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Skincare routine for sensitive skin: gentle actives that work

By The regimen team · June 24, 2026 · 1 min read

Sensitive skin reacts — to fragrance, to strong actives, to doing too much. The strategy is simple: gentle, minimal, and barrier-first.

Principles

Fewer products, fewer problems. Every extra active is another thing that can irritate.
Patch-test new products on your inner arm or jaw first.
Protect the skin barrier — most "sensitivity" is really a compromised barrier.

AM: gentle cleanser (or water) → niacinamide → fragrance-free moisturiser → mineral sunscreen

PM: gentle cleanser → one gentle treatment → moisturiser

You don’t have to skip actives — just pick the kind ones:

Avoid stacking actives or mixing clashing ingredients. Our redness hub and conflict checker keep things calm.

What actives are safe for sensitive skin?

Azelaic acid, niacinamide, and gentle AHAs like mandelic acid are among the best tolerated. Introduce one at a time.

Should sensitive skin avoid all acids?

No — gentler acids like mandelic and lactic are often fine in low strengths, a few nights a week, with moisturiser.

Put this into practice

Build a routine and we’ll catch ingredient conflicts as you go — free.