All Makeup Skin Hair Nails How-To Beauty Amplified Spoilers IPSY 101 Ingredient Index

The Absolute Best Moisturizers for Every Type of Sensitive Skin

Cortney Clift DefaultCortney Clift Default
By
Published on Jan 14, 2021
Image of five tubes of LANEIGE Water Bank Moisture Cream swatched on pink background MobileImage of five tubes of LANEIGE Water Bank Moisture Cream swatched on pink background Desktop

If you have sensitive skin, trying to find the right daily moisturizer can be frustrating. The right product has to be effective but not too greasy, hydrating but not pore-clogging, and packed with ingredients that nourish rather than irritate. On top of all that, if you suffer from sensitive skin, your skin barrier may already be compromised, leaving you more prone to dryness. “Sensitive skin is less resilient to challenges to the skin barrier, and when the pH is off balance or chemicals leak through, cytokines are released, which results in inflammation (like red, dry, itchy skin),” says Jessie Cheung, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Cheung Aesthetics and Wellness in Chicago.

Although it can be frustrating to slather on skincare products your friends swear by only to be left with harsh side effects, it doesn’t mean your skin situation is hopeless. In order to restore hydration without redness, stinging, or irritation, Cheung recommends reaching for moisturizers that use ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids to repair your skin’s moisture barrier. She also says that you’ll also want to steer clear of face creams that contain fragrances, preservatives, and sodium lauryl sulfate, since irritants will further “dry out your skin.”

The good news? There are a plethora of moisturizers designed specifically for sensitive skin. If you don’t know where to start, you’re in luck. We rounded up 14 of the best of the best face moisturizers–most of which are highly praised by our trusted Ipster community who received these moisturizers in past Glam Bags.

Default Middle Subscribe Module Image - MobileDefault Middle Subscribe Module Image - Desktop

It's about glam time you treated yourself.

Join IPSY
MEET THE EXPERT

Dr. Jessie Cheung, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Cheung Aesthetics and Wellness in Chicago.

1. MURAD Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

MURAD Nutrient-Charged Water Gel Mobile productId:p-jygu6fnks2k5j9hMURAD Nutrient-Charged Water Gel Desktop productId:p-jygu6fnks2k5j9h

Best Gel Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

This lightweight water gel moisturizer is a major savior for sensitive skin. The oil-free formula delivers an ample dose of hydration along with five essential minerals, five vitamins, and five peptides–all of which help to improve your skin's ability to lock in moisture. It's also free of common irritants like parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

“This moisturizing cream leaves my face soft and very fresh, I recommend it 100%,” raves one Ipster. Another says, “This moisturizer really helped my dry skin!”

2. IT COSMETICS Confidence in a Gel Lotion Moisturizer

IT COSMETICS Confidence in a Gel Lotion Moisturizer Mobile productId:p-jtoup2qynqxz1jnIT COSMETICS Confidence in a Gel Lotion Moisturizer Desktop productId:p-jtoup2qynqxz1jn

Best Priming Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

Clinically-tested and proven to deliver much-needed hydration for even the most sensitive of skin types, this lightweight moisturizer is as light as water and serves up a major dose of nourishing ingredients sensitive skin types crave like ceramides and cactus flower extract. Because the formula absorbs into the skin almost instantly, it makes a perfect base for makeup.

“It does well on my dry skin,” says one Ipster. “It didn’t disappoint. Feels light and clean while totally moisturizing,” says another.

3. AHAVA Essential Day Moisturizer for Normal to Dry Skin

AHAVA Essential Day Moisturizer Mobile productId:p-jyg90g0dvt6dd00AHAVA Essential Day Moisturizer Desktop productId:p-jyg90g0dvt6dd00

Best Vegan Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

This vegan, oil-free moisturizer is packed with nourishing ingredients like amino acids, vitamin E, and vitamin B5, all of which work together to strengthen your skin’s barrier and lock in hydration. The skin is left feeling soft, smooth, and irritation-free. It's a great daily go-to for days with or without makeup.

