Smooth your complexion without any irritation.
While it’s not something you need to do every day, exfoliation is a crucial component of your regular skincare routine. It helps remove dead skin, encourages cell turnover, prevents clogged pores, and helps even out texture. If you have a reactive complexion, you may have just shuddered. Don’t fret. According to board-certified dermatologist Diane Madfes, MD, FAAD, folks with sensitive skin can still exfoliate. “It just has to be done in a different manner,” she says. “I tend to recommend exfoliating with chemical means rather than mechanical (physical).”
In other words, your best bet is a product containing exfoliating acids (such as glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid) or fruit enzymes. So, which formulas are gentle enough for even the most sensitive, dry, itchy, or inflamed complexions? We compiled expert recommendations and insight along with extensive research to bring you standout options for sensitive skin.
Best Overall
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel for Sensitive Skin
Dr. Madfes is a big fan of lactic acid exfoliators for sensitive skin, such as Dr. Dennis Gross’s Ultra Gentle Daily Peel. A pared-down version of the beloved Alpha Beta peel, it combines lactic and mandelic AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) with BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) salicylic acid to dissolve dead skin on the most delicate complexions.1
“Gentle acids loosen the top layer of the skin and naturally shed,” explains Dr. Madfes. In addition to exfoliating, these pre-soaked pads provide soothing benefits with plant-based anti-inflammatory ingredients like green tea, cucumber, and witch hazel. You’ll notice visibly refined skin the first time you try it. And with regular use of this two-step system, you can count on less visible pores, reduced fine lines, and smooth-as-butter texture.
Best Budget
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA
On a budget? Your best bet is this brilliant little tincture from The Ordinary. Combining lactic acid with our favorite humectant, hyaluronic acid, it gently dissolves dead skin cells and delivers immediate hydration.2 We found our skin was super soft and smooth immediately after using as well as the next day. For those with really sensitive skin, we recommend starting off by using it once weekly and building up to twice a week if your tolerance allows for it.
Best Drugstore
Elf Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Gentle Peeling Exfoliant
We also love e.l.f.’s Gentle Peeling Exfoliant. It ever-so-gently gets rid of dead skin with papaya and tangerine fruit enzymes,3 then calls on licorice extract to boost radiance without irritation.4The liquid texture makes it really lightweight and easy to layer in your skincare routine, too.
Best With Retinol
Absolute Joi Skin Refining Night Oil with Retinol and Vitamins C+E
Retinoids can have an exfoliating effect while encouraging cell turnover.5 In addition to retinol, this skin-refining potion is chock full of antioxidants and plant oils like jojoba, argan, and evening primrose to replenish stressed complexions.6It’s great that it’s in the form of an oil because it works to address uneven skin texture while also maintaining a moisturizing formula.
Best Cleanser
Mara Chia + Moringa Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil
Cleansing oils are great for people with sensitive skin because they work to clean the skin while also providing necessary moisture and remaining super gentle. This one is fantastic for cleansing as well as makeup removal, and we love that the formula contains a blend of fruit enzymes to provide exfoliation, as well as superfoods and squalane to nourish and hydrate the skin. We also appreciate that the texture is luxe-feeling, but isn’t too thick or hard to spread around the face.
Best Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator
If you’re partial to exfoliating powders, you’ll love Dermalogica’s award-winning Daily Microfoliant. Boasting a much-deserved large following, it gently exfoliates with rice bran and salicylic acid while calming irritation with colloidal oatmeal.It can take a bit of practice to figure out how much water to combine it with for the optimal experience, but once you do, it works to gently exfoliate the skin and reveal a more radiant complexion. If you have dry or super sensitive skin, use it just once or twice a week
Best Serum
Farmacy Honeymoon Glow AHA Resurfacing Night Serum
Farmacy Honeymoon Glow contains a gentle medley of AHAs and BHAs to address uneven texture, hyperpigmentation, and clogged pores. But it doesn’t stop there—hyaluronic acid⁷ and honey¹² hydrate, plump, and protect reactive skin. Within a few days, we already saw a difference in the texture of our complexion. Note that it is a potent formula, so we recommend patch testing and using sparingly at first.
