Suggestions for facial cleanser/moisturizer for sensitive skin?

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heyghoge
heyghoge Posts: 153 Member
edited October 2016 in Chit-Chat
After some googling, I think I am sensitive to sulfates, which was in a facial cleanser I used that burned my face so badly I went around with a rash for a week afterwards. I've used Burt's Bees products with no allergic reactions, but what else is out there for people with sensitive skin? What kind of regimen should I be implementing to combat dry skin? Please explain like I'm five - I'm not a beauty/makeup person at all, and all of the choices the internet has to offer are only confusing me more :/ I'm in the US so products readily available here would be nice, as well as ones that don't break the bank, but I'm willing to shell out a little for something that works.

p.s. this is mfp, so yes, I do drink enough water!!! The skin on my face alternately gets very oily and then extremely dry on my cheeks/chin, especially in winter... I'm starting to dread my favorite season.
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Replies

  • km8907
    km8907 Posts: 3,861 Member
    edited October 2016
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    I like the First Aid Beauty cleanser and ultra repair cream. They have the small kits at ulta if you want to try it out before buying a bigger size.
  • cbusnightowl
    cbusnightowl Posts: 132 Member
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    Cetaphil really helps me (although a quick peep at their website indicates that their gentle skin cleanser does have SLS), plus my skin feels super soft. Does shampoo and toothpaste getting on your face bother you? Most of both of those items contain SLS as well. Also it may sound counterproductive when you have oily skin but I'd also suggest a good daily facial moisturizer
  • cbusnightowl
    cbusnightowl Posts: 132 Member
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    And sun screen :)
  • ClubSilencio
    ClubSilencio Posts: 2,983 Member
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    Sounds like you have combination oily/dry skin. I use Desert Essence face wash... it's pretty good for all skin types. I have oily/dry skin and it works for me. What I do though is dilute it 50/50 with water and then add in a few drops of tea tree oil, lavender oil, and a little bit of olive oil. It already contains all these things but since I'm diluting it I add some more back in; it's the castille soap that I'm wanting to dilute since I find it a bit drying. You can buy a big bottle of it for $15 online. Lasts nearly an entire year since I dilute half of it. Would also be good to buy some tea tree oil, lavender, and an oil like jojoba or olive.

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  • heyghoge
    heyghoge Posts: 153 Member
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    Does shampoo and toothpaste getting on your face bother you? Most of both of those items contain SLS as well. Also it may sound counterproductive when you have oily skin but I'd also suggest a good daily facial moisturizer

    Toothpaste does (I know better now, but as a teenager I totally did the thing where I used it as an emergency substitute for acne treatment), I don't know about shampoo, since it doesn't get the chance to stay long on skin. Not too tempted to run an experiment! I do know I need some kind of moisturizer, as I wake up in the mornings with whitish/flaky patches, no bueno.

    @km8907 , @ClubSilencio , thanks for the recs, I will check them out!

  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
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    aquamarina or angels on bare skin cleanser from Lush

    http://ca.iherb.com/Everyday-Coconut-Face-Wash-12-fl-oz-354-ml/50625

  • RunsWithBees
    RunsWithBees Posts: 1,508 Member
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    Waxelene.
    Buy it at CVS (under $20 for a huge jar)
    Thank me later.
    I'm super sensitive to SLS and Waxelene has transformed my skin into soft supple loveliness not to mention it's the best lip balm ever, it cured my chronic chapped lips, I had tried everything, and nothing else compares. Also use a toothpaste without sls (mine is Biotene) and sls-free shampoo & body wash (Marshall's and TJMaxx carry many kinds).
    Waxelene removes all makeup, even waterproof mascara easily with no eye irritation. It's excellent to soothe and moisturize skin immediately after shaving or other hair removal methods, even for sunburn. It contains only 4 natural ingredients and feels great on the skin, not greasy. There are many, many more uses for it, too many to list here but you can find out more online.
    Waxelene has been life-changing for my skin and I can't recommend it enough! Good luck :)
  • anjulajj
    anjulajj Posts: 148 Member
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    If you are near a lush store at the mall they have great natural and fresh products. Not too expensive but I can't live without! They have masks that just make your skin feel amazing for all different skin types and they have a moisturizer called celestial made specifically for sensitive skin. It contains vanilla water and almond milk in it and it will only set you back about 25 bucks but worth every penny!
  • DarlingNikki2011
    DarlingNikki2011 Posts: 287 Member
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    Have you tried Aveeno products? My skin is super sensitive and after a move from Florida to the Midwest I was walking around with a huge rash and irritation I could not control. My esthetician suggested Aveeno as a OTC product that was good and wouldn't break the bank. I have not looked back since. Worked like magic! Literally overnight differences!
  • 780ck
    780ck Posts: 40 Member
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    I use a gel cleanser from Dermatologica. If you google them, you can likely find someone near you for a free consult. It us pricey, but I don't react to it. Good luck!
  • JukeboxHeroine
    JukeboxHeroine Posts: 348 Member
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    I get complimented on my skin often. I have combination skin. My dermatologist recommended cetaphil twice a day and moisturize with cera ve. I no longer have dry flaky patches around my nose and cheeks. I've been doing this a couple of years and it's working for me. I bought both at Walmart. I use the unscented aveeno lotion for my body. Good luck!
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
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    I have very sensitive skin and started using Origins products a few years ago and my skin looks fantastic! You can purchase them on the Origins website or through Sephora :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    I look for products with no artificial fragrance. In my experience, companies that leave this out also leave out other harsh ingredients.

