8 of the best makeup products for sensitive skin
Sensitive skin can affect every product you use from your laundry detergent to anything you apply to your skin like skin care or makeup products. Anything that comes in contact with your skin can cause irritation like redness or rashes on your skin. Researching sensitive skin makeup brands can save time and money by reducing the trial-and-error phase of finding products that agree with your skin.
Making healthy lifestyle choices like eating a balanced diet and avoiding smoking and alcohol can ensure optimal skin health. A healthy diet can hydrate your skin cells and reduce signs of aging. Incorporate hydrating foods into your diet like cucumber, which consists of 95% water and other bioactive compounds that can decrease swelling, inflammation and skin irritations.
Drinking alcohol has myriad consequences like damaging your liver, which can manifest in your skin. Liver damage can cause jaundice, making your skin and eyes yellow. Drinking heavily causes 10-15% of people to develop an irreversible condition called Cirrhosis which can cause easy bruising and many other symptoms that can exasperate existing skin conditions.
Naturally caring for your skin with a healthy lifestyle reduces skin irritations and skin condition symptoms. Here are some of the best makeup products for sensitive skin and eyes for you to try.
1. Tula Face Filter Blurring & Moisturising Primer
Tula is known for their cruelty-free makeup and skin care products making them one of the best sensitive skin makeup brands. This primer blurs imperfections on your skin and evens out skin tone to give you a smooth finish that appears like a filter on your skin.
Tula’s face filter primer is formulated with butterfly bush that decreases the appearance of dark spots on your skin, which helps even skin tone. This primer glides on effortlessly and makes your face feel softer while helping your makeup stick to your skin in all the right places.
2. Tarte Shape Tape Concealer
This full-coverage concealer from Tarte is what every girl with dehydrated under-eye areas dreams of. Tarte has clean ingredients and is cruelty-free, making it an excellent hypoallergenic product.
The Shape Tape concealer is one of the most popular concealers and is well worth the hype. It’s one of the best makeup products for sensitive skin and eyes and doesn’t cake or stick to the wrong spots. If you have extra dry skin, they have an ultra-creamy version of this product that’s excellent for dehydrated skin.
3. Estee Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Foundation
Futurist Hydra Rescue from Estee Lauder is a moisturising foundation that has SPF 45, so it adds an extra layer of protection against the sun’s harmful rays. This lightweight foundation has clean ingredients that apply smoothly and doesn’t weigh down your skin.
It’s a buildable foundation so you can apply more than one layer for a more full-coverage look. One of its key ingredients is chia seed extract, which can restore skin moisture. It’s free of parabens, mineral oil and phthalates and has antioxidants that protect against environmental elements.
4. Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer
This bronzer from Physicians Formula is surprisingly affordable since it performs so well. It has a buttery texture that glides across your skin due to its infusion with Murumuru Butter, Cupuacu Butter and Tucuma Butter.
The best thing about this bronzer is it is genuinely hypoallergenic and doesn’t irritate your skin. It has moisturising ingredients like pro-vitamins and essential fatty acids that hydrate your skin. Use this bronzer to achieve a radiant glow without putting harsh chemicals on your skin.
5. Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder
You can find this finishing powder in most drugstores at an affordable price. Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte and Poreless Powder is an excellent asset to your makeup bag and one of the best natural makeup for sensitive skin products.
This finishing powder is great to apply alone for light coverage and for touching up your makeup to control shine. This powder minimises pores and fine lines and is non-comedogenic. Apply this powder with a brush to finish your makeup routine before applying setting spray. It’s also excellent for touching up your makeup throughout the day to eliminate shine.
6. Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara & Primer
Having sensitive skin can make your eyes super sensitive and mascara is often impossible. Mascara can be challenging, especially if you have allergies. You may wear waterproof mascara as your only hope of not having to keep reapplying. Finding a mascara that doesn’t make your eyes itch or water is a problem of the past.
