If you have sensitive skin, you already know how tricky it can be to find products and routines that don’t leave you red, itchy, or irritated. My skin started ‘flaring up’ really bad in my late twenties and the redness became my daily companion. I didn’t know anything about skincare back then and internally really struggled. Then I tried so many product thinking they will help my skin – trial or error, but usually the latter.
If only I knew I should keep my skin routine very simple. And that’s the good news. With the right approach, you can keep your skin calm, balanced, and glowing. You will be adding the actives step by step as you go along, but here are the do’s and don’ts for building a routine that truly works for sensitive skin. Keep them in mind and return to them often until you really internalise them – all of these really worked for me.
I will be adding affiliate links (earning commission, with no extra cost to you) to the products that really helped me and which I am using every day to make it easier for you, so you don’t need to be searching and looking at ingredient lists.
✅ The Do’s
1. Keep It Simple
I know you heard this before. But this is THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON today. Less is more. Seriously. If nothing else helps, just stick to a simple and basic everyday routine: gentle cleanser → hydrating moisturizer → sunscreen during the day. *Read until the end to get an AM/PM example.
2. Patch Test New Products
Always test on a small area first — sensitive skin reacts quickly! Even some products that are meant for sensitive skin can contain certain actives that your skin won’t tolerate well. I remember how many times my face went as red as a tomato after applying ‘sensitive skin’ moisturizers. I recommend you patch test on the lower part of the cheek or wherever on your face where your skin isn’t already inflamed. I don’t recommend patch testing on other parts of the body as your skin tends to be different there.
3. Use Gentle, Hydrating Ingredients
People with sensitive skin usually have disrupted skin barrier. It means the hydration does not ‘lock in’ the skin. Its important to hydrate the skin and sooth it so I usually look for ingredients like aloe vera, panthenol, ceramides, hyaluronic acid. I also really like Korean skin care brands and they are all over soothing ingredients. I’m in love with centella asiatica, tea tree oil and birch or rice extracts.
4. Choose Fragrance-Free Formulas
Avoid unnecessary fragrance or essential oils. I didn’t pay much attention to this at first and I remember the days where a nice smelling serum would melt my heart. But now I absolutely detest it. I had a good hydrating serum once and I loved the smell… until I got really tired of it and stopped using it just because of this. I always think a product is better for the skin without any specific smells and I adore the fact that most skincare I use now is absolutely and completely fragrance free.
5. Always Wear Sunscreen
ALWAYS. If you skip any of the steps DO NOT skip this one! The sun is our worst enemy when it comes to aging and skin damage. Wearing sunscreen isn’t just for protection. It will actually make you look younger in the long run! I really don’t care what kind you use, as long as it’s SPF 50 or more. Applying sunscreen should be the last step of every AM routine, especially if you’re traveling, up and about exploring new destination or just sunbathing in the tropics (don’t forget to reapply in these cases).
❌ The Don’ts
1. Don’t over-exfoliate
Or don’t at all. Be really mindful of what this does to your skin, especially if you have a disrupted skin barrier. I exfoliate using acids once every two weeks, but you can also do it every week if your skin tolerates it.
2. Don’t overload your skin with multiple actives at once
Always be careful when using actives. I completely ruined my skin with retinol because a dermatology resident I knew told me that I need to be consistent. ‘It will get worse before it gets better.’ He was so wrong. I burned up my skin and it took me a long time to make my face presentable again. Consistency is key but so is starting off with the smallest amount or lowest strenght. Even applying every second day only.
3. Don’t use hot water — stick to lukewarm.
This one was a bit tricky for me as I love a hot shower. What I usually do now – if I crave it too much – is shower with hot water and try to leave my face as dry as possible in the process (not always a success, but doable). Then I do my face routine in front of the mirror. Better and easiest option is of course just lowering the temperature and doing the cleansing part under the shower. One extra important thing in sensitive skin is not to aggressively wipe your face with a towel, just lightly dab the excess moisture off.
