Skincare For Sensitive Skin: My 8 Calming Favourites

My recent skincare favourites have a pretty clear theme: keeping my skin calm and hydrated. My skin’s been flaring up lately, so I’ve been reaching for gentle cleansers and moisturisers that feel good to use, alongside treatments my skin can tolerate.

These are the products I’ve been testing and keep coming back to, including an affordable cleansing balm that cuts through waterproof mascara and a hydrating essence that might replace your expensive serum. If you’re looking for skincare for sensitive or dehydrated skin, here’s what I’ve been enjoying and why.

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innisfree Green Tea Panthenol Calming Toner Pads: Don’t Diss It Until You Try It!

I had tried another version of a toner pad like this in the past, but these ones really sealed the deal for me because they’re calming and hydrating, with no strong actives. They’re very gentle on the skin, and I noticed a reduction in redness after cleansing as well.

On days when I’m cutting down on steps or want to refresh throughout the day, they work nicely as a faux cleanse step.

innisfree’s Green Tea range is all really, really good. Their Green Tea Ceramide Milk is fantastic as well. I’m yet to try the moisturiser from the range, but I have high hopes because the toner pads are fantastic.

Good to know

• 80 pads in a 170ml tub, soaked in a green tea water and panthenol essence with hyaluronic acid
• The formula includes capryloyl salicylic acid (LHA), a gentle exfoliating acid

BYOMA Blemish Redness Relief Soothing Toner: Someone Finally Gets It

Half the battle when it comes to blemishes is keeping your skin calm so it can better tolerate the actives you use to target them.

I’ve been trialling the Blemish range from BYOMA for a little bit now. I can use the Redness Relief Soothing Toner every day because it’s hydrating and calming (are you noticing a theme here?). It’s actually a mist, so it’s really easy to use. I find myself adding the extra step because it’s so easy, and my skin is better for it. Overall, my skin has been a bit more hydrated, too. I really like this one.

Good to know

• A 100ml mist with heartleaf water and chamomile extract, built on BYOMA’s Clearamide Complex
• No exfoliating acids in the formula

Dermal Therapy After-Hours Cleansing Balm: Not A Drill, This Is The New Top Cleansing Balm Pick That Isn’t $$$

I’ve tested this cleansing balm quite a few ways now. It cuts through waterproof mascara effortlessly and melts down heavy event makeup. It emulsifies beautifully and rinses clean without stripping my skin. This is absolutely my new top pick that isn’t expensive.

I had faith in Dermal Therapy. I really love their night-time range. Their Overnight Face Repair Cream and Overnight Lip Repair are both really fantastic, too, and this is an amazing addition to the line. I highly recommend you try it.

I wouldn’t say it’s exactly the same as a Clinique cleansing balm, but it’s close enough that if you’ve enjoyed that, I think you’ll really enjoy this.

Good to know

• 100g tub; the formula includes hyaluronic acid and ceramides
• RRP $24.99, and it’s often discounted at pharmacies

SVR B3 Hydra Essence: Pretty Much A Giant Serum In The Style Of An Essence

If you find yourself running through 30ml bottles of an expensive hyaluronic acid serum, please consider swapping it out for this. I’ve used this essence quite a bit, and I feel like I haven’t made much of a dent in the bottle.

It’s a really good first step after cleansing or after a mist. You feel the hydration.

It sinks into the skin really well, and it has 2% niacinamide, a concentration that has been studied on skin before (one small 2006 study found 2% niacinamide lowered facial sebum production). It’s a much thinner texture, but still serum-like.

If you’re new to SVR, I think this is a really good first step into their range, too. (The brand is now stocked at MYER, so here’s what to shop from SVR in Australia.)

I’d struggle to find someone who wouldn’t enjoy this or couldn’t fit it into their routine. I’d recommend this over buying an expensive bottle of serum that you’ll get through too quickly. If you’d still rather a serum, these are the best serums for dehydrated skin in Australia.

