The best perioral dermatitis treatments I swear by, from moisturisers to cleansers

A key step in any skincare routine, cleanser is an essential product that most of us use twice or even thrice a day (depending on whether you like to double cleanse at night). While we’re spoilt for choice in this skincare category, if you have inflamed or sensitive skin, it’s best to opt for a very mild formula. My go-to? CeraVe’s hydrating cleanser.

Truly a godsend for my perioral dermatitis, this gentle cleanser removes all make-up and grime without stripping skin of essential moisture – thanks to its hydrating formula, which is loaded with barrier-boosting ceramides. I use it morning and night, even when I’m not having a flare-up because it’s that good. Incredibly lightweight, the formula rinses off with ease and leaves skin feeling refreshed and hydrated. It’s also fragrance-free and affordable. Tick, tick, tick.

Micellar water is a great product to have on standby for whenever you want to refresh your skin without the need to rinse (aka those days when you don’t want to make the commute from bedroom to bathroom). Brimming with tiny cleansing bubbles called ‘micelles’, these bubbles trap and dissolve dirt and make-up – lifting them off your skin and onto a cotton pad.

Occasionally, if I’m wearing more make-up than usual, I’ll use micellar water first before cleansing with CeraVe’s hydrating cleanser. Bioderma’s sensibio cleansing micellar water for sensitive skin is free from fragrance and alcohol. The gentle formula takes off the day while soothing skin with a blend of conditioning cucumber extract and mannitol (a moisture magnet).

While micellar water is good for removing surface-level grime and make-up, I prefer to follow this up with a second cleanse for a deeper clean. That said, this particular formula removes most of my make-up with ease and leaves my skin feeling suitably fresh.

After my most recent perioral dermatitis flare-up, I decided to give a personalised skincare brand a whirl. I was intrigued to see if a bespoke formula could indeed calm my inflammation.

Turning to Klira (founded by dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne), I filled in a lengthy questionnaire (51 questions in total – spanning everything from lifestyle habits to skin concerns), before uploading images of my skin. The brand’s dermatology experts reviewed my answers before creating my Klira special – a night-time serum, laced with prescription-strength ingredients.

My bespoke formula contains 0.01 per cent tretinoin (despite being a low dose, tretinoin may be an irritant to some people), 15 per cent azelaic acid and one per cent ivermectin, alongside a nourishing, hydrating base. I use it post-cleanse, before moisturiser, every single night and, after eight weeks of use, I’ve been blown away by the results. Not only has my perioral dermatitis completely calmed down, but my overall skin texture and tone have drastically improved. My skin looks smooth, glowy and healthy. While this is an expensive option (from £49 per month), it enables me to simplify my skincare routine – using just one night-time serum instead of layering different ingredients.

“Whenever I’m curating a “special” that’s going to address perioral dermatitis, I will look at something with limited preservatives, that has a light consistency and includes azelaic acid and tretinoin,” says Dr Craythorne.

According to Dr Craythorne, light layers are best for perioral dermatitis. “Go for a very bland emollient that doesn’t have any preservatives or additional additives – if it’s a gel or a light liquid, that’s much better than a heavy cream,” she says.

I highly recommend the products from La Roche-Posay’s toleriane range. Specifically designed with sensitive skin in mind, these products are calming, soothing and non-irritating. For both morning and night, I’m currently using the toleriane sensitive crème, a probiotic moisturiser that repairs and protects the skin’s barrier with moisturising glycerin, ceramides and vitamin B3. While it’s creamy in consistency, I find it’s extremely lightweight and sinks into the skin speedily without leaving behind a greasy residue. If you do find the consistency is too thick, try the toleriane dermallergo fluide (listed below) instead, as it has a light, liquid texture.

If you’re after an ultra-lightweight moisturiser that’s suitable for sensitive or inflamed skin, turn your attention to the toleriane dermallergo fluide from La-Roche Posay. Slightly lighter than the cream moisturiser (mentioned above), this product has a non-oily liquid serum texture that’s especially great for anyone with perioral dermatitis.

Loaded with kind-to-skin ingredients, the formula contains the brand’s signature thermal spring water as well as nourishing shea butter and moisturising glycerin. Straightaway, skin feels soothed and refreshed and, over time, the formula helps protect and reinforce the skin’s barrier. Admittedly, I do prefer the cream texture, because I like that cocooning feel but, come summer, I’ll be switching to this lighter formula.

We know the drill – SPF is the most important step in any skincare routine, protecting skin from harmful UV rays. This is why it’s so important to find a formula your skin gets on with, so you’ll want to apply it every day. For skin that’s sensitive or reactive, Dr Granite recommends using a mineral (or physical) sunscreen containing titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide (two very gentle ingredients).

My SPF of choice? This Ultra Violette sunscereen. Fragrance- and alcohol-free, the gentle formula protects skin from UVA and UVB rays, with a high factor SPF30 using titanium dioxide. It’s also incredibly lightweight and has a hint of tinted coverage to even skin tone for a smooth base. I find it sinks into the skin speedily without leaving behind a film of product or white cast. Even better, it sits well under make-up.

If you want to streamline your skincare routine even further, combine your SPF with your moisturiser and invest in this moisturising lotion from CeraVe. Ideal for sensitive skin that’s prone to dryness, this nourishing formulation is brimming with hydrating ingredients (including three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E) alongside broad-spectrum SPF 50 to protect skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Essentially a two-in-one product, your morning skincare routine can incorporate a cleanser, an eye cream, and this moisturising SPF. While the texture is thicker than La Roche-Posay’s toleriane fluide, it is working twice as hard. Post-application, expect a healthy glow that sticks around all day.