Best ingredients for irritated skin

Bisabolol

A chamomile-derived terpene alcohol used to calm irritation and support a more comfortable skin barrier.

Calendula

Calendula Officinalis Extract

A marigold-derived botanical extract traditionally used to soothe irritated skin and support wound healing.

Chamomile

Chamomilla Recutita Extract

A classic calming botanical extract that reduces redness and supports comfort in irritated skin.

Heartleaf (Houttuynia)

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

A Korean-skincare botanical extract used to calm redness and support blemish-prone, reactive skin.

Hypochlorous Acid

A mild antimicrobial the immune system makes itself, used as a spray to reduce bacteria and calm inflammation without stripping the barrier.

4-t-Butylcyclohexanol

A soothing agent that works on the nerve side of sensitivity rather than the immune side. It damps TRPV1, the receptor on sensory nerve endings that reports heat, acid and capsaicin, which is the channel behind the stinging and burning of reactive skin.

Bamboo Extract

Bambusa Vulgaris Extract

A silica-rich plant extract used to condition, soften and support the look of smooth, comfortable skin, with mild soothing and hydrating benefits. It is a common natural conditioning ingredient.

Betaine Salicylate

A betaine complex of salicylic acid, developed as a gentler way to deliver BHA activity and popularised in Korean formulations.

Bilberry Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

An extract of the European blueberry, rich in the deep-purple anthocyanins that behave as antioxidants in laboratory testing. It is also a mild source of plant acids, which is where the marketing habit of calling it a 'natural AHA' comes from.

Black Cumin Seed Oil

Nigella Sativa Seed Oil

A traditional plant oil rich in fatty acids and thymoquinone that conditions skin and is used to calm the look of blemished, reactive skin. It has antioxidant properties.

Cornflower Extract

Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract

A floral extract traditionally used in eye and face care to calm and refresh the look of tired, sensitive skin. It offers mild soothing and hydrating benefits.

Cucumber Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

A watery botanical extract traditionally used to cool, hydrate and calm the look of tired or irritated skin. It provides mild humectant and soothing benefits.

Curcumin (Turmeric)

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

The main antioxidant compound of turmeric, used to help defend skin against oxidative stress and calm the look of irritation. It has a long history in traditional care.

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

A water-soluble salt derived from licorice root, used because it disperses easily into watery formulas where the oil-soluble licorice fractions will not go. It is a long-standing choice in products aimed at visible redness and general reactivity.

Edelweiss Extract

Leontopodium Alpinum Extract

An alpine-plant extract rich in antioxidant compounds that helps protect skin from environmental stress and supports a calmer surface. It is popular in protective and anti-aging formulas.

Epigallocatechin Gallate

The main catechin in green tea, isolated rather than left in a whole leaf extract. It is one of the most studied plant antioxidants in the laboratory, where it also shows calming activity, and appears in serums framed around pollution and redness.

Ergothioneine

A sulphur-containing amino acid derivative concentrated in certain mushrooms, which the body takes up through a dedicated transporter. In formulas it acts as a stable antioxidant, often paired with vitamin C or E to spread the workload.

Ginger Extract

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

A root extract with antioxidant compounds used to help protect and comfort skin and support a healthy-looking, refreshed appearance. It has warming, invigorating character.

Ginkgo Biloba Extract

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

A leaf extract rich in flavonoid antioxidants used to protect skin from oxidative stress and support a calmer, more comfortable surface. It is a common botanical in protective formulas.

Glycyrrhetinic Acid

A purified compound derived from licorice root used to calm the look of redness and irritation and comfort sensitive skin. It is a concentrated soothing counterpart to whole licorice extract.

Helichrysum Extract

Helichrysum Italicum Extract

A botanical extract, also known as immortelle, used to soothe and support the look of stressed skin, with antioxidant properties. It is popular in calming and recovery formulas.

Hydroxyacetophenone

A multifunctional ingredient used as an antioxidant and soothing agent that also helps stabilize formulas and support preservation. It is valued for calming and protective roles.

Madecassic Acid

One of the active triterpenes isolated from Centella asiatica (cica), used to calm the look of redness and support the skin barrier. It is a purified counterpart to whole centella extract.

Marshmallow Root Extract

Althaea Officinalis Root Extract

A mucilage-rich root extract that forms a soft, hydrating film to calm and comfort dry, irritated skin. It is a traditional demulcent soothing ingredient.

Neem Oil

Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil

A plant oil from the neem tree, long used in traditional care, valued as an emollient with soothing properties for blemish-prone and irritated skin. It has a distinctive strong odor.

Oat Kernel Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

A liquid extract of oat kernel carrying oat's soothing chemistry — beta-glucans and avenanthramides — used to calm irritation and support a compromised barrier.

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

A synthetic signal peptide anchored to palmitic acid, intended to inhibit interleukin-6, an inflammatory cytokine implicated in inflammaging and collagen breakdown.

Phytosterols

Plant-derived sterols from the same structural family as cholesterol, the sterol the skin's own barrier lipids are built on. In cosmetics they are added to soften, to help emulsions hold together, and for a calming effect on skin that looks irritated.

Pomegranate Extract

Punica Granatum Extract

A fruit extract high in polyphenol antioxidants, including ellagic acid, that helps protect skin against environmental stress. It is valued for antioxidant and conditioning support.

Quercetin

A plant flavonoid antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals and calm the look of stressed skin. It is found widely in fruits and vegetables.

Rosemary Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

A botanical extract rich in antioxidant polyphenols that helps defend skin against oxidative stress and is also used to stabilize oils in formulas. It has mild soothing character.

Succinic Acid

A mild acid that offers gentle exfoliation and is popular in spot treatments for its ability to help clear the look of blemishes and excess oil. It has some soothing character compared with stronger acids.

Superoxide Dismutase

An antioxidant enzyme that helps neutralize superoxide free radicals, supporting the skin's defenses against oxidative stress. It is used for protective and soothing purposes.

Tamanu Oil

Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil

A thick, dark plant oil traditionally used to soothe and condition skin and support the appearance of blemished or scarred areas. It is rich in fatty acids and natural antioxidants.

Willow Herb Extract

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

A botanical extract used to calm the appearance of redness and irritation and to support blemish-prone skin. It is a popular anti-irritant in sensitive-skin formulas.