    I use my shampoo to wash my face as well: Acure Organics, Shampoo, Moroccan Argan Stem Cell + Argan Oil

    Moisturizer is trickier. The more natural they are, the heavier they are. This is kind of in between: Madre Labs, Hand Cream, With Argan Nut Oil, Unscented (it says 'hand cream' but in this case that's just marketing. It's a lot cheaper than their face creams and is fine on the face.)

    If I need something lighter because I am going to immediately put makeup on over it I use The Naked Bee which does have fragrance but is (barely) tolerable to me.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    I'm glad you posted this question. I've just come to terms with having rosacea. Took 3 doctors and blood work to convince me. In a flare I can't put anything in my face, which is constant now. Mine is terribly dry.

    Cetaphill was recommended, but I see that's not a stellar choice. I tried it, and it makes my face burn. So far only dove cool moisture?, the green one seem to not anger my face.

    You might try a dermatologist visit. If you can find it, I remember pHisoderm being great.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    heyghoge wrote: »
    After some googling, I think I am sensitive to sulfates, which was in a facial cleanser I used that burned my face so badly I went around with a rash for a week afterwards. I've used Burt's Bees products with no allergic reactions, but what else is out there for people with sensitive skin? What kind of regimen should I be implementing to combat dry skin? Please explain like I'm five - I'm not a beauty/makeup person at all, and all of the choices the internet has to offer are only confusing me more :/ I'm in the US so products readily available here would be nice, as well as ones that don't break the bank, but I'm willing to shell out a little for something that works.

    p.s. this is mfp, so yes, I do drink enough water!!! The skin on my face alternately gets very oily and then extremely dry on my cheeks/chin, especially in winter... I'm starting to dread my favorite season.

    I'm sure that some people are gonna say "nooooooo don't do that it'll break out your skin!" but I've always had very dry skin so at night time I put on my moisturizer, wait for it to sink in, and then I put a light layer of vaseline overtop. It locks in the moisture and when I wake up in the morning my skin feels and looks great.

    It's never broken me out. However, there are some people that find it just doesn't work with their skin but for me it works wonders.

    I agree the petroleum product does help. Who knew? Might be worth a try.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    Cetaphil, CeraVe, and Paula's Choice all have good moisturizer that work well for my combination, acne prone, & sensitive skin.
  • jessicapk
    jessicapk Posts: 574 Member
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    I am fairly sensitive skinned and also prone to very mild psoriasis. I have used every moisturizer under the sun and swear by one and one only. I read about olive oil years ago and have been using it for at least about 5 years. I will never go back to anything else.

    First, I wash my face with a soap free cleanser while I'm in the shower. The soap free cleansers are super cheap and there are usually generics that are readily available. Then, I apply olive oil to my face. I put just a few drops of tea tree oil and lavender oil in it (tea tree is antibacterial and lavender helps with inflammation plus it smells great) and keep it in the shower in small quantities. A little goes a LONG way. I leave it on my face while I clean up, shave, etc. until I get out and dry it off with a towel. Other moisturizers irritate my skin or cause break outs and this basic routine has done wonders.

    If I'm not showering or right before bedtime, I use a combination of witch hazel and olive oil (shake it up real good before applying with a cotton pad or poof) to clean and moisturize my skin. It also removes makeup. I only wear mascara but it will remove just about anything else, as well.

    Also, once or twice a week, I use a walnut scrub. Be wary of using anything like this too often as it will do more harm than good. Been there, done that.
  • amyk0202
    amyk0202 Posts: 667 Member
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    I have rosacea & have tried a bunch of different things. I just looked & my day to day cleanser has sulfates, so it wouldn't work for you. My "break-out" cleanser is the Equate version of the Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash. My go to moisturizer is Neutrogena Light Night Cream. I use it day & night because my skin tends to be dry & flaky. It's not too heavy but does a good job. During the day, I layer Sonia Kashuk Tinted Moisturizer on top of it to tone down the redness (I almost always have some level of flushing) & it also has sunscreen in it. That's pretty much the only makeup I wear.

    I have not tried any Lush soaps or lotions. I would check their ingredients. Some of their products do have sulfates. I didn't have any luck with their hair products. They seemed to strip my hair & make my scalp itch. Just because something is supposed to be all natural doesn't mean it's gentle & nourishing for all skin/hair types. The fragrances they use are amazing though. If you want to try their stuff, I would go into the store & get free samples because they are very expensive.

    I also have not had luck with tea tree oil. It was just too harsh for my skin.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    For moisturizing, spread like 2 drops of argan oil on your hands then apply to still-damp face after washing. It is non comedogenic.