Best Serums for Acne and Sensitive Skin
Got acne? Got sensitive skin? Or, like me, have you got both? I tested some of the most popular serums for acne and sensitive skin so you don’t have to. Through a LOT of trial and error, I found that many acne products, even those claiming to be formulated for sensitive skin, can be too harsh. I have truly sensitive skin and rosacea, unlike a lot of people out there saying they’re sensitive yet use a bunch of skincare products and/or several actives all the time. The acne and sensitive skin friendly serums you’re about to read about passed the test without ANY irritation. In fact, they’ve been part of my regular routine for many months and, in some cases, years. These serums are non-toxic, acne safe (no pore clogging ingredients), and formulated for sensitive skin. This is a blog post I’ve worked on probably the longest in my life, so I genuinely hope it helps you find your holy grail skin product. This blog post also contains affiliate links, so if you happen to end up purchasing any of these serums, it would mean so much if you used my links and/or codes.
Clearstem CELLRENEW Serum
If your skin is craving a calming, hydrating, repairing acne safe stem cell serum that will help reduce acne and calm inflammation overall, Clearstem’s bestselling CELLRENEW Serum is for you. I’ve gone through bottles and bottles of this, applying it in the am daily. It’s perfect for both acne and anti-aging: it’s filled with collagen stem cells, green tea, reishi mushroom, saw palmetto (helps balance oil production & hormonal acne), turmeric and B5 (that halt inflammation) and aloe vera. It’s improved my skin by lightening hyperpigmentation faster, regenerating skin, reducing hormonal acne and speeding up healing time on existing acne PLUS it also calms my rosacea. Since I’ve used this for a few years now, I can say it’s one of my absolute favorite Clearstem products that I recommend to everyone, no matter their skin type. The ingredients are squeaky clean and Switch Natural App approved. Use my 15% off Clearstem discount code GREENBOOTLIFE and shop Cellrenew here!
Niche Beauty Lab AZID Serum
If you have rosacea, sensitive or acne prone skin, you’ll want this serum. I’ve been looking for an Azaleic acid treatment that my skin likes for years, as it’s one of the best gentle treatments for rosacea, and I I’ve finally found it! This serum has prescription strength 15% Azelaic Acid which is an antioxidant that’s anti microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and has sebum regulating properties. It also has 1% Colloidal Oatmeal which is incredible for soothing irritated skin, and 1% Carnosine, which is a new ingredient to me, and Niche Beauty Lab describes it as “an innovative anti-aging active ingredient with antioxidant and anti-glycation properties, which helps slow down skin-aging and keeps skin protected from oxidative stress.”
Why I love it: This is the LIGHTEST azaleic acid formula I’ve ever used, that absorbs really fast and a little goes a long way. It doesn’t pill (like most azaleic acid formulas do) and it feels very soothing on the skin. I’ve found my redness, rosacea spots and overall breakouts have reduced so much from using this every morning, which is also due to its mildly exfoliating quality. I HIGHLY recommend this if you have any sensitivity, rosacea or breakouts; I’m on my second bottle already. Make sure to wear sunscreen if you use this in the am. Get Niche Beauty Lab’s AZID Serum here!
Biba De Sousa Plant Stem Cell Serum with Peptides
This serum is loved by the likes of Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, Hailey Bieber… and for good reason. Biba De Sousa’s Plant Stem Cell Serum is incredible. If you have a compromised skin barrier or sensitive skin in general, this serum is a must. It’s filled with plant stem cells, peptides, antioxidants and a hyaluronic acid blend. It’s incredibly strengthening, hydrating and truly safe for the most sensitive, acne prone skin. This serum provides intense skin repair with daily use, and it increases cell turnover in the skin. The ingredients are squeaky clean and Switch Natural App approved. Use my 15% off Biba De Sousa discount code GREENBOOTLIFE and shop here!
Osmosis Rescue Serum
I’ll start by saying this: the Osmosis Rescue Epidermal Repair Serum has made the biggest difference in my skin, like EVER. It has a hefty price tag, which is why I never even considered buying in the past. But my oh my I should have. RESCUE hands down got rid of my rosacea flares - I wasn’t able to achieve this with any other product! Ever since I started using RESCUE every night and the Niche Beauty Lab’s AZID serum in the morning, I’ve experienced an incredible, and dare I say, life changing skin transformation. It actually makes me emotional, because I’ve struggled with cystic acne and breakouts since 2017 and with rosacea since 2021. The star ingredient of RESCUE is a patented anti-inflammatory ingredient, Ozonized Ethyl Oleate (Trioxolane), which “accelerates the skin's natural healing process and repairs free-radical damage”, according to Osmosis. The main purpose of this serum is what anyone with acne prone and sensitive skin dreams of: accelerating healing of blemishes, calming and correcting redness and skin detoxing. All in all, my skin hasn’t felt THIS calm and clear in a looooong time, and I couldn’t recommend RESCUE more. The ingredients are squeaky clean and Switch Natural App approved. Get the Osmosis Rescue serum here!