If you have sensitive skin, it’s almost always a good idea to maintain a simple skincare routine. Typically, all you really need is a good cleanser, serum, and moisturizer, but if you want to add a self-care-worthy treat to your routine, it doesn’t hurt to incorporate one of the best face masks for sensitive skin.
Ahead, you’ll find gentle face mask recommendations, like the super popular (and Camille’s favorite) Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask and the ultra-hydrating Blue Lagoon Mineral Mask. These face masks will become your new skin saviors without any harsh ingredients. So kick back, relax, and treat yourself to a mini at-home spa day with the best face masks for sensitive skin.
Featured image from our interview with Sanetra Nere Longno.
Our Top Picks
- Camille’s Top Pick: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask — $49 at Summer Fridays
- Camille’s Other Favorite: Activist Manuka Honey Mask — $65 at Activist Manuka
- Camille’s Splurge Pick: Blue Lagoon Mineral Mask — $95 at Blue Lagoon
- Best Dermatologist Recommended: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizing Sheet Mask — $3.59 at Target
- Best Face Mask for Dry Sensitive Skin: Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask — $52 at Sephora
The Best Face Masks for Sensitive Skin
1. Camille’s Top Pick: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask
The Camille Styles team has sworn by this viral mask for years because of how it revives parched and tired skin overnight. The nourishing formula is jam-packed with gentle skin hydrators like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to replenish and smooth even the most sensitive skin types. Even if your skin is pretty reactive, you can rest assured your complexion will stay calm and happy because this mask is non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and also has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance.
2. Camille’s Other Favorite: Activist Manuka Honey Mask
Honey isn’t just a sweetener to add to your food. Antioxidant-rich Manuka honey, in particular, is known for its powerful healing properties, and Camille loves using this mask from Activist Skincare when she’s experiencing any sort of skin flare-up.
Made with 100% Manuka honey, this luxe yet simplistic formula may help clear up rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, and acne. If you’re not struggling with any of those skin woes, this is still a worthy addition to your routine since it can help promote skin regeneration and leaves behind a healthy glow.
3. Camille’s Splurge Pick: Blue Lagoon Mineral Mask
People travel thousands of miles (and spend thousands of dollars) to step into the geothermal waters of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon. The springs are known to have anti-aging benefits and help enhance the skin barrier. Luckily, you can experience the revitalizing power of the Blue Lagoon from the comfort of your home with this mineral-rich mask. The formula is infused with bioactive Blue Lagoon Seawater, which can help calm your complexion, regardless of whether you use it on your face as an overnight mask or all over your body as a plush restorative cream.
4. Best Dermatologist Recommended: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizing Sheet Mask
Sheet masks are a quick and easy way to increase hydration, and few compare to Neutrogena’s affordable Hydro Boost mask. Dermatologists constantly recommend this brand (and product) for how it quenches dry skin in contact with hyaluronic acid. The gel texture also adds to the overall treatment since it can soothe and balance skin as you wear it.
Pro tip: Store it in your fridge for 30 minutes before using for extra calming coolness.
5. Best Face Mask for Dry Sensitive Skin: Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask
If you’re after plump, radiant, soft skin, this mask is a must-have. Filled with antioxidant-rich super berries (think acai, prickly pear, and goji berries) as well as THD Ascorbate (a potent yet gentle form of vitamin C), the thick overnight mask feels like a rich cream that envelops the skin. Come morning, your complexion will look brighter and bouncier, like you just came from a high-end facial.
6. Best Brightening Face Mask for Sensitive Skin: Tatcha Violet-C Radiance Mask
Some people with sensitive skin may have a complicated relationship with vitamin C. While it’s considered the gold standard for brightening and evening out skin tone, the ingredient can oftentimes cause irritation. However, Tatcha crafted the ideal vitamin C-infused mask so those with sensitive skin can reap the benefits sans irritation. Violet-C combines two forms of the antioxidant with the brand’s signature Hadasei-3 complex to deeply hydrate and boost radiance. You’ll see a difference in how you glow after just one treatment.
Pro tip: You can use Tatcha’s “Is This Right For Me?” quiz on the product page to find out if the formulation will gel with your skin type.
7. Best Calming Face Mask for Sensitive Skin: Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask Extreme Detoxifying Hydrator
Redness doesn’t stand a chance against this ultra-calming cucumber gel mask from Peter Thomas Roth. Whether you struggle with rosacea or are dealing with a pesky sunburn, slathering this across your face will provide you with some instant relief.
Botanical extracts like cucumber, papaya, chamomile, bilberry, and aloe vera quickly soothe and draw moisture into the skin, helping speed up the reparative process and warding off any future dryness. Best of all, you can use it either as a quick at-home spa treatment or leave it on overnight for a major boost of hydration.
