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It’s been three years since I made a startling discovery that reframed how I went about choosing products to test as a beauty editor: aloe vera causes my skin to go into distress. I developed an allergic reaction to one of the most popular skincare ingredients at the height of the pandemic, just as the wellness and beauty industries were booming from the comfort of our homes. I, discovered the allergy while on a six hour flight to NYC, after slathering my parched lips with an aloe-infused lip balm to help combat the dry airplane air… and noticed hives by the time we landed.
Unfortunately, that’s not where my fateful experiences with aloe ended. Less than a year later, I remained untested and thoughtlessly applied a hair mask using fresh aloe and trigged yet another allergic reaction (albeit less severe than the last, but just as uncomfortable). Since then, I’ve been on a mission to replace all my aloe-infused skincare favorites that I can no longer use with ones possessing equally as beneficial—but more gentle—on my skin. Below, I’m sharing several of the ones that have made the list, along with tips and tricks for identifying helpful the best ingredients for sensitive skin like mine from an expert in the field.
Which ingredients are similar to aloe vera?
If your skin isn’t receptive to aloe vera, rest assured there are ingredients that offer similar benefits without putting stress on your skin (or in my case, breaking it out into hives). To learn which ones will help my skin look and feel its best, I reached out to Michelle Henry, MD FAAD, board-certified dermatologist, Mohns surgeon, and CEO of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan. “When we think about aloe vera, we think about the fact that it’s soothing, it hydrates, it reduces inflammation. There are a lot of ingredients that can do similar things,” she begins.
According to Henry, hyaluronic acid and glycerin are great options, with colloidal oatmeal also being good for adding hydration to all skin types (but especially to skin like mine that doesn’t respond well to aloe vera.) “Centella asiatica is good for its anti-inflammatory and soothing effects, and it also supports the skin barrier,” Henry continues. “Ceramides are really going to help too. There are many, many ingredients that have the same properties.” If you’ve been on the hunt for products that will keep your complexion healthy and happy, make sure to take a look at the back of the packaging from time-to-time.
How can these ingredients be used?
There are endless ways to incorporate aloe free products into an effective routine that promotes your hydration, elasticity, and overall health, but Henry has some suggestions of where attention should be for sensitive skin. “You want to start with a cleanser. Whenever we do skincare, we go lightest to heaviest—so, cleanser, then an essence or a toner, then a serum, then a moisturizer,” says Henry. She suggests opting for a gentle cleanser enriched with ingredients like ceramides and glycerin to deliver ample hydration to the skin.
After than, reach for a gentle serum infused with hyaluronic acid, as it’s a powerful humectant (ingredients with the ability to bind moisture to skin cells). “From there, you can do a barrier cream that has ceramides in it. And the, of course, sunscreen afterwards,” she advises. Her top product picks for skincare powered by formula that deliver all the benefits of aloe vera without actually including the ingredient are from popular drugstore brands with accessible price points. One of Henry’s top picks, La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer ($11) stands out to her with a formula that includes ceramides and niacinamide. Henry also likes Avène’s Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream ($26), and Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser ($17).
Keep scrolling to discover some of my skincare favorites that deliver the hydration and comfort my skin craves without putting it at risk. Aloe vera is great for skin that receives it well, but my ultra-sensitive skin requires alternate ingredients that give it some TLC.
The Best Products for Aloe-Sensitive Skin, Listed
La Roche-Posay
Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
Size: 1.35-oz tube (offered in various sizes) | Formula: Cream | Skin Types: All
At the top of Henry’s list of the best skincare products for individuals unable to use aloe vera is this award-winning moisturizer by La Roche-Posay, and it happens to one of my favorites to use when I need a splash of hydration. Using dermatologist-recommended ingredients including ceramide-3, niacinamide, glycerin and thermal water, it helps repair the skin barrier and provides 48-hour hydration.
Customer Review: “This is one of my favorite moisturizers! I have sensitive and oily skin and when I tell you that this face moisturizer has been perfect for my type of skin. The ingredients in this doesn’t make me break out and actually makes me feel hydrated without having that extra layer of stickiness like other products have you feeling.”
The Ordinary
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Size: 3.3-oz bottle (offered in various sizes) | Formula: Cream | Skin Types: All
The Ordinary has many products that work beautifully with my sensitive skin, but this moisturizer helped restore my complexion after being met with my first East Coast winter. Designed to mimic the composition of the skin’s natural hydration system, its formula is powered by hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, and amino acids to keep skin hydrated and protected in one step.
Customer Review: “This moisturizer has become a staple in my skincare routine! This cream is lightweight yet super hydrating. It absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy finish, and my skin feels soft an plump throughout the day. I love how gentle it is (even on sensitive skin) and it layers perfectly under sunscreen or makeup. A simple but very effective moisturizer at an amazing price—definitely worth repurchasing!”