“This is my absolute favorite facial moisturizer! I use it every morning after my shower and under my makeup. Best ever," one Ipster raves.

4. IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Redness Sensitive Skin Moisturizer

IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Redness Sensitive Skin Moisturizer Mobile productId:p-jxnls9prptvo1p39IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Redness Sensitive Skin Moisturizer Desktop productId:p-jxnls9prptvo1p39

Best Redness-Reducing Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

This ultra-repair cream was specifically crafted to keep sensitive skin expertly hydrated while also toning down any redness. It serves up a dose of soothing ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, turmeric, peptides, and collagen for your skin to soak up. “Colloidal oatmeal decreases redness and inflammation by boosting the gene expression for skin barrier repair and pH balance,” Cheung explains.

The result? A moisturized, balanced complexion Ipsters can’t get enough of. “Very impressed with this—great moisturizer and indeed did make the redness in certain spots of my face less noticeable,” one Ipster writes.

5. GLOSSIER Priming Moisturizer Rich

GLOSSIER Priming Moisturizer Rich Mobile productId:p-jygs5xof26o5ixhGLOSSIER Priming Moisturizer Rich Desktop productId:p-jygs5xof26o5ixh

Best Face Moisturizer for Dry, Sensitive Skin

If flaky dry patches are your problem, this moisturizer is the solution. This decadent skin cream delivers the building blocks your skin needs to strengthen the outer barrier and retain moisture. It serves up ceramides, fatty acids, murumuru, and shea butter to relieve dryness without irritating the skin.

“I have patchy skin, where my T-zone is oily but the rest of my face is dry. This worked wonders for my skin, I love it,” says one Ipster. Another raves, “My face is very dry and sometimes it's hard to find a true cream. This is it! Perfect!”

6. APTO SKINCARE Moisture Retaining Day Lotion

APTO SKINCARE Moisture Retaining Day Lotion Mobile productId:p-j8p4alzbmlst842APTO SKINCARE Moisture Retaining Day Lotion Desktop productId:p-j8p4alzbmlst842

Best Morning Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

This lightweight day cream is packed with ingredients that treat skin without setting off sensitivities. Calendula calms and soothes, vitamin E conditions dry skin, arnica depuffs, and green tea extract fights off free radicals and provides anti-aging benefits. Apply this moisturizer first thing in the a.m. to instantly wake up the skin.

"This moisturizer is the best I’ve ever used," one Ipster writes. "My skin looks and feels the best after using it." Another says this is her new favorite. She says, "I have tried a million lotions and this is the ONLY one that has left my face feeling super plump all day long!"

7. DERMELECT Rapid Repair Facial Moisturizer

DERMELECT Rapid Repair Facial Moisturizer Mobile productId:p-ish5z2c0d6gsb8DERMELECT Rapid Repair Facial Moisturizer Desktop productId:p-ish5z2c0d6gsb8

Best Soothing Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

You'll be feeling anything but blue after using this unique, sensitive-skin approved moisturizer. Don't be intimidated by the blue-tinted formula, it's unique color comes from azulene, a naturally dark blue organic compound that can work wonders to reduce inflammation and irritation. Soothing chamomile also steps in here to calm sensitive skin. Finally, avocado oil and grapeseed oil hydrate and plump while marine collagen firms skin.

"I loved this! I have very sensitive skin and this didn't give me a reaction," one Ipster writes. "My skin feels amazing and soft almost immediately after using this," another adds.

8. SKIN & LAB B Plus Calming Cream

SKIN&LAB B Plus Calming Cream Mobile productId:p-k19tkn6nbnwo1iufSKIN&LAB B Plus Calming Cream Desktop productId:p-k19tkn6nbnwo1iuf

Best Acne-Fighting Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

Having combination skin or acne-prone skin that's also sensitive can feel like a double-edged sword, but this formula makes it extremely easy to care for both skin types. This lightweight cream absorbs quickly into the skin, infusing it with nourishing ingredients like vitamin B, Centella Asiatica, and tea tree oil. Together these ingredients can purify pores, tame active breakouts, control oily skin, and boost cell turnover to help skin recover faster.