Good to know

• A 150ml bottle with 2% vitamin B3 (niacinamide) and hyaluronic acid
• Labelled for sensitive and dehydrated skin

Aestura Atobarrier365 Hydro Soothing Cream: Yay For Big Tubes Of Moisturiser That Just Work

I’m always on the hunt for moisturisers that just tick the basic box and come in a slightly larger tube. This one does, and I think it’s going to be a crowd pleaser.

I wouldn’t recommend it for drier skin types, but if your skin is normal to oily, this is a very enjoyable moisturiser, especially if the original Aestura cream was a bit heavy for your skin.

It’s fantastic. It’s really nice. It’s got capsules throughout it, which is fun, but it just ticks all the boxes. It comes in at a good price point. The 80ml tube will last you ages, and the formula itself has good spreadability without compromising on hydration.

I really think this will be a crowd pleaser, especially as we’re moving into the warmer months. If you haven’t tried the brand yet, I would encourage you to because they have that good price point alongside a really good focus on the basics. I’m excited to try more from this brand, and their cleanser has caught my eye, as has their Cica range.

Good to know

• A lightweight gel-cream labelled for oily and sensitive skin, with ceramides
• Look out for the larger 80ml tube

BYOMA Clarifying Serum: My Current Niacinamide Step And It’s Great

I didn’t have a nice niacinamide serum locked into my routine for a little while because I was relying on other anti-pigment picks like azelaic acid. But this BYOMA one crept up on me, and I’m really enjoying it.

I find it very hydrating as well, and I notice that, although gentle, the PHAs in the formula do help with the texture of my skin. I tend to prefer low-and-slow exfoliation to a big exfoliation step throughout the week, especially since my skin’s been flaring up recently.

This is great. I enjoy it more than my niacinamide serum from The Ordinary. The texture’s just a bit more elegant, and it feels more like a balanced, calming formula.

It’s nice to have this step in my routine, and I find myself reaching for it morning and night because, of course, you need to be really consistent with steps like this. It’s definitely earned a good spot in my routine, and the price point is really fantastic.

Good to know

• 30ml bottle; niacinamide is the third ingredient, with gluconolactone (a PHA) and zinc lactate

SVR Cicavit+ Gel Moussant Cleanser: Surprised Me, Everything From This Line Is Top-Tier

This cleanser is now in my top recommendations because it gives me everything I love about a classic cream-to-foam formula with a rich lather, which I’m usually obsessed with. Yet it starts as a gel. I hadn’t previously tried a formula like this.

It’s so non-stripping but still gives me that deep cleanse. I even use it in the morning sometimes.

This is a good catch-all for all skin types. You could really enjoy this with anything from dry to oily skin. (For more options, here are the best cleansers for sensitive skin I’ve tried.)

So far, everything I’ve tried in the Cicavit+ range is absolutely fantastic, so I’m excited to try more.

Good to know

• Fragrance-free and labelled for irritated skin, from babies through to adults

Boring Without You REM Repair Moisturiser: Like A Barrier Balm And Moisturiser In One

This is absolutely something I suggest trying. I have a really high bar for moisturisers because they’re one of the three essential steps in a routine, and I don’t think you usually need to splurge. This one falls into a good price point, especially if you get it on sale.

I would describe it as 15% barrier cream and 85% a really, really amazing moisturiser. It’s ultra creamy. The way it spreads on the skin is angelic, and it holds in the moisture without feeling heavy or coating.

I have a lot of faith in Boring Without You, and this did not disappoint. It’s especially worth trying if you’ve tried their other products but found they weren’t quite right for your skin type, as the brand focuses on combination skin.

I have more normal skin that can definitely get dehydrated, and this is a fantastic last step in my routine.

It’s also good if you just don’t get along with barrier balms. This would be the one to try. I find myself using it in the daytime when my skin’s dehydrated as well. I was rationing it for a while, but now that I have a backup, I’m excited to use more of it.

Good to know

• 50ml tube with 5% niacinamide and 1% ectoin

Summing It Up

A product earns its place in my routine when I actually want to keep using it. These picks have done that, and I’m especially pleased that some of my favourites come in generous sizes at good price points.

You don’t need everything on this list. If you’re looking to replace a cleanser or find a moisturiser that suits your skin better, hopefully my experience helps you narrow it down.