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Barrier repair, a simplified routine, and Eastern beauty practices all place an increased emphasis on the best serums for sensitive skin. No matter which complexion philosophy you’re following—from a pared-back regimen to an elaborate 10-step Korean-inspired process—soothing and balancing is key to overall, and optimal, skin health.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel, $80
- Best Viral: The Ordinary Soothing Barrier Support Serum, $17
- Best for Eczema: Tower 28 SOS Intensive Rescue Serum, $34
- Best Korean: Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green tea + Panthenol, $17
- Best Hydrating: IS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum, $99
- Best Clean: Tata Harper Superkind Bio-Barrier Serum, $146
This shift in focus to calming serums was largely driven by the realization that an overuse of exfoliating acids and potent retinols—while helpful in moderation, and dependent on skin type—was, in fact, delivering the opposite of the youthful glow it promised. Instead, overzealous application of harsh actives left many with damaged skin barriers that led to further complications: dryness, enlarged pores, increased sensitivity.
To reverse those effects, experts recommend prioritizing gentle salves. “Simple and gentle is the way to go,” Donna Bartoli, a skin-care expert and My Blend ambassador previously told Vogue—encouraging use of ingredients like fatty acids, peptides, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to calm and rebuild the lipid barrier. While this edit is especially useful for barrier repair, or those with sensitive skin, you might also want to keep a calming serum in your arsenal as a just-in-case precaution (you never know when irritation can strike!). Ahead, our edit of the best serums for sensitive skin to consider—plus everything you need to know about choosing the one for you.
Best Overall: SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel
- Why We Love It: “What sets this product apart, in my opinion, is its ability to effectively soothe and correct skin discoloration and redness associated with various skin conditions, making it a versatile choice for post-procedure care and daily use in sensitive skin regimens,” double board-certified surgeon Lauren Moy, MD, says. With its blend of hyaluronic acid, cucumber, thyme, and other botanical ingredients, board-certified dermatologist Azadeh Shirazi, MD, cites its soothing properties—noting it’s an excellent hydrator too.
- Key Ingredients: Thyme, olive, cucumber, eucalyptus leaf, hyaluronic acid
- Size: 1 fl. oz. / 30 mL
Best Viral: The Ordinary Soothing Barrier Support Serum
- Why We Love It: “This popular serum is hydrating and helps support the skin barrier,” Lauren Penzi, MD, says. Of its skin-boosting agents, she cites Centella asiatica phytotechnologies, ceramides, niacinamide, vitamin B12, ginger root extract, rapeseed sterols, bisabolol and epigallocatechin gallate as the most effective in order to “reduce redness and dryness” with ease.
- Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica phytotechnologies, ceramides, niacinamide, vitamin B12, ginger root extract, rapeseed sterols, bisabolol, epigallocatechin gallate
- Size: 1 oz. / 30 mL
Best for Eczema: Tower 28 SOS Intensive Rescue Serum
- Why We Love It: Fans of Tower 28’s hypochlorous acid spray should add its equally-as-soothing, pH-balanced serum to cart. Endorsed by Vogue’s Laura Jackson plus Moy, you can rest assured this will put sensitivity (think: eczema, acne, and rosacea) at bay. “I love this calming serum, primarily due to its innovative use of hypochlorous acid, a powerful yet gentle antimicrobial agent naturally produced by our white blood cells,” Moy details. “This ingredient sets it apart by reducing inflammation and bacteria on the skin without causing irritation, making it suitable even for highly sensitive skin.”
- Key Ingredients: Hypochlorous acid
- Size: 1.5 oz. / 60 mL
Best With Natural Ingredients: Tata Harper Superkind Bio-Barrier Serum
- Why We Love It: Those with sensitive skin might do well prioritizing natural ingredients. Clean beauty, stand up—Tata Harper’s Superkind serum to the rescue! Via 26 potent botanicals from licorice root and postbiotics to plant ceramides, red sage root, and hyaluronic acid, “this formula helps to rebalance the microbiome, fortify the skin barrier, and calm stressed skin while rejuvenating a supple and youthful appearance,” per Dr. Shirazi.
- Key Ingredients: Plant ceramides, volcanic postbiotic complex, sugar leaf, licorice root, red sage root, calendula flower bud, hyaluronic acid, castor seed oil, shea butter
- Size: 1 fl. oz. / 30 mL
Best Soothing: Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Serum
- Why We Love It: According to Moy, oat is a “natural anti-inflammatory that helps to calm and soothe sensitive skin.” Fortunately, you don’t need to whip out the oats in your cabinet but instead pick up Aveeno’s Calm + Restore, which utilizes sativa oat kernel flour, extract, and oil, plus feverfew, glycerin, and Centella asiatica extract. “The gentle formula calms irritated dry skin while strengthening skin’s moisture barrier,” Shirazi says.
- Key Ingredients: Sativa oat kernel flour, extract, and oil (triple oat complex) feverfew, glycerin, Centella asiatica extract
- Size: 1 fl. oz. / 30 mL
Best Hydrating: IS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum
- Why We Love It: Our pick for the best hyaluronic acid face serum, IS Clinical’s Hydra-Cool is impossible not to love—its likability is rooted in its ability to drench skin in weightless moisture while assuaging irritation. I’ve even used it to soothe my hot, tender, post-chemical-peel skin. “With a blend of antioxidant Centella asiatica with vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid, kojic acid, and soothing menthol, this powerhouse serum helps to hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin,” Penzi says.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Centella asiatica, mushroom, vitamin B
- Size: 30 mL
Best Korean: Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol
- Why We Love It: In my personal trial of the Korean skin-care routine, I’ve been particularly impressed with how the products manage to keep my complexion poreless without complication; and Beauty of Joseon’s Calming Serum is a favorite. On its efficacy, Penzi says mugwort and green tea help calm irritation— “[leaving] skin less red, less irritated, and even less prone to breakouts.”