4. Don’t skip moisturizer (even oily skin needs hydration)
My skin type is extremely dry so I must apply a moisturizer right away, if I don’t want to feel like my face is being stretched to it’s limits. This locks in moisture and prevents drying of deeper layers of skin. But even if your skin is not dry – combination or oily, you NEED to hydrate it. Sometimes it seems tricky but you can and you actually must use moisturizers to keep up the skin barrier – just be sure they are non-comedogenic that won’t cause breakouts.
5. Don’t chase trends — sensitive skin needs consistency.
This paragraph just encompasses everything I wrote before. Yes – consistency is key but with simple and basic products. It’s also true that your skin needs to get used to certain products so always bring in new actives slowly – patience pays off. If you see redness, a burning feeling or rashes after using a viral product, just stop. Some influencers get paid a lot to promote products that are not always as innocent as they seem. Stick to products that worked for you.
Having gone through both lists, I want to introduce a very simplified skin routine for morning and night. If I have any issues with my skin I always return to these 3-4 steps and they really work wonders. I frequently double down on products when I’m traveling (especially if it’s a short trip) but these are the products I always take with me.
🌞 Morning Routine for Sensitive Skin
- Gentle Cleanser → Use a fragrance-free, hydrating cleanser.
Most known: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (https://amzn.to/4lOmYag)
Korean: COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser (a bit drying so moisturize!!) (https://amzn.to/4mzmRjT)
Medical grade (my fav): ZO Skin Health Gentle Cleanser (only available here in a package https://amzn.to/4pfZ1Mb) - Toner (optional) → I always use toner as it prepares your skin for moisturizer and i love using toner pads!
Korean (both are my fav): ANUA Azelaic 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Pad (https://amzn.to/41rKiDu) or
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad (https://amzn.to/4fZwaHt) - Moisturizer → Choose a lightweight cream with ceramides or hyaluronic acid.
Most known: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer (https://amzn.to/3JApUdi)
Korean: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment (https://amzn.to/3HA8Nrr) - Sunscreen → Always finish with a SPF 50+ to protect from UV and irritation.
Most known: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Fluide Sunscreen (https://amzn.to/4lN0DKc)
Japanese (my fav): Biore UV Aqua Rich (https://amzn.to/41PR0n5)
🌙 Evening Routine for Sensitive Skin
- Gentle Cleanser → You can use the same one as in the morning but you can use an oil based that is better for removing the dirt and sunscreen.
Korean (and my fav): SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil (here with their ampoule which is also a bestseller – https://amzn.to/4oU1Ged) - Soothing Serum (optional) → Use something calming like centella asiatica or niacinamide.
Most known: La Roche- Posay Hyalu B5 Serum (but has some fragrance, skip if you don’t like that) (https://amzn.to/4oY57QO)
Korean (my fav!!!!!): Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum (https://amzn.to/4fYub6q) - Moisturizer → Use a slightly richer cream than in the morning to lock in hydration.
Most known: Avene Tolerance Control Cream (https://amzn.to/47Opxpk)
Korean: IllIyoon Ato Ceramide Cream (https://amzn.to/4g6tqZ6)
Medical grade (my fav): ZO Skin Health Recovery Creme (https://amzn.to/47iK9pI) - Overnight Treatment (1–2x per week) → Instead of harsh exfoliants, use a barrier-repair mask.
Japanese: Ishizawa Lab Keana Nadeshiko Japanese Rice Face Mask (https://amzn.to/45SVfiB)
Korean (expensive, so when you want to pamper your skin extra!): Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask (https://amzn.to/47iIYqb)
Final Thoughts 💡
A good sensitive-skin routine is all about calming, protecting, and strengthening the skin barrier.
These are my go-to products I love and use every day… I hope this guide helps you and your skin as much as it helped me.
Remember: stick to gentle, fragrance-free basics, patch test everything new, and avoid product overload. With consistency, your skin will become calmer, more balanced, and resilient.