Our Best Formulas For Sensitive Skin

The skincare world is full of efficacious, powerful ingredients — there are so many to choose from that address a wide variety of concerns. But for people with sensitive skin, it can feel like their options are limited. Many ingredients that work well for the majority of skin types can be too harsh or cause a reaction on for this skin type that can be easily irritated.

Nowadays, thanks to advanced formulas with skin-soothing botanicals, that’s all changing. We’ve figured out how to care for sensitive skin while also providing other benefits like anti-aging, brightening, and blemish control. Here are the six ingredients you need to know if you have sensitive skin, plus our products that are formulated with them.

Cucumber Extract

Turns out there’s something to that "cool as a cucumber" saying — Cucumber Extract is known to be a comforting ingredient for sensitive skin. It is said to feel cool and refreshing on the skin. It’s the perfect addition to a cleanser, our formula with cucumber extra help clean without stripping the skin and disrupting skin’s natural balance.

Find It In: Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Conditioning Cleanser

Micellar

If even washing your face is too much for your skin, then skip the traditional cleanser and opt for a cleanser that doesn’t need to be rinsed — a leave-on cleanser that consists of tiny cleansing oil molecules that are suspended in an herbal water base (we use Lemon Balm Floral Water in our Micellar Cleansing Water). It’s meant to applied to dry skin and not washed off. Rather, you soak a cotton ball with the formula and use it to gently wipe away and dissolve makeup, dirt, and impurities from skin’s surface. Skin is left feeling clean, refreshed, and soft. Instead of washing twice a day, try replacing your nighttime cleanse with a micellar cleansing water.

Find It In: Herbal-Infused Micellar Cleansing Water

Calendula

A highly regarded medicinal herb in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, our formulas with Calendula Flower Extract and petals have the dual benefit of gently cleansing and soothing normal to oily skin to improve problem areas.

Find It In: Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner

Centella Asiatica

While it might sound like a new ingredient, Centella Asiatica has been used by Southeast Asian cultures for hundreds of years on everything from wounds to burns. Combined with ingredients like Vitamin B3, our Centella Cica Cream is formulated to helps strengthen the moisture barrier of compromised skin and helps restore skin’s healthy appearance.

Find It In: Kiehl’s Dermatologist Solutions Centella Cica Cream

Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil

In the past year, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil has become a superstar ingredient in skincare. This non-psychoactive extract from the cannabis plant can help calm the feeling of stressed skin, balance hydration levels, and visibly improve the appearance of redness on skin’s surface, and with continued use helps to strengthen the skin barrier (extremely important to those with sensitive skin to help protect itself). It’s also suitable to use on blemish-prone skin, is lightweight and non-comedogenic.

Find It In: Kiehl’s Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate

Aloe Vera

If you’ve ever had a sunburn, then you are no doubt familiar with Aloe Vera. The desert plant’s leaves contain a comforting gel known to soothe and cool sun-baked skin Which is why you’ll see it in a range of products formulated for sensitive-skin. Whether yours is naturally sensitive or you’re recovering from some type of damage, Aloe Vera is a naturally derived ingredient. Our formula formulated with aloe vera, helps cleanse and soothe your skin.

Find It In: Kiehl’s Made For All Gentle Body Cleanser

Just because your skin is delicate doesn’t mean you have to miss out on potent skincare treatments. With the right products formulated with the right ingredients, you can help your sensitive skin look and feel its best.