Sensitive skin: Top 100 products our editors tested over a year

NBC Select editors tested hundreds of facial skin-care products over a year and selected the top 100 that caused minimal irritation for people with sensitive skin.

NBC Select editors spent more than a year testing hundreds of facial skin-care products to find options that are less likely to cause irritation for people with sensitive skin. The testing pool included cleansers, moisturizers, serums, exfoliants, masks, sunscreens and facial sprays. Editors have a range of sensitivities, from occasional redness to conditions such as rosacea, eczema and dermatitis. The team also consulted dermatologists and reviewed past reporting to guide ingredient and label checks. Testing details: - Editors tested hundreds of face products across categories including cleansers, cleansing balms and oils, toners, exfoliants, serums, moisturizers, night creams, eye creams, sunscreens, masks and facial sprays. - All participating editors report some degree of skin sensitivity, and they tracked how each formula affected redness, stinging, inflammation and breakouts over time. - The team reviewed ingredient lists and favored sensitive-skin friendly components such as ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, squalane, aloe vera, vitamin E, colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, and mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide). - Products with heavy fragrances, dyes, drying alcohols or certain essential oils were deprioritized and noted when present. - The final compilation reflects editors' repeated-use experiences, expert input and attention to labels like "fragrance-free," "noncomedogenic," and "hypoallergenic." Summary: The result is a curated list of 100 facial skin-care products that editors found caused minimal stinging, redness or breakouts during testing. Undetermined at this time.