As I’ve mentioned in past posts, I have extremely sensitive skin, which is not always summer-friendly… or any season-friendly, really. Many of you have mentioned in the comments section that you have sensitive skin as well, so this one’s for you!
During the summer, the sun can irritate your skin even more, and many sunscreens just don’t get along with sensitive skin. (See our summer beauty essentials for more on this.) However, there are products out there that work to calm your skin.
Below are three of my must-have summer skincare products that are sensitive skin-friendly. The best part? They’re ALL from the drugstore! Read on to learn more about each one:
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Garnier Clean Smoothing Cream Cleanser
$5.99 at Target
We all know that Garnier has some amazing hair care products, but I was a little skeptical to try their skincare line. You can’t be good at everything, right? Well, this cleanser proved me wrong.
I love cream cleansers for all types of skin, because they’re not soapy and don’t strip the skin. This one claims to be “soap free,” and when you put it on your skin, it really feels that way. It doesn’t lather up like some cleansers, which for me, feels much more effective.
I’ve been using this product for a week and I’m super happy with it! My face doesn’t feel tight, and it removes all of my makeup. Overall, I’m pleased with this cleanser, and I’ll definitely be giving more items from Garnier’s skincare line a try.
Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer
$12.40 at Target
Okay, I have to admit, this is a little bit pricey for a drugstore product. However, if you have any skin issues (like redness, allergic reactions, or any other medical conditions) this is product works wonders.
This moisturizer is fragrance-free, oil-free, and contains feverfew, which can help calm your skin. It even contains SPF 15, so it’s perfect for everyday use.
I apply this moisturizer after cleansing, and can feel my face cooling down. My skin even looks better after I use it! Honestly, I like this more than other expensive creams I’ve tried in the past. The price tag is worth it on this one, I promise.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
$8.49 for 3.5 oz at Drugstore.com
I know what you’re thinking: “Ew, that’s the stuff I put on my lips! Where else are you putting that?” Trust me, this product works for way more than chapped lips.
When I get sunburn on my face, neck, or shoulders, I put a thin layer of Aquaphor on at night and let it do its thing. The next morning, I cleanse my face, and when I’m done, it feels like the pain of the burn was cut in half!
This stuff is cheap, lasts a long time, and it actually works. I keep small tubes of it in my purse and at work, because I just love it! However, make sure that you cleanse your skin well the next morning. If there’s too much residue, your makeup won’t apply as nicely.
What do you think?
What are your favorite skincare products for sensitive skin? Have you tried any disappointing ones? Would you like to see more posts like this? Remember to tell us your thoughts by leaving a comment!
I found that Simple Skincare is the BEST for sensitive skin. I have hyper sensitive skin and Simple has helped a lot. And Ultra Repair Liquid Recovery by First Aid beauty is a really good product to soothe your skin, I swear it’s magic. It’s a little spendy but it’s worth it.
The Aveeno moisturizer really isn’t suitable for very sensitive skin. Not only is it entirely composed of chemical sunscreens (which can be highly irritating for sensitive skin), it also contains fragrance AND parabens, both of which can easily irritate and inflame sensitive skin. I speak from experience, but I suppose I could be an outlier.
And if you have very fair skin, like me, SPF 15 generally won’t cut it. All three dermatologists I’ve seen over the years have told me that SPF 30 is the lowest I should go, even if I’m just driving to work and walking to and from my building. The FDA recommends 15 or higher, however, so you should really talk to your dermatologist about the kind of SPF protection you need.
Glad you mentioned aveeno! I’ve been using their positively radiant moisturizer for 6 years and cannot say how amazing it’s kept my skin. I discovered Pure daily cleanser a few months ago and it’s made a huge improvement on my skin. It’s been great for my random breakouts, although I have to say, what you eat also affects your face. Since I’ve improved my diet my skin has new life.
m, one sunscreen that I use that should fit your needs is called COTZ, which (conveniently for you) stands for ‘Contains Only Titanium and Zinc’. As far as the white-ish tint issue, COTZ is of a slight brownish hue, and I have had no problems with it casting a white-ish tint on my skin. It should be noted though that my dermatologist stopped carrying it, so it might be hard to find.
One thing that I have just discovered as a moisturizer for my face is lip balm. I use the variety that you apply w/ your finger (boots cosmetics from target), and if I put it on my face before bed, I wake up with silky skin.
Aquaphor is great! I started to get a crack on the ball of my foot, so I rubbed Aquaphor all over them and put socks on. My feet were so soft when I woke up the next morning!
This is great – I’ll definitely be checking some of these out for my very sensitive skin. The only thing is the aveeno with the SPF, since I seem to be allergic to practically every single sunscreen there is. Anyone know of one that contains mainly titanium or zinc oxide AND doesn’t leave a whitish cast on you skin?
Emma, I would recommend anything by Alba Botanica. I was using their AcneDote scrub for a while and I loved it – it was gentle but super effective. The whole line is all natural, so no parabens, phthalates, sulfates or anything like that.
Not sure if this is the best place to ask this, but I’m getting desperate! I have quite sensitive skin and I’ve found a scrub that works wonders for me- the aveeno daily radiant scrub. Been using it for years, love it.
However with all this hullabloo about microbeads in the great lakes I’ve been wanting to try something with natural granules but every thing I’ve found breaks me out or leaves my skin very red. 🙁 Does anyone else know a great, gentle exfoliating scrub with natural particles instead of plastic microbeads?
Anything by Aveeno is amazing for sensitive, dry skin! I’ve been using Aveeno lotions and creams twice daily for 8+ years, and it’s really improved my skin! LOVE IT. really moisterising and isn’t as greasy as other creams I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot!)
Unfortunately they don’t commonly sell the SPF versions in the UK, so I haven’t tried the one you suggested. I was amazed at the wide range of Aveeno products they sold in walmart in the states! just wanted it ALL!!