12 best moisturisers for sensitive skin, tried and tested

This is a great option for those who favour natural skincare. Comprising avocado oil, borage oil and echinacea, this moisturiser is an ideal choice for anyone looking for a simple formula that makes a difference to hydration, while also soothing any redness.

It’s light to the touch and dries fast, but locks in 72 hours’s worth of moisture that can even be felt the following morning. It’s great value, considering this product feels and looks luxe, but its more modest price makes it accessible. Plus, it’s suitable for all skincare types.

Gel moisturisers are light, making them a suitable choice for those with sensitive skin. This Aveeno moisturiser left our skin feeling nourished and hydrated with just a small amount.

It doesn’t have the same floral scents or indulgent textures as some of the other products listed here but it does what it says on the tin, and is instantly soothing. Plus, its bargain price makes it hard to resist.

We love the scent of every Aesop product – and this one is no different. Thanks to a combination of botanical butter and citrus smells, this moisturiser is a total delight to apply. It feels firm on the skin and has an instant brightening effect. Packed with vitamins C and E, it’s also a great option for winter, when our skin needs a little extra care, due to the mix of colder weather and central heating. An all-round good product suitable for every skin type.

Given that its products are aimed at those with dermatitis and eczema, E45 is renowned for being a go-to brand for those with sensitive skin and you can’t go wrong with its hero moisturiser. This is a straightforward moisturiser that does exactly what it says on the tin (well, tube) without any of the frills and fuss you might find in some of the other products in this review. It absorbs quickly and easily and while it does feel slightly oily at first, that texture quickly dissipates as soon as you rub it into the skin.

A top pick for shine-prone sensitive skin, La Roche-Posay’s toleriane dermallergo soothing cream is the ultimate complexion reset when acids and actives have left your face feeling sore. We’ve tested it alone and under make-up, and it performed excellently in both instances, neither pilling nor aggravating any existing irritation.

Thanks to the inclusion of shea butter it’s adequately nourishing on the occasional dry patch. However, with a water-based formula, it might not prove comforting enough for ultra-dry skin types.

It’s reasonably priced, features a self-vacuuming formula inner (so your skin reaps the benefits of every ml) and layers well with other skin care for a hydrated, soothing finish.

The beauty of this product is that it doubles up as a morning and night cream. We used it in the morning so that we could compare it with the other products here as a daytime moisturiser.

It’s thicker than some of the other options in this review, as night creams often are. But it’s still suitable for a morning cream, as it dries fairly quickly and doesn’t leave the skin feeling sticky or overly hydrated. Given its blend of essential oils – lavender, frankincense, bergamot and ylang ylang – this one is suitable for those with sensitive and dry skin.

Those familiar with Dr Sturm’s products will already know they’re adored by A-list stars – and for good reason. With molecular formulations, the brand puts science (and good skin) first. This moisturiser encompasses both of these things, containing hyaluronic acid to provide extra hydration, and cress sprouts extract to brighten the skin.

It feels very light to apply but somehow simultaneously very rich and thick. But it’s still gentle on the skin and shouldn’t cause any flare-ups. This is down to the quality of the product – it’s one of the most expensive moisturisers on the market. But buying Dr Sturm’s offerings is always an investment worth making if you can.

This is definitely on the pricier end of the scale – as are all of Sunday Riley’s products – but it’s worth your money to invest in this deeply rich, coconut-scented moisturiser that works wonders on skin that is sensitive and dry. It also doubles up as a night cream, meaning you’re saving some money here, and it contains pomegranate sterols, which help to act as a barrier against dehydration.

You can feel and see the difference almost instantly when you apply it, with an immediately firmer and brighter complexion. Our skin felt soft and hydrated all day with this one, even during the cold snap.

You know this is a luxury product by looking at it. With its heavy set, optic white jar and silver detailing, it’s already a sight to behold. Then you open it – and the smell is like a spa.

With soothing saffron flower extract, shea butter and buckwheat seed extracts, a lot is going on in this cream, which could put off those with sensitive skin. Don’t let it – somehow, all of these ingredients combine to provide an instantly satisfying moisturiser that visibly changes the skin’s texture after just a few uses.

That said, it’s one of the most expensive skincare products around and doesn’t double up as a night cream like some of the other options here. You don’t need to use a lot, though, in order to feel the moisture all over your face. So perhaps it’s a worthwhile investment, so long as you use it sparingly.

It’s rare to find a moisturiser that ticks every box, particularly when you have sensitive skin, but this one does (well, almost). Not only does its texture feel just right – not too light but not too rich that it makes your skin look sweaty all day – it also contains SPF 15, making it an ideal cream to use if you’re spending time outside. Unlike some SPF creams, though, this one doesn’t leave your skin looking pasty, or smelling like a poolside cabinet. In fact, you’d hardly notice the SPF at all, other than the fact it’s a slightly whiter cream than some of the others listed here.

Its anti-ageing properties (it contains No7’s matrixyl 3000+, its next-generation age-defying complex) also come as an added bonus – although, we didn’t notice a significant difference after a few uses.

This is Rodial’s bestselling product and it’s easy to see why. Firstly, don’t let the name put you off. This is a weightless, gel-based moisturiser that smooths easily onto the skin, imparting a fruity scent that’s entirely natural. It’s worth noting that for those who’ve reacted to anything fragrance-based before, this may cause a flare-up.

The gel uses the brand’s unique dragon’s blood complex that includes a range of ingredients designed to plump and hydrate the skin while also reducing any inflammation. We love it.

This non-greasy formula is just as good at hydrating and soothing the skin as it is at protecting it from the sun. The SPF50+ moisturiser gives you a veil of security against UV rays all year round. Thanks to the hyaluronic acid and light-activated DNA repair enzymes, it also boosts the skin’s texture.

We found that it made our skin feel smooth and fresh, and would recommend wearing it every day (even in winter) for protection from the sun.