Are you used to your skin reacting to certain products? Red bumps and stinging a daily occurrence? You may have sensitive skin. But don’t worry, sensitive skin is so common that it’s thought that up to 70% of us will experience it at some point in our lives. Luckily, there’s plenty of things you can do to treat it.
With the right products and in-clinic treatments, you can calm the reactions, soothe the red bumps and reduce the stinging. You can even help to heal your skin to make it less sensitive over time. But you may be wondering how much this will all cost? That’s where we can help.
Here at Face Dr, our team of skin experts have decades of experience in the skincare world helping thousands of clients get the healthy, glowing complexions we all strive for. We know all there is to know about the latest products and treatments out there, and which ones can actually help sensitive skin. Plus, how to build the perfect routine and how much it will actually cost you.
The real answer is: it depends. The cost of the perfect skincare routine will vary hugely depending on which skincare brands you use and if you include any in-clinic treatments. So we’ll cover options for every budget, including:
Sensitive skincare routines for:
- Up to £50
- £50 to £100
- More than £100
Want to find out more about specific ingredients to avoid for sensitive skin? We’ve covered those here.
Or if you just want to save time and get tailored recommendations straight away, you can book a free skincare consultation with one of our experts.
What is sensitive skin?
Before we dive into what each of these price tags includes, let’s cover what sensitive skin actually is. Sensitive skin is simply skin that’s more reactive than normal. It may be triggered by harsh skincare products, make-up or even the weather, like hot and cold temperatures.
The most common symptoms of sensitive skin are:
- Dry skin
- Flaky patches
- Redness
- Itchiness
- Burning or stinging sensation
- Small bumps
Luckily, there are products out there to help. Here’s how much it costs to build the ideal skincare routine for sensitive skin.
Up to £50
For a skincare routine that’s under £50, you need to focus on the basics. This means making sure that the everyday products you use are high-grade and contain the best ingredients possible for sensitive skin.
First, invest in a gentle cleanser that can clean your skin and remove make-up without causing a reaction. Look for products without alcohol or fragrances—both of which are common triggers for sensitive skin—and instead, look out for glycerin or allantoin and other hydrating ingredients.
Next, invest in a good moisturiser or moisturising serum. Those of us with sensitive skin often suffer from dry patches or skin that’s generally just in need of a moisture boost. Look out for hyaluronic acid serums or thick face creams to lock in moisture and heal the skin’s natural barrier, which helps to keep irritants out.
You should also add a mineral sunscreen to your skincare routine, which can protect your skin from harmful UV rays without causing a reaction.
Example skincare routine for under £50
Cleanser: AllSkin Med Purifying Cleansing Foam £25
Moisturiser or serum: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Soothing Cream £18.50
For an added SPF you could use Rosaliac UV Riche Anti-Redness Moisturiser £17.50 or AllSkin Med Mineral Fluid SPF 50 £35
£50 to £100
For a skincare routine that costs up to £100, you can cover the basics and add some extra products into your routine to treat other symptoms of sensitive skin, or even other skincare concerns you may have. You can also invest in basics with higher price points that offer better results.
For those with flaky patches, or those looking for a younger, brighter complexion, you could invest in an exfoliating product. Be sure to choose one that’s gentle enough for sensitive skin. High percentages of acids and some physical scrubs can trigger a reaction. But many find that weaker concentrations or exfoliators designed for sensitive skin work well, especially when using the product just once a week at first.
Examples skincare routine for £50 to £100:
Cleanser: AllSkin Med Gentle Cleanser £15 or ZO Skin Health Gentle Cleanser £39
Moisturiser or serum:
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Soothing Cream £18.50 or Pai Rosehip Oil Bioregenerate £24
SPF: Rosaliac UV Riche Anti-Redness Moisturiser £17.50 or AllSkin Med Mineral Fluid SPF 50 £35
Added targeted treatments:
More than £100
With this budget, you should first invest in the basics of a cleanser, a moisturiser or serum or an SPF. If you have more to spend, you can begin looking into brands with higher price points that offer more visible results.
Next, consider adding some products to target other skincare concerns. For example, if you want to target signs of ageing or lighten dark spots, you could invest in a vitamin C serum. Be sure to choose one that has just 10% vitamin C so as to not irritate the skin.
You can also consider adding a weekly mask to your routine, especially if you find your skin is looking and feeling dry and dehydrating. Look out for ones with ingredients like squalane, glycerin or hyaluronic acid—three moisture-boosting ingredients. You can also find cooling masks to help with the uncomfortable sensations of irritated skin like stinging or burning.
Example skincare routine for more than £100
Cleanser: AllSkin Med Gentle Cleanser £15 or ZO Skin Health Gentle Cleanser £39
Moisturiser or serum:
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Soothing Cream £18.50 or Pai Rosehip Oil Bioregenerate £24 or AllSkin Med GF Replenishing Cream £70
SPF: Rosaliac UV Riche Anti-Redness Moisturiser £17.50 or AllSkin Med Mineral Fluid SPF 50 £35
Added target treatments:
- Pai Virtuous Circle Exfoliator £29
- ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating £72
- SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Mask £60
Next steps
Now you know more about how much the perfect skincare routine could cost, it’s time to find the best one for you. Everyone’s skin is different, from our levels of sensitivity to the other concerns we want to tackle. That’s why speaking with a skin expert is the best way of finding the ideal skincare routine.
Here at Face Dr, we offer free online consultations with a member of our expert team. They’ll analyse your skin, ask about your sensitivity and other concerns and recommend the best products to help, all in 30 minutes. We only ever recommend brands we know and trust, so you can save time and money and start using the best ones right away. Plus, there’s never any obligation to buy and our experts will recommend products to suit your budget.
If you have questions about treatments, the best ingredients or what else to include in your skincare routine, our skin experts can help with that, too.
