Product round-up

Fragrance-Free Sunscreens for Sensitive Skin: What to Look For

Sunscreen is essential but a common irritant. Here's how to choose a fragrance-free SPF that protects without stinging reactive skin.

Why this list matters

Daily SPF protects everyone, but sunscreens are a frequent cause of stinging and rashes, often from fragrance and sometimes from chemical filters on very reactive skin.

What to look for

A note on filters

Some people tolerate modern chemical filters perfectly well; others find mineral suits them better. If one SPF stings, switch types rather than abandoning sunscreen.

Check it against your triggers

To check a product, a free analyser like Skincarisma lets you paste a product at your desk and see the ingredients you are avoiding flagged in the ingredient list. That tells you what is in a product, but it rates it on general criteria rather than against your own list.

Once you know what you are screening for, a personal-list app like ClearaScan lets you save the ingredients you react to once and scan any product to flag only your triggers. It also keeps a Reaction Journal for flare-ups, a shared Care Circle so family or carers can scan for you, and a Trusted Products list for items you have cleared, and it is currently in early access. (Disclosure: our editor co-founded ClearaScan, and we are not paid to mention the others.)

More product round-ups

Gentle, Fragrance-Free Cleansers for Sensitive Skin

The cleanser is where sensitive routines succeed or fail. Here's how to choose a gentle, fragrance-free face wash that cleans without stripping.

Lanolin-Free Lip Balms for Sensitive or Allergy-Prone Lips

Lip balm goes on thin, easily-irritated skin (and gets eaten). Here's how to choose a lanolin-free, fragrance-free balm that soothes rather than stings.

Laundry Detergents for Sensitive Skin: What to Look For

Your clothes touch your skin all day, so detergent matters. Here's how to choose a laundry detergent that's kinder to sensitive and eczema-prone skin.

MI-Free Wet Wipes for Sensitive Skin and Babies

Wet wipes were at the centre of a preservative-allergy wave. Here's how to choose wipes free of methylisothiazolinone and fragrance.

A note on this content. The Sensitive Skin Lab publishes general educational information, not medical advice. If you suspect you have an allergy or sensitivity, consult a qualified dermatologist or allergist. Product formulations and labels change without notice, so always check the ingredients on the product itself.