ear, twice a day, for three days. Not on your face, not once.
Sunscreen matters more, not less
Damaged skin needs UV protection to heal. Choose a mineral-only sunscreen if chemical filters sting.
Boring routines heal skin. Interesting routines usually don't.