10 Expert-Approved Moisturizers for Sensitive Skin

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SENSITIVE SKIN sucks. It's easily irritated, red, and reactive. Sensitive skin makes everything more difficult, from shaving to treating breakouts. Most guys with sensitive skin have tried everything under the sun to minimize discomfort and calm their skin, with varying degrees of success. You can't treat itchy and inflamed skin the same way you would a red pimple—and in fact doing so could make the whole situation worse.

What many people fail to realize is that sensitive skin needs extra support in the form of regular hydration and nourishment. A gentle moisturizer can help soothe irritation at the source before it reaches the surface of your skin.

The best moisturizer for sensitive skin contains mild, gentle ingredients and are free from fragrance and other common skin irritants like parabans, essential oils, or alcohol. Fragrance is a major trigger for sensitive skin, so cut out any products that have a strong or added fragrance. Avoid harsh, exfoliating scrubs, as this can aggravate sensitive skin. Even if you're not picky about your skincare products, your sensitive skin definitely is. You'll know pretty much immediately if your skin accepts or rejects a new product, and it's in your own best interest to listen to your skin.

Aside from cleansing, a moisturizer is the most important (and often overlooked) product in a sensitive skincare routine. You want something that's soothing, calming, and hydrating, giving you immediate relief from the constant redness. To help you find the right moisturizer for your sensitive skin, we rounded up a few of our favorites that go easy on your extra needy skin.

Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

The benefits of this oil-free moisturizer are two-fold: it repairs your skin barrier after 1 hour while also providing all-day hydration without the shine. The ingredients are wonderfully simple, which makes it great for sensitive skin.

"This product contains a mix of prebiotic thermal water, ceramides, niacinamide and glycerin," says Dr. Jeremy Brauer, a dermatologist and founder of Spectrum Skin and Laser in New York City. "It’s gentle enough for almost all skin types and has a thicker consistency, making it great for men’s skin."

Moisturizing Cream

TikTok loves this cream moisturizer from CeraVe, and honestly, so do we. It's a very simple yet effective formula made up of mostly ceramides, which are the building blocks of your skin's natural barrier. It's quite thick, which may put off some people, but for the amount you get, it's definitely worth it.

"It's a nice option for someone with sensitive skin who needs a quick routine in the morning," says Dr. Corey L. Hartman, dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL. And many of our testers agree. We love that Cervae's bestselling cream has similar hydrating ingredients as other luxury skincare brands, at a fraction of the price point.

Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream

Another French skincare brand, Avène is ultra-gentle on the skin. The soothing blend of thermal water, glycerin, and squalane reduces redness immediately. Use this if your sensitive skin is experiencing a flare-up or recovering from a skin condition like eczema or breakouts.

Our editors love how great it is for combination skin, thanks to its hydrating-but-not-clogging cream that can keep us moisturized in just about any climate or setting. Yes, it's pretty pricey, but we think its excellent formula is worth the price point.

Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask with 10.5% Squalane

If you have seriously sensitive skin, you might want to consider using a more intense moisturizer at night to help replenish your skin so it can recover more quickly. This one features a whooping 10.5% squalane, which locks in moisture overnight so you can wake up to healthy, flake-free skin.

A couple of our MH editors are Kiehl's loyalists, and for good reason. Just like Kiehl's bestselling sunscreens, its moisturizers are known for being ultra hydrating, without irritating our mugs. One editor noted that his skin felt super soft after using this face mask twice a week for a month.

Read more: Best Kiehl's Products

Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Cream

This cream features an herbal remedy called centella asiatica, AKA Tiger Grass. It gets its name because tigers in Asia have been known to roll around in this plant to help heal their battle wounds. If it works for tigers, it'll also work on your redness and irritation.

While our testers haven't been able to use this on battle wounds, one editor who suffered from acne scars noticed that his complexion looked more even after using this consistently for three months. We also love that it's non-scented, but still has a luxurious, silky feeling that absorbs easily.

Replenish Hydrating Cream

This hydrating cream can be used day or night to soothe sensitive skin, which also tends to look dull as a result of dehydration. The addition of Vitamin C helps brighten skin while also guarding skin against free radicals.

