Serums do so much for the skin. Some deeply hydrate dry skin fast by absorbing quickly. Others, like antioxidant serums, fight off environmental damage and target fine lines and wrinkles. And some are great to even your skin tone, smooth texture, and make your face look more radiant.
That all sounds great, right? But when you have sensitive skin, you know you have to tread lightly with any kind of product. You can’t pick up just any serum and apply it to your face because it might cause irritation, more dryness, or even breakouts. So I asked some dermatologists and aestheticians for their tips on choosing a serum for sensitive skin.
Luckily, there are a lot of options for someone who has sensitive skin, says dermatological nurse and celebrity aesthetician Natalie Aguilar. “All of my clients have a serum in their routine, as serums are fluid-like in nature and can deliver active ingredients deeper into the skin,” she explains. “This allows actives to treat and calm my clients’ sensitive-skin conditions such as redness, dryness, irritation, and inflammation.”
Anthony Rossi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, says serums that are devoid of irritating filler ingredients, such as parabens and sulfates, and ultra-concentrated additives, such as retinol, work well for sensitive skin. “Even though retinol has benefits, it may be too harsh for those with sensitive skin,” he says.
Serums are usually higher in active or absorbable beneficial ingredients than heavy creams. And because of that, SkinSpirit lead aesthetician Karen Fernandez says that it’s important that your serum is high quality with natural and medical-grade ingredients.
For sensitive skin, Rossi says you’ll want to look for serums that are hydrating and moisturizing instead of ones with acids or exfoliants. And all the experts pretty much agree on the less-is-more approach, so something with a simple formula is best.
“Look for very simple serums that focus on hydrating or, in some cases, calming (like reducing inflammation),” Fernandez says. “Many of the other serums will have active or what I call ‘corrective’ ingredients that help propel change. For sensitive skin, the main goal is to keep skin balanced, hydrated, and happy.” Most sensitive-skin serums also work to strengthen and protect the skin against external stressors.
Since the ideal serum for sensitive skin is something that’s soothing and hydrating, you’ll want to look for ingredients that have those benefits. “Niacinamide is helpful, as it is a potent antioxidant but also not as irritating,” Rossi says. “Also look for serums that have humectants and moisturizers in them such as hyaluronic acid.” Fernandez seconds the hyaluronic-acid recommendation, saying it’s the best because it is naturally occurring in the skin already, and “it’s basically a water molecule, which the skin loves and almost never causes a negative reaction.”
Other helpful ingredients include calendula, arnica, chamomile, and cornflower—all of these are soothing and hydrating. And Aguilar suggests looking for skin-strengthening ingredients like beta-glucan, lipids, and peptides.
As for what to avoid, you can probably guess what is off-limits here—anything that can dry out or irritate the skin. Rossi cautions that high concentrations of retinol or vitamin C may be too harsh for sensitive skin. And certain acids, like glycolic, salicylic, citric, and lactic, that are supposed to brighten the skin might be too active for sensitive skin, Fernandez adds.
“It’s important to abstain from any ingredient that you’re sensitive or allergic to,” Aguilar says. “Generally, my top ingredients to avoid are perfume, fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and high alcohol, as many of my clients find they are most sensitive to these.”
And if you’re ready to shop for a serum with all of this new info, take a look at some recs below.