"Makes my skin feel amazing and ZERO breakouts," says Ipster dsouthard1702. "Saw so much improvement and brightness in my skin," adds another Ipster.

9. /SKIN REGIMEN/ Night Detox

/SKIN REGIMEN/ Night Detox Mobile productId:p-jxgge9wdvm1bihk/SKIN REGIMEN/ Night Detox Desktop productId:p-jxgge9wdvm1bihk

Best Nighttime Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

Beauty sleep is real, people. At night, your skin goes into supercharge mode, working extra hard to recoup and repair, meaning it's the perfect time to apply a nourishing night cream that will amplify the results. This moisturizer does just that. Powerful antioxidants protect and strengthen skin while AHAs gently exfoliate to reveal a smoother, brighter complexion by morning.

"I use this when my skin is going through a rough patch. It clears me up right away," says Ipster adrijsayala.

10. FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Cream

FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Cream Mobile productId:p-jiksptm6xwec12dhFIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Cream Desktop productId:p-jiksptm6xwec12dh

Best Repairing Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

If you’re in need of some serious skin recovery, this repair cream might be your savior. It offers long-lasting hydration for sensitive, flaky, and even eczema-prone skin. Free of alcohol and harsh chemicals, this rich cream instead uses soothing shea butter, oatmeal, and ceramides (which help promote a healthy skin barrier) to immediately relieve irritation.

"By far the best thing I have ever gotten from Ipsy," says one Ipster. "This lotion has saved my skin. I have eczema and within a few days of using this product, it was gone. It’s a miracle for my dry itchy skin. I could not recommend it more highly."

11. SKYN ICELAND Pure Cloud Cream

SKYN ICELAND Pure Cloud Cream Mobile productId:p-j68d9oxfc01cp55SKYN ICELAND Pure Cloud Cream Desktop productId:p-j68d9oxfc01cp55

Best Whipped Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

When your sensitive skin is feeling particularly parched or irritated during the winter months, you don't always need to turn to a thick moisturizing lotion to restore hydration. This ultra-light, whipped moisturizer provides the same results without any greasy, heavy residues. It also ticks all the boxes for keeping sensitive skin irritation-free: It's free of parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, chemical sulfates, and phthalates. Plus it's 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologist-tested. Check, check, and check.

"Great cream! Very moisturizing, yet very light and not sticky at all," one Ipster says. "It absorbs seemingly immediately and makes your skin look clean and fresh. It is also great for sensitive skin. Some creams make my skin turn red for a few minutes, but not this one!"

12. HEY HONEY Relax! Propolis & Honey Soothing Moisturizer

HEY HONEY Relax! Propolis & Honey Soothing Moisturizer Mobile productId:p-jet6a3806hi94l5HEY HONEY Relax! Propolis & Honey Soothing Moisturizer Desktop productId:p-jet6a3806hi94l5

Best Moisturizer for Skin Irritations

If you're prone to skin sensitivities like rosacea, seborrhea, or eczema this facial cream contains a secret ingredient that could work wonders for irritated skin. Enter: propolis, a resin-derived from beehives that has strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Propolis is paired with aloe and honey to naturally hydrate, soothe, and heal.

"I have patchy skin and this helped balance everything out," says Ipster hstevens82_hs. "My skin felt so soft and supple. The honey scent is a very happy bonus."

13. KNOURS. Skin Meditation Gel Cream

KNOURS. Skin Meditation Gel Cream Mobile productId:p-jyggefq7erbrg5bKNOURS. Skin Meditation Gel Cream Desktop productId:p-jyggefq7erbrg5b

Best Moisturizer for Hormonal Skin

Does your skin tend to go rogue right before your period arrives? KNOURS' products are designed specifically to cater to the fluctuating hormones in women's skin. Created using clean ingredients and input from top dermatologists, this facial moisturizing lotion combines peppermint oil, ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin and help it chill out.