After using SkinMedica's cream for a year, one editor noted visible improvement of his skin tone and age spots. We love that it's fragrance free, and glides onto our skin easily. It's thick enough to keep our skin hydrated in the winter, while it's light enough to be used in warmer weather. Simply put, this cream is a winner.

Skin Recovery Lightweight Face Moisturizer

This moisturizer is the perfect cross between a serum and a moisturizer. The texture is lightweight, like a serum, but it delivers the lasting hydration of a moisturizer. It reduces redness immediately and absorbs quickly. We like to let the first layer dry before going in with another layer for double the hydration.

Most of the dermatologists we spoke with recommend EltaMD's sunscreens because they're super effective and work wonderfully with sensitive, and our editors found that the brand's moisturizers are just as great. Take EltaMD's Skin Recovery moisturizer. Its ultralight gel absorbs easily, while still offering lots of hydration. And even our editors who suffer from eczema or adult acne found that this formula didn't irritate their sensitive faces.

Satisfying Skin Caring Moisturizer

The cloud-like texture of this moisturizer is unlike anything else on this list. It's not the thickest or creamiest moisturizer, but it still gets the job done. It increases hydration without being too heavy and clogging your pores, leaving your sensitive skin feeling softer and smoother.

One editor noted that Ellis Brooklyn's bestselling moisture feels like a quick trip to the spa, thanks to its antioxidants that feel soothing and hydrating after applying to our skin. We love its slight fragrance that's ultra luxurious, without irritating our mugs. In short, this is a great luxury cream.

Daily Perfecting Moisturizer SPF 30

Sensitive skin needs moisture around the clock, not just at nighttime. This daytime moisturizer provides continuous hydration alongside SPF 30 protection to prevent sun damage, which can wreak havoc on sensitive skin since it's already compromised. It pairs hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acids and ceramides with antioxidants like vitamin C and rose hips to help brighten.

Trust us, it's hard finding SPF moisturizers for guys with darker skin tones, but MDSolarSciences' Daily Perfecting Moisturizer does its job while leaving a barely noticeable white cast. We also love that it's thick enough to be used as our only moisturizer during the winter months.

Universal Pro-Bio Moisture Boost Cream

Like a tall glass of water for your face, this airy cream instantly quenches dry and dehydrated skin. The relief is instant and the cooling sensation is incredibly refreshing. It seals and boosts your skin's moisture content, alleviating any redness in the process.

Our grooming contributor Cristina Montemayor uses this on all her makeup clients, given how well it hydrates without irritating people's faces. We love its cooling sensation, which feels relaxing to put on after a long day at work, and one editor found that his laugh lines and crows feet looked slightly less noticeable after using this for six months.

What to Look for

Shopping for a moisturizer if you have a sensitive skin can feel like a fool's errand, since a lot of skincare brands claim that their formulas are non-irritating, but that might not always be the case.

Ingredients: The most important factor to look for is the ingredient list. "Look for a mix of humectants and emollients," says Dr. Hartman. "Humectants are ingredients that add hydration to the skin from its surrounding environment, or from deeper layers of the skin." Key humectants: hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides. Meanwhile emollients like cocoa butter, mineral oils, and plant oils provide moisture directly to the skin. "The combination helps restore the skin barrier, which many people with sensitive skin need to reduce irritation," says Harman.

Meanwhile soothing ingredients like green tea, aloe, and niacinamide can be great for guys with sensitive skin.

Fragrance free: All the dermatologists we spoke with advised to look for moisturizers that don't have fragrances, since they typically contain artificial ingredients that can be super irritating.

How We Selected

For the past two years, we consulted with Men's Health's Grooming editors and writers on the best moisturizers for sensitive skin. Experts including our Grooming Editor, Garrett Munce, and our Deputy Editor of Commerce, Christian Gollayan, tried dozens of moisturizers and evaluated their ingredients, feel, consistency, and effectiveness. We also considered top-reviewed moisturizers that had at least 100 five-star customer ratings on e-commerce websites that we trust.

Meet the Experts

• Dr. Corey L. Hartman, dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL.

• Dr. Jeremy Brauer, a dermatologist and founder of Spectrum Skin and Laser in New York City.

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