- Key Ingredients: Green tea 50%, mugwort 30%, Panthenol (Vitamin B5) 5%
- Size: 1 fl. oz. / 30 mL
Best Skin Barrier Repair: Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief
- Why We Love It: “What sets this serum apart is its ability to not only soothe irritated skin, but also address the root cause of sensitivity by fortifying the skin’s defenses against environmental stressors, making it particularly effective for those with compromised skin barriers or chronic sensitivity issues,” Moy explains—citing its combination of tamanu oil, niacinamide, and ceramides that “works synergistically to reduce inflammation, support the skin’s natural healing processes, and reinforce its protective barrier.”
- Key Ingredients: Tamanu oil, niacinamide, ceramides, squalane
- Size: 1.52 oz / 45 mL
Best for Redness: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Intensive Soothing Repair Serum
- Why We Love It: Looking to reverse redness? Dr. Jart+’s Soothing Repair Serum will be your new best friend. Shirazi calls it a “super serum” for its pairing of Centella asiatica (dubbed by the brand as its Cica complex) and allantoin to “reduce redness, heal skin barrier breakdown, and soothe irritation.” Gently press a pump or two into skin, then follow with its Tiger Grass Treatment SPF 30 (one of our favorite Korean skin-care products) for additional color-correcting.
- Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica, allantoin
- Size: 1 fl. oz. / 30 mL
Best for Irritation: Dr. Barbara Sturm Calming Serum
- Why We Love It: Balance out stressed skin with Dr. Sturm’s Calming Serum. The formula is led by plant-based ingredients like cardiospermum, echium, and sunflower, plus purslane for antioxidant protection and sweet almond oil for moisture, which Penzi says “makes it a great choice for red, irritated skin.” Plus, it boasts a lightweight, milky texture for instant relief of sun exposure, shaving, or other sources of sensitivity.
- Key Ingredients: Complex of cardiospermum, echium, and sunflower, purslane, sweet almond oil
- Size: 1 oz / 30 mL
What are calming serums?
“Calming serums are designed as liquids to be applied directly to the skin to combat irritation, redness and sensitivity,” Moy explains. “Their primary goal is to reduce inflammation, strengthen the skin barrier, and provide hydration.”
What to look for in a serum for sensitive skin
Moy starts by saying skin can become irritated for numerous reasons, often stemming from a breakdown in the barrier, which allows moisture to evaporate out and external allergens and substances to get in, leading to unhappy, inflamed skin. “Ideal ingredients in a calming serum will specifically target rebuilding the skin barrier, reducing inflammation, and locking in moisture.” Below, a breakdown of the best ingredients to consider.
- Aloe Vera: Aloe, rich in vitamins, amino acids, polysaccharides, and phytosterols, has a storied history as one of the best botanical soothing agents. “It is great for soothing, cooling, and calming the skin, which is why traditionally it has been a go to product for sunburn,” Penzi says. “Also, aloe vera’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce skin inflammation and can be beneficial for acne, eczema, and psoriasis.”
- Ceramides: Per Shirazi, ceramides help maintain the skin’s moisture balance, protect against environmental damage, and prevent water loss. “By reinforcing the skin’s barrier, ceramides help keep the skin hydrated, smooth, and resilient.”
- Chamomile: “[This] has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and soothing properties to calm irritated skin, reduce redness and inflammation, and promote healing.”
- Green Tea: “[Green tea] is shown to have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, green tea is an excellent skin-care ingredient for protecting skin from the sun and environmental pollutants and also to help reduce redness, swelling, and irritation,” Penzi explains.
- Oat: Oats are often found in soothing serums because they “contain compounds called avenanthramides, which have anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties, making them effective in soothing irritated and inflamed skin.”
- Peptides: “Peptides are the building blocks of proteins which work to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and promote firmness and elasticity by signaling the skin to produce more collagen,” Shirazi says.
- Squalane: Penzi cites squalane as an ingredient to incorporate because it “forms a protective barrier on the skin’s surface, preventing water loss and maintaining hydration levels. it also possesses antioxidant properties, helping to neutralize free radicals that can damage skin cells and contribute to premature aging.”
Who should use a calming serum?
“Almost anyone can benefit from a calming serum, but those who benefit most include patients with eczema, sensitive skin, many allergies, rosacea, and even acne-prone skin,” Penzi says. She continues: “Calming serums are also helpful after sunburns, cosmetic treatments (lasers, peels, etcetera) or after a reaction to too strong of a skin-care product (i.e. a high dose AHA that caused irritation).”
Do you put a calming serum on before or after moisturizing?
Turns out, you should apply calming serums as you would any other face serum. “Always apply your serum first, directly to slightly damp skin so that it can be fully absorbed and maximize its effect,” Moy says. “Moisturizers and other thicker skin-care products create a barrier, so always add these on after your serum has been applied. If using multiple serums, apply the most liquid one first, by gently patting into your skin.”
Can calming serums help reduce skin redness?
Yes, calming serums are one of the most effective ways to reduce skin redness. According to Moy, redness of the skin is seen whenever your superficial blood vessels become dilated and leaky. “This is a result of your body creating inflammation to take care of the ‘irritant’ invading the skin, which may be a bacteria or even a chemical,” she says. “Calming serums can work by directly decreasing this inflammatory response.”
Meet the Experts
- Lauren Moy, MD, is a Los Angeles–based double-board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon specializing in Mohs surgery.
- Lauren Penzi, MD, is a New York–based, board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology.
- Azadeh Shirazi, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in La Jolla, California.
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