8. Best Overnight Mask for Sensitive Skin: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask with 10.5% Squalane
Every winter, my skin freaks out due to the dry, cold temperatures. As soon as I feel my skin starting to get dry and tight, I pull out this thick balmy mask. Mega hydrators, including squalane—a natural moisturizer that locks hydration into the skin—and glacial glycoproteins make the skin a water magnet to keep it hydrated through even the driest of seasons. Since introducing this into my routine, flakes and dry patches have disappeared for good. Plus, it’s paraben- and fragrance-free, which adds major points for folks with sensitive skin.
9. Best Clay Mask for Sensitive Skin: Mara Spirulina + Ashwagandha Volcanic Sea Clay Detox Mask
Most clay masks can be a bit too stripping for sensitive skin, but this one is an exception thanks to its combination of volcanic ash, algae, and ashwagandha (a plant that can help boost hydration). The creamy clay formula gently detoxes pores and keeps irritation at bay. Rather than feeling tight after washing this off, your skin maintains a soft and supple bounciness courtesy of hydrating honey and soothing green tea.
10. Best Exfoliating Mask for Sensitive Skin: Alpyn Beauty Wild Huckleberry Brightening Peel Mask for Sensitive Skin
Exfoliating is usually a one-way ticket to irritation for those with sensitive skin. However, Alpyn Beauty cracked the code and developed an ultra-gentle mask that delicately sloughs away dead skin, blackheads, and other impurities without leaving you red, raw, or dry. The secret lies in an all-natural eight-acid complex that utilizes good-for-you alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) to dissolve dull, dry skin. It also contains chamomile and colloidal oatmeal that help deeply moisturize and soothe the skin to maintain a happy complexion.
11. Best Hydrating Mask for Sensitive Skin: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oatmeal Mask
All it takes is 10 minutes for this mask to work its magic and rebalance the most dehydrated complexions. With colloidal oatmeal as the hero ingredient—a dermatologist-recommended skin soother that can boost hydration and calm eczema flares—this mask helps the most sensitize skin types. Shea butter and sea buckthorn also magnify the restorative benefits of the oatmeal to keep your skin soft and conditioned.
12. Best Face Mask for Acne-Prone Sensitive Skin: Peach Slices Snail Rescue Intensive Wash Off Jelly Mask
Acne-prone sensitive skin can be tricky: You want a lightweight mask that won’t clog pores or cause any adverse reactions while still addressing breakouts. This mask does all of that with the help of snail mucin. The featherlight jelly has become a popular ingredient in the skincare world. It helps repair texture and nourishes every inch of your skin to diminish the appearance of acne scars, discoloration, and dehydration.
Ingredients
Regardless of your skin type, it’s always important to look at the ingredients list before using a new product. However, this is crucial for those with sensitive skin. Some of the most common additives in skincare can be known to cause irritation (including fragrances and essential oils), so you’ll want to ensure the face mask you choose only contains the gentlest ingredients. Colloidal oatmeal, hyaluronic acid, squalane, and cucumber are four ultra-nourishing ingredients that are known to soothe and replenish the skin barrier, making them more than ideal for sensitive skin. The majority of the masks on our list contain at least one of these.
Your Concerns
Is your skin extra dry and flaky? Are you struggling with an acne flare-up or dealing with rosacea? Think about your skin’s specific needs before selecting a face mask. By choosing one catered to the concern you’re trying to address, you’ll get one step closer to achieving clear, bouncy, healthy skin.
If you’re looking to pack on the hydration, look for a mask with mega hydrators like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. The Summer Friday’s Jet Lag Mask contains both. For those with acne-prone skin, the Peach Slices Snail Rescue Intensive Wash Off Jelly Mask will help clear up breakouts and prevent acne scars. As for rosacea, you can’t go wrong with the super soothing First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oatmeal Mask.
Pro tip: Allergic reactions can sometimes be a symptom of sensitive skin, so make sure to perform an allergen test prior to using a new product. Apply a small amount of the product to a clean patch of skin on the inside of your arm and leave it on for the instructed time. After 7 to 10 days, if you don’t experience any itchiness, swelling, or redness, you’re good to go. As always, if you have any big concerns, you can talk to a dermatologist to make sure you’re using products that won’t irritate your skin.
Packaging
Most often, masks will come in one of two formats: Either a squeeze tube or a tub. The packaging has no effect on the performance of the formula itself and comes down to personal preference. That said, dermatologists often recommend opting for tubed products, as it’s easier for bacteria to manifest and contaminate products in tubs when you’re scooping the product out with your bare hands. If you opt for a tub, make sure you’re always using clean hands to apply the product.
Prices were accurate at the time of publication.
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