Product round-up

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.

Why the cleanser matters most

Cleanser sits on your skin briefly but sets the tone: a harsh one strips the barrier and makes everything after it sting. For sensitive skin, gentle and fragrance-free beats foamy and “deep cleansing”.

What to look for

What to avoid

Strong sulphates, high fragrance, menthol or “cooling” agents, and anything that leaves skin feeling tight.

Check it against your triggers

To check a product, INCIBeauty lets you look up a product and read plain-language notes on each ingredient, with a community that rates them. 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

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.

Sulphate-Free Shampoos for Sensitive Scalps: How to Choose

A buyer's guide to sulphate-free shampoos for itchy or reactive scalps: what 'sulphate-free' really means, what to look for, and what to avoid.

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.