Cetaphil
Gentle Skin Cleanser
Size: 8.0-oz bottle (offered in various sizes) | Formula: Cream | Skin Types: All
Clinically proven to deliver endless hydration while effectively removing all traces of dirt, makeup, and impurities, this landed itself on Henry’s list (as well as mine). Its formula is enhanced with a blend of niacinamide, panthenol, and glycerin to improve resilience of sensitive skin while also reinforcing the health of its natural moisture barrier.
Customer Review: “I started using this after I got a chemical peel. It is a very gentle, mild wash that did not irritate my skin. I normally have dry skin with an oily T-zone, at times, and I have found that it treats my skin better than the normal washes. It doesn’t strip my face of its natural oils but cleanses what it needs to. I get little breakouts but this clears them within the week.”
Avène
Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
Size: 1.30-oz tube (offered in various sizes) | Formula: Cream, liquid | Skin Types: All
Another one of Henry’s favorites, this rich, nourishing cream promotes a healthy skin micriobiome to for skin restoration, maintain hydration levels, and reverse irritation, redness, and dryness. Its designed to minimize any allergic reactions using a gentle formula with C+ Restore (a postbiotic ingredient), copper-zinc sulfate complex, and thermal spring water. Pro Tip: Don’t forget to shake this before application to avoid separation.
Customer Review: “I really liked this cream! It’s super gentle and helped calm my irritated skin so quickly. I used it on dry patches and small breakouts, and it made my skin feel soft and protected without being greasy. It’s great for sensitive skin and I love that it’s fragrance-free. Definitely something I’ll keep in my skincare routine!”
Pai Skincare
Rosehip Bioregenerate Facial Oil
Size: 0.3-oz (offered in various sizes) | Formula: Oil | Skin Types: All
Rosehip seed oil, an ingredient praised for its skin regenerative properties with antioxidants, is at the heart of this superfood-powered facial oil. This one locks in moisture while deeply nourishing, softening, and brightening skin for a luminous finish. I use this to help target hyperpigmentation and uneven tone, but I also love how quickly it corrects dryness.
Customer Review: “After seeing this face oil for a number of years as a best seller with countless positive reviews, I finally purchased a mini to try it out. And I can see why it is a best seller with so many fans! I noticed brightness and texture improvement in a matter of a week. And yes, I will be purchasing the bigger bottle next.”
Sunday Riley
Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil
Size: 0.5-oz bottle | Formula: Oil | Skin Types: All
This Sunday Riley favorite delivers instant glow and soft skin by rehydrating the skin’s natural moisture barrier with a mixture of cold-pressed superfood seed oils. Rich in antioxidants, its additives include cranberry, raspberry, wild carrot as well as black cumin, grape, and broccoli seed. The skin is further fortified with amino acids, Omegas 3-6-9, and more.
Customer Review: “I’ve been using this face oil for a couple of weeks now, and I’ve gotta say, it’s a total game-changer for my skin! I’m all about that thick, luxurious moisturizer feel, and this one nails it. It’s like my skin just drinks it up and stays dewy and fresh all day. If you’re into that glowy, hydrated vibe, you’ve gotta try it out.”
Elemis
Superfood Facial Oil
Size: 0.5-oz bottle | Formula: Oil | Skin Types: All
You may have been told the importance of eating your greens on the regular, but it’s just as important to support the health of your skin but wearing them. Elemis’ Superfood Facial Oil uses nine antioxidant-rich superfood oils, like omega-rich cucumber oil and flax seed oil, to reduce dullness while promoting a healthy-looking glow.
Customer Review: “This oil is like a green juice for my face. My skin drinks it up and instantly looks more alive. It’s lightweight but somehow deeply hydrating and doesn’t leave any greasy feel. After using it consistently, my complexion looks fresher, smoother, and way less dull. It’s become a staple in my morning and nighttime routine.”
Dermalogica
Circular Hydration Serum
Size: 1.0-oz bottle | Formula: Lightweight serum | Skin Types: All
Over the past couple of years, I’ve come to the conclusion that while aloe vera delivers a flush of long-lasting hydration to the skin, so do plant-derived sugars blended with amino acids. Dermalogica’s hydration-boosting serum includes both in its formula, along with hyaluronic acid to penetrate the skin’s surface, and an algae-extract infused moisturizing matrix for long-lasting hydration.
Customer Review: “This is an amazing serum! I have combo skin, and it leaves my skin glassy without feeling too oily. It has a milky consistency (which I love) and not a strong scent. I’ve noticed a difference in the radiance of my skin since I’ve started using it. My skin feels brighter and stronger! This is a great product to build the skin barrier, and I’ve found it okay to use daily! No breakouts, and no harshness!”
