Ask a Beauty Editor: Best Skincare Products for Sensitive Skin

Ever wanted to pick the brain of a beauty editor? Or get beauty product recommendations from someone who has tried them all? You've come to the right place. In our weekly series, beauty editor Hana Hong answers your biggest skincare, hair care, and makeup questions, all submitted by Real Simple readers. Tune in every Tuesday and submit your own burning beauty questions here for a chance to be featured.

Reader question: Why do sensitive skin products still irritate my sensitive skin? Can you recommend some that actually work? —Rachel Hamaker

"Clean beauty" has become a buzzy term, but here's the thing: Many people assume anything that has "all-natural" on the label is uniformly safe for sensitive skin, and that's not the case. "They can still contain botanicals and fragrances, which can worsen irritation for some," points out Marisa Garshick, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.

Here's another issue that frustrates beauty editors everywhere: There's little regulation when it comes to certain common statements made on beauty product labels, like "dermatologist recommended" and "hypoallergenic," and the FDA doesn't have a standard or set of protocols a cosmetics company would need to take before making such claims. That means that products marketed that way still require a deep dive into the ingredients, rather than relying solely on labels, which can be misleading. In fact, according to a recent study published in JAMA Dermatology, 83 percent of products considered "hypoallergenic" contained at least one common allergen ingredient.

The best skincare products for sensitive skin should leave allergens like gluten, synthetic fragrances, and triclosan on the cutting room floor. Dr. Garshick also lists "parabens, propylene glycol (which was actually named the Allergen of the Year from the American Contact Dermatitis Society due to increasing awareness of its role in irritating skin), and lanolin" as skincare ingredients you'll want to avoid.

"Other things to look for in the label include tocopherol and various formaldehyde releases such as DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea among others and other preservatives such as methylisothiazolinone," she adds.

The most common skin irritant is fragrance, Dr. Garshick says. "If someone comes in with sensitive skin, that would be the first ingredient I would advise them to avoid. If they are still sensitive, that's when avoiding some other ingredients can be helpful."

While the ingredients mentioned above aren't guaranteed to cause your skin issues, if you're looking to "clean up" your skincare routine, here are some of the best beauty products to revamp your regimen with fewer questionable ingredients.

Best Skincare Products for Sensitive Skin