"If you get acne during your cycle, invest in this," one Ipster says. "I have gone through three cycles with no pimples."

14. LANEIGE Water Bank Moisture Cream

LANEIGE Water Bank Moisture Cream Mobile productId:p-jucsm5468hrn3dlLANEIGE Water Bank Moisture Cream Desktop productId:p-jucsm5468hrn3dl

Best Rich Cream Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

Whether your face is prone to dryness or feeling extra rough from winter weather, a rich, emollient cream can sometimes be exactly what your skin needs. This formula uses clean ingredients like zinc, potassium, and calcium to nourish sensitive skin types while non-comedogenic, plant-derived squalane deeply moisturizes without leaving a greasy residue behind. 

"I love how the product left my skin. It was smooth and hydrated," writes Ipster charinaespinal. Another says, "Just as high quality as you'd expect–super hydrating and not greasy at all."

Want in on all the IPSY Glam Bag fun? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.

Like this article? Share it with your friends by clicking the icons below!

Liked this post? Share!

Related Stories

An image shows five skincare products: a bounce-boosting serum from FIRST AID BEAUTY, an INNISFREE dropper bottle, a pink "kiramoon" hydra serum, a "SONÄGE" brightening serum, and a "Balance Me" BHA exfoliant, against a pastel backgroundAn image shows five skincare products: a bounce-boosting serum from FIRST AID BEAUTY, an INNISFREE dropper bottle, a pink "kiramoon" hydra serum, a "SONÄGE" brightening serum, and a "Balance Me" BHA exfoliant, against a pastel background

Skin

The 8 Best Night Serums for Achieving Your Dream Skin

Published on Jun 27, 2025 • 6 min read

An image of a woman with black, chunky hair holding a pink phone caseAn image of a woman with black, chunky hair holding a pink phone case

Skin

What You Need to Know About Tech Neck

Published on Jun 26, 2025 • 5 min read

A close-up image of a woman's face with her eyes closed, softly lit to highlight her radiant, glowing skinA close-up image of a woman's face with her eyes closed, softly lit to highlight her radiant, glowing skin

Skin

What Is Skin Stripping? Everything to Know About Protecting Your Skin Barrier

Published on Jun 25, 2025 • 5 min read

A smiling woman holds up a jar of Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, showcasing its rich yellow texture against a white tiled bathroom backgroundA smiling woman holds up a jar of Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, showcasing its rich yellow texture against a white tiled bathroom background

Skin

The Meltiest, Most Nourishing Cleansing Balms You Need in Your Skincare Routine

Published on Jun 3, 2025 • 6 min read

An image of a woman's wet, dark hair in a black swimsuit, outdoors under bright sunlight, her hands on her head, water droplets on her skin, and a showerhead visible in the backgroundAn image of a woman's wet, dark hair in a black swimsuit, outdoors under bright sunlight, her hands on her head, water droplets on her skin, and a showerhead visible in the background

Skin

How to Differentiate Between Hard and Soft Water Once and For All

Published on Jun 3, 2025 • 4 min read

An image of a pink tube being held by a hand with red-painted nailsAn image of a pink tube being held by a hand with red-painted nails

Skin

Chemical vs. Physical Exfoliants—How to Choose the Best One For You

Published on May 28, 2025 • 5 min read

Woman putting ice on her faceWoman putting ice on her face

Skin

What Causes Skin Inflammation and How Do You Treat It? The Experts Weigh In

Published on May 20, 2025 • 8 min read

An image featuring four toner bottles set against a gradient background of pink and yellow huesAn image featuring four toner bottles set against a gradient background of pink and yellow hues

Skin

8 Best Exfoliating Toners and How to Use Them

Published on May 20, 2025 • 5 min read

Default Bottom Subscribe Module Imagebottom_subscribe_module_image_desktop

Beauty Picked Just for You

Get 5 products worth up to $70

Plus exclusive access to epic deals up to 80% off

Starting at just $14/month. Cancel anytime.

Get Started