Hello all,
I posted this earlier in Euro Skincare but duplicating here so that it can be seen by the rosacea community as well, because struggle to find moisturiser for this condition is real.
No guarantee this will work for everyone at all of course, but I think it will for some like it did for me!
I have neurogenic rosacea with flushing, which means my skin overreacts to even the most innocent ingredients and stimuli. For years I've had great success with Avène's Tolerance Hydra range and a handful of other products, but most skincare hurts and burns and is off limits. But I was getting tired of paying Avène prices for 40ml of face cream every month. My goal was to find something in a body-sized bottle that I could happily use on my face - enter Ducray Sensinol!
The ingredients are:
Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laureth-9, 1,2-Hexanediol, 4-Butylcyclohexanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Stearate, Tropolone.
As you can see, there's almost nothing in here. Nothing exciting, anyway which for me is a good thing.
I expected a thin, watery lotion, but that couldn't be further from the truth. "Lotion" is technically accurate, but it's surprisingly substantial. It's not quite a cream, yet it feels thick while remaining lightweight. The texture is difficult to describe: there's a lot of density to it, and you can feel some resistance as you spread it across the skin. Then it seems to melt away almost completely.
I suspect the formula contains a very high percentage of glycerin (above standard 3-5%), which may explain this "density". The trade-off is that it leaves a slightly sticky sheen on the skin. Personally, I don't mind it, but oilier skin types may prefer it as a night cream. Dry or dehydrated skin, on the other hand, will probably love it.
The hydration is where this product really delivers. After a few days of use, my skin genuinely felt like it had finally had a drink of water. It looked calmer, felt more comfortable, and seemed less stressed overall.
I'm also prone to clogged pores, but this causes me no issues at all, even when I apply it generously at night. The main emollient here is Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, an ingredient my skin loves and one that is generally considered quite friendly for acne-prone skin.
There are also a couple of interesting ingredients that may be doing some heavy lifting for sensitive, reactive skin:
Laureth-9 – primarily an emulsifier, but also used for its anti-itch properties.
4-Butylcyclohexanol – a soothing ingredient that helps reduce the skin's sensory response to irritation. It works by calming TRPV1 receptors, sometimes called the skin's "heat and sting" receptors, which are often overactive in conditions such as rosacea and sensitive skin. Until relatively recently, this ingredient was best known from Eucerin's UltraSensitive range. I believe it was patented by Eucerin, but the patent recently expired and it started to appear in more products.
If you're currently using Eucerin UltraSensitive for Oily and Combination Skin, I'd definitely recommend giving Sensinol a try. The formulas aren't identical, but they feel surprisingly similar in use, and Sensinol offers much better value per millilitre.
Overall, this is a very boring moisturiser—and I mean that as a compliment. It's simple, effective, and doesn't try to do too much. It won't be for everyone, but if your skin is hypersensitive like mine, if "boring skincare" is your happy place, or if you're dealing with temporary irritation or barrier damage, it's well worth exploring. I also think it would make an excellent after-sun treatment for the body.
Personally, I'm over the moon I no longer have to spend £16+ for Avene Tolerance or Eucerin UltraSensitive creams (although I love them too and will keep them in occasional rotation).
This comes in 400ml for around £20 ⭐️
Hope this helps someone else out there 🙏