The Best Skin Care Brands for Sensitive Skin in the UK

The Boots brand is as British as the queen, first setting up as an herbalist shop in 1849. While the chain drugstore is on every corner in the UK, it’s the coveted beauty care products—Boots No7—that have fans across the globe. The hypoallergenic day cream with SPF 15 helps the skin look radiant while also minimising the appearance of pores. Boots No7 uses retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A, which boosts the skin’s renewal rate, mild enough for sensitive skin.

For a spa-like experience every day, fans love Elemis, a London-based luxury brand, because it touts rich ingredients with natural bases. Unlike most toners, which sting and dry out the delicate skin around the eyes and forehead, the Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner is alcohol-free and gentle enough to use as a cooling eye treatment. The apricot extracts offer a subtle boost for healthy, glowing skin, which makes this a favourite for makeup wearers who struggle to find cleansers that won’t strip the skin.

Founded in 1981 by a teacher, Neal’s Yard Remedies has grown from a tiny shop in Covent Garden, London, to a leader in the sustainable, ethical, organic beauty market. In 2019, to the delight of fans, Neal’s Yard Remedies launched a skin care line for sensitive skin without compromising its certified organic and ethical products standards. The entire collection is soothing and lightweight, but the Restore + Smooth Serum directly targets reactive skin, giving sensitive skin users immediate relief when dealing with inflammation or redness.

For those with dry, sensitive skin, the word oil usually means clogged pores and more breakouts. Oils are often used in cosmetics and beauty products to add fragrance, which is another no-no for those with allergen sensitivity or inflammation rashes like eczema. Formula Absolute Ultimate Sleep Oil, from the in-house skin care line from Marks and Spencer, uses two natural noncomedogenic oils that have known soothing and anti-inflammation attributes—grapeseed oil is full of skin-strengthening antioxidants, while avocado oil calms redness and irritation.

Founded in 1870 as a clothing and grocery shop, the UK’s leading health food and wellness store also has top-line beauty and skin care options. Holland & Barrett has long understood the natural gifts organic ingredients can provide for skin ailments. This serum packs a double punch of beneficial natural ingredients: Vitamin C helps restore and protect the skin’s natural barrier while the hyaluronic acid is a moisture bomb for red and inflamed skin, providing soothing relief for those who suffer from eczema, dermatitis, or psoriasis.