Best Toner
Bolden Brightening Glycolic Acid Toner
This is hands down, the best glycolic acid toner for sensitive skin. Combining an exfoliating AHA with niacinamide and licorice root extract, the ultra-hydrating formula breaks down dead cells and sebum, and strengthens the skin barrier.4We also love that it’s suitable for all skin types, including acne-prone.
Best Mask
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask
This Byrdie favorite ever-so-gently exfoliates with lactic acid, glycolic acid, and pumpkin enzymes, while watermelon extract and hyaluronic acid soothe and hydrate the skin. We also love that it’s an overnight mask, making it easy and convenient to apply before bed and let it work its magic while you sleep.
Best Physical
SeSpring So Polished Sugar Scrub
“A great manual exfoliator is the SeSpring So Polished Sugar Scrub because it’s gentle and contains camellia and lotus, which hydrate, nourish, and balance, while peony soothes and protects the skin,” says celebrity esthetician Joshua Ross of SkinLab. It’s particularly ideal for those with sensitive skin because the scrubbing particles are extremely gentle.
Best for Redness
Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
To combat redness, reach for this skincare booster from Paula’s Choice. The key ingredient is azelaic acid, an impressively effective yet notably mild exfoliant that tackles everything from rosacea to uneven texture to general inflammation.7We also appreciate its versatility—it can be applied on its own or mixed in with your nighttime serum or moisturizer.
Best Pads
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
Exfoliating pads are great for travel and mess-free application in general, and these are the best ones for people with sensitive skin. The pads themselves are soft, and the formula is gentle enough not to irritate reactive skin. They’re pre-soaked with AHAs to melt dead skin, plus licorice root extract and calming ingredients like green tea and aloe vera.1
Best for Body
Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum
If you’re looking to incorporating a body exfoliating tool or product into your routine, we highly recommend this one from Topicals. It’s a lightweight body serum with a lotion-like texture that utilizes the power of encapsulated all-trans-retinol (a gentle form of retinol) as well as glycolic and lactic acids to smooth skin texture. It’s fast-absorbing, works to rid the skin of flakes and bumps, and leaves it looking smooth and radiant.
What to Look for in an Exfoliator for Sensitive Skin
- AHAs: If you have sensitive skin, “start with an AHA such as glycolic, lactic, or mandelic acid at a low concentration, once a week,” says board-certified dermatologist Brian Hibler, MD. “And there’s no need to rush to a high concentration. It’s more important to be consistent with use and go slowly to avoid creating excess irritation.” Of all the AHAs available, he says that lactic acid is one of the most gentle; it has a softening and moisturizing effect and can be used on a more regular basis, even by those with sensitive skin.
- Hydrating Ingredients: Exfoliation can dry out the skin, so Dr. Hibler suggests reaching for combination products that also contain hydrating ingredients like plant oils or hyaluronic acid. This, he says, will prevent the skin from drying out, leaving the complexion soft and smooth.
- Potential Irritants: Lastly, Dr. Hibler recommends using products that are free of common irritants like artificial fragrances, dyes, and alcohol. While many of these ingredients won’t aggravate most skin types, it’s not worth chancing a potential bad reaction if your skin is on the sensitive side.
FAQ
How do you apply an exfoliator for sensitive skin?
The proper way to apply an exfoliator depends on the type of product you’re using. There are cleansers and scrubs, which you combine with water, massage onto your skin, then rinse clean. Then you’ve got pre-soaked pads and exfoliating toners, which you gently rub around clean skin. Some exfoliating products come in the form of serums that go on after cleansing, along with masks and treatments, which can often be left on overnight. It’s always best to follow the directions on the packaging of the product you’re using.
How often should you use an exfoliator if you have sensitive skin?
“In general, I would recommend somebody exfoliating once a week if they have sensitive skin,” says Ross. “Over-exfoliation can lead to a compromised liquid barrier, which will exacerbate sensitive skin and could lead to redness and further irritate skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema.”
What products can you use along with an exfoliator for sensitive skin?
“Always follow with a moisturizer containing hyaluronic acid or glycerin,” advises Dr. Madfes. Beyond that, you can use most other skincare products along with an exfoliator. However, be mindful when using other actives, such as retinol, bakuchiol, vitamin C, tea tree oil, or caffeine, as these ingredients could irritate the brand-new skin you just exposed through exfoliation.¹ When combining skincare products with exfoliants, Dr. Madfes says, “Look for a pH balance close to normal skin, around 5.”