Alexandra Anele has looked at 45 products aimed at sensitive skin. She approved 33, gave 6 mixed takes, and skipped 6. Her Guru Score for this category is 73%. That puts her in the mid-range, not at the top, and her skips are as useful as her approvals.
What does Alexandra Anele recommend for sensitive skin?
Lightweight hydration comes up again and again in her approving takes. She praised Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray for feeling light and not heavy on skin. She spoke warmly about The INKEY List Omega Water Cream, pointing to water as the first ingredient and calling water creams a really good choice for this skin type. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is part of her own regular routine. She also rated Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol highly, calling it great and accessible, and noted that it contains tripeptides and ceramides. Those are ingredients that help repair and strengthen the skin barrier, which matters a lot for sensitive skin.
In her words
"I'm going to be using my Tower 28 mist. I need like mist, I just it's been sitting for a minute and I want to rehydrate it so it's not too dry. It has like a very lightweight feel which is really nice, doesn't feel heavy at all."
"I just did my Bioma hydrating mist or balancing face mist and then my CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. It's pretty much been what I do to prep my skin for everything."
"Serum serum camid Skin Barrier moisturizing I see moisturizing I buy it"
"This is a moisturizer that I really like. This is from The Inkey List. This is the Omega Water Cream. You want to look for ingredients that have water first. [...] A water cream is going to be really good."
"I've been really liking this blush. I think it's really really pretty. The actual blush itself, like the way that it's made, the component really does allow for you to just sort of dab it on, which is nice. So if you're one of those dab it on and go kind of people, it's really good for that."
"I also really like the Paula's Choice Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer which is with tripeptides and ceramides, really great and just like a little bit more accessible."
How many products has Alexandra Anele reviewed for sensitive skin?
Alexandra Anele has reviewed 45 products for sensitive skin, for a Guru Score of 73%. 33 approved, 6 mixed, and 6 skipped.
What has Alexandra Anele skipped for sensitive skin?
Three of her skips come with clear reasons, and they are worth knowing. She skipped Prequel Multi-Quench Plumping Hydration Serum entirely because it pilled on her no matter what she tried. She linked the problem to glycerin in leave-on products generally, so anyone who has had pilling with glycerin serums should take note. She skipped Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ because it stung her eyes badly, even though she liked the hydrating formula. And she skipped Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation, saying she wanted to love it but just didn't.
"I bought one like a long time ago and it smelled rancid. I think I got [...] a bad batch or something. I heard from some other people who had that problem as well, and then I tried it later on and it didn't have that scent, so I'm pretty sure I got a really bad batch. But I [...] have a complicated relationship with skin tint to be honest with you."
"I was really excited because it is such a nice hydrating formula and I thought oh this could be so nice especially for winter when my skin is a little bit drier but no I couldn't. The second it got near my eyes it stung like crazy. So if you're someone who's really really really sensitive to sunscreens and you've been curious I would not recommend it. It is extremely hydrating, like it gives a shine, like it really gives a shine, but the eye stinging is a dealbreaker for me. I would recommend the Sun Relief sunscreen over this any day."
"It's Tower 28 sunscreen. I wanted to love it. They have like a bunch of different colors and I just don't like it. It's really disappointing. Not to call them out directly, I love a lot of their products, but I just really wanted to love this and didn't."
"I've been trying so hard to love Prequel. I understand that basically one of the ingredients that Prequel revolves around is glycerin and I love that idea. I want to love it. It doesn't work for me. This is the Multi-Quench Plumping Hydration Serum. It doesn't matter what I do, doesn't matter how little I use, doesn't matter what layering, if I use it on its own, it doesn't matter. It pills on me no matter what. And that seems to be the case with glycerin products. In leave on products, it just doesn't work for me. And even if I wear it at night, when I'm just going to bed, the second I touch my face because I have a little scratch or like a cat hair, it pills. I just hate it. I hate it. And I want to love it and I want to love all of the products from Prequel, but for whatever reason, the vast majority of them just don't really work for me that well."
What should you take from Alexandra Anele's picks?
Alexandra Anele's record on sensitive skin is solid, and her reasoning is specific enough to be useful. She names what she looks for, she names what failed and why, and her skips carry real practical information. If pilling or eye sensitivity are concerns for you, her reasons for passing on certain products are as informative as her approvals.
Watch Alexandra Anele say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40Skipped itWatch at 20:10
- Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++Skipped itWatch at 6:39
- Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen FoundationSkipped itWatch at 7:02
- Prequel Multi-Quench Plumping Hydration SerumSkipped itWatch at 2:02
- Cally Grape Water MistSkipped itWatch at 2:18
- Oral-B Round Electric ToothbrushSkipped itWatch at 4:31
- Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial SprayRated itWatch at 4:06
- CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing LotionRated itWatch at 6:32
- Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30Rated itWatch at 28:46
- The INKEY List Omega Water CreamRated itWatch at 1:48
- Merit Flush Balm Cheek Color in Beverly HillsRated itWatch at 9:43
- Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with RetinolRated itWatch at 10:09
- Anua Rice 70% Glow Milky TonerRated itWatch at 1:31
- Anua 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier CreamRated itWatch at 12:55
- The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing & Plumping Moisturizer + Barrier StrengtheningRated itWatch at 28:29
- Skin Aqua Super Moisture Barrier UV Gel SPF50+ PA4+Rated itWatch at 12:06
- BYOMA Balancing Face MistRated itWatch at 2:14
- Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat SerumRated itWatch at 2:51
- Verso Dew Point Moisturizing Gel CreamRated itWatch at 6:55
- Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer Hydrating PrimerRated itWatch at 4:58
- Beauty of Joseon MaskRated itWatch at 1:17
- SkinFix Eczema Extra Strength Body CreamRated itWatch at 15:47
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Eye CreamRated itWatch at 26:12
- Almay Sensitive Skin Fragrance Free AntiperspirantRated itWatch at 14:40
About this expert
See everything Alexandra Anele has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Alexandra Anele said across their videos about 45 products for sensitive skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.