Are you looking for the best calming serums to soothe and calm skin irritation? Here are 40+ best calming serums that you need to be using.
You're probably no stranger to red, irritated and inflamed skin; which can be exhausting.
Fortunately, calming serums deliver active ingredients into the skin quickly, soothing and calming the skin in a short amount of time.
I've put together a list of the best calming serums that can calm, soothe and balance your skin.
What is a Calming Serum?
It's a skin treatment that boosts the skin's natural defenses and calms irritation.
Why should you use a Calming Serum?
You should use it because it soothes sensitive skin, decreases redness and irritation and strengthens a weakened skin barrier which in turn makes your skin more resilient.
When should you use a Calming Serum?
You should use it when your skin feels heated, irritated or inflamed.
How should you use a Calming Serum?
After cleansing your skin, gently apply the serum onto your skin and wait for the it to be completely absorbed before continuing with your skin care routine.
40+ Best Calming Serums
You Need To Be Using
Here are the 40+ best calming serums you need to be using to soothe and calm skin irritation:
LUÉ By Jean Seo
The LUÉ By Jean Seo is a cruelty-free calming serum that hydrates and calms the skin while firming and toning the skin.
It contains aqua to moisturize the skin, hyaluronic acid to hydrate and moisturize the skin and sodium benzoate to provide the skin with anti-fungal properties.
Suitable for:
Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Murad Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum
The Murad Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum is a cruelty-free, gluten-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free, formaldehyde-free, oxybenzone-free, petroleum-free and mineral oil-free calming serum that soothes redness and irritation.
It contains hyaluronic acid and glycolipids to attract and retain moisture and prevent flaky and dry skin, lecithin to improve skin’s moisture and chamomile and arnica to soothe and improve suppleness.
Suitable for: Normal skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Dr.Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Serum
The Dr.Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Serum is a calming serum that soothes irritated and sensitive skin.
It contains Jartbiome™ to strengthen, balance and improve skin’s defenses against irritation and damage, Centella Rx to soothe and protect sensitive skin and Cicabond™ to repair and rebuild damaged skin.
It's formulated without