Dieux
Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream
Size: 1.59-oz tube (offered in various sizes) | Formula: Cream | Skin Types: Combination, oily, dry
Dieux’s Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream is utterly angelic for sensitive skin in every way thanks to its cloud-like, lightweight texture and unique composition of firming peptides with amino acids to plump and hydrate skin without clogging pores. Twelve hours after application, you can expect for your skin to still be as glowy and silky soft as it felt upon application.
Customer Review: “I’m actually so impressed with this product. I have combo skin and it’s been a struggle to find a moisturizer that doesn’t leave me looking greasy by noon, but this one totally nailed it. It’s super lightweight and just sinks right in. It’s definitely my favorite part of my morning routine now, I just wish it came in a bigger size because I’m going through it so fast.”
Borghese
Intensive Age Defying Exfoliator
Size: 3.5-oz tube | Formula: Gel | Skin Types: All
Of all the gentle exfoliators on the market that don’t irritate sensitive skin, this has has to be one of the best. Designed to combat blemishes, dullness, enlarged pores, fine lines, and wrinkles, the Intense Age Defying Exfoliator is a foaming scrub the smooths and resurfaces the skin using scrubbing technology that’s both gentle and effective, as well as peptides, hyaluronic acid, and stem cell extracts.
Customer Review: “The best exfoliator that I ever had! I tried so many of them from different brands and no-one compares to this one. When I tried other brands granules are too big and does not exfoliate skin equally, but this one does. After using this exfoliator skin feels soft and smooth. A must have!”
iS Clinical
Warming Honey Cleanser
Size: 4.0-oz tube | Formula: Gel | Skin Types: Combination, oily, dry
If you’ve never tried a skin warming cleanser to help comfort and sooth irritation, here’s one face mask I love that’s 100% worth the investment. The Warming Honey Cleanser may come at a somewhat hefty price tag, but it ensures sensitive skin has some of the best ingredients. It uses a powerful honey and papaya enzyme formula enhanced with green tea extract and glycerin to refresh your complexion.
Customer Review: “Using this cleanser is an absolute experience! I use this as a treatment cleanser after I’m sure I’ve removed all sunscreen and makeup and oh my it’s so indulgent and delicious smelling! It doesn’t warm up as much as you would think but it feels lovely on skin and rinses clean, I think after just a few uses I am already planning on repurchasing!”
SkinCeuticals
Daily Moisture
Size: 2.0-oz jar | Formula: Cream | Skin Types: Normal, combination, oily
If you have normal, combination, or oily skin, consider adding this helpful daily moisturizer to your beauty regimen. It provides provides normal to oily skin with long-lasting hydration, nourishment, and reduced pore sizes with a fast-working formula. Its ingredients include three algae extracts (all rich in nutrients), vitamin E, and botanical extracts.
Customer Review: “I really like this moisturizer! It’s lightweight, absorbs quickly, and keeps my skin hydrated without feeling greasy. It works great under makeup and doesn’t cause pilling. A bit pricey, but the quality makes it worth it. Perfect for combination or normal skin.”
Osea
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Size: 1.0-oz bottle | Formula: Gel | Skin Types: Normal, combination, oily
This best-selling Osea serum combines the benefits of two molecular weights of hyaluronic acid with Japanese miru seaweed to improve elasticity while boosting hydration levels and reducing lines and wrinkles. Its formula also uses hyaluronic acid-rich snow mushroom to form a hydration layer and volcanic marine ferment to address signs of aging.
Customer Review: “I have used a lot of hyaluronic serums, moisturizers and topicals, but this is by far my fave! I’m obsessed. I use it under my moisturizer and I’ve noticed a huge diff in my skin. No breakouts, super soft and supple. It’s my secret sauce.”
Caudalie
Premier Cru Anti-Aging Cream Moisturizer
Size: 1.7-oz jar (offered in various sizes) | Formula: Cream | Skin Types: All
Lastly, I’ve been loving this luxurious moisturizer by Caudalie to help keep signs of aging at bay. The Premier Cru Anti-Aging Cream Moisturizer can be used day and night to visibly plump the skin, targeting fine lines, dark spots, and loss of volume. Its formula is powered by sugars that instantly tighten skin blended with micro hyaluronic acid and the brand’s longevity patent.
Customer Review: “This cream is so nourishing and really hydrates and plumps my skin up. I really like how this cream contains micro hyaluronic acid as well as ceramides to really add moisture to my skin. I’ve definitely noticed less visible lines since I started using this cream!”
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