Honest Beauty Extreme Length is made without irritants, making it a clean mascara that’s one of the best makeup for sensitive skin and eyes. It also comes with a primer that extends the length of your lashes and enhances its performance. Start by applying the primer to your lashes, let it dry, and then apply the mascara for luscious lashes that won’t irritate your eyes. Get it here.
7. Wander Beauty Skyliner Automatic Gel Eyeliner
Eyeliners can be tricky to find if you have sensitive skin–they can make your eyes water. This automatic gel eyeliner hydrates your lash line and is fragrance-free, so it doesn’t irritate your skin. This Wander Beauty product is cruelty-free and free of parabens, gluten and phthalates and made with olive fruit oil and jojoba seed oil, making it so hydrating. Jojoba seed oil has vitamin E and antioxidants that soothe your skin.
8. Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette
Urban Decay is a widely popular sensitive skin makeup brand. Their Naked eyeshadow palettes are to die for with their range of colours that offer something for everyone. Sensitive skin and eyes are no match for the Naked palettes from Urban Decay. This brand prides itself on being 100% cruelty-free and accommodating those with allergens and sensitivities.
These palettes have excellent pigment and many buildable and customizable options. They are priced at around £41 but will last a long time. The longer they last and how well they perform are enough to make them worth the cost, but their cruelty-free mission adds to their hype.
The Best Natural Makeup for Sensitive Skin
You don’t have to give up wearing makeup because you have sensitive skin. Finding products that don’t irritate your skin can be challenging, but this list can help! Try these sensitive skin makeup brands with gentle ingredients to compliment your complexion and minimise harsh reactions.
Guest post by Beth Rush
I use this Estée Lauder foundation, I’ve noticed my skin is much more hydrated and no dry patches or itching. Amazing 🤩
I’ve often struggled with my changing skin as I got older to find more sensitive make up. Interesting read x
Great post covering a range of affordable products
This was so interesting and helpful and has given me some new ideas too. Thank you
Very interesting. Will be showing my mum this as she always having problems with her skin
I really need to try Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. That’s the problem with my concealer, it all sticks to the dry places and ends up highlighting them
Really interesting reading, love the idea of looking at ingredient lists rather than just buying a new item with the word “sensitive” on it. That sometimes doesn’t work or is more expensive
I swear by the Estee Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Foundation! I spent so many years using double wear but my skin hated it. It is much lighter and kinder to your skin and still has great coverage x
You have included a great range of products which I will try for my sensitive skin
This was a great read as I have sensitive skin. The Maybelline powder sounds great.
Loved this! Your positivity and insight made it an awesome read. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for some great tips – my sensitive skin makes me feel so meh when I use products that exacerbate my problem skin xx
As I’m into my sixties now I’ve noticed dark spots appearing on my skin so finding your information about the Tula Face Filter Blurring & Moisturising Primer I’m now eager to try it thanks
Fantastic post – my skin can be so reactive that I tend to avoid make up these days, but I may try some of your suggestions!
It’s difficult finding products for sensitive skin, so this post is really useful! The Maybelline powder sounds lovely
Thank you, this info is so helpful. I’ve been at a loss where to start with skincare and cosmetics for some time so have used nothing! Since suffering a bereavement and starting the menapause my skin is super dry and sensitive . I’m now inspired to start treating myself.
This is a helpful and interesting post, I have to be very careful with my skin these days
I do love the idea of the Butter Bronzer. It sounds so gentle on the skin, and very luxurious
There was a time when I would buy almost any skincare and makeup products from any reputable company thinking that my skin could cope with everything. That all changed when I tried Alpha-H and my skin broke out in so many spots and sore red patches that I looked like a 13-year-old entering puberty.
That is not a criticism of Alpha-H but a reminder that it’s worth testing all products on your skin or, preferrably, only investing in those that are labelled as suitable for sensitive skin.
Thank you for this post. It’s good to have an up-to-date list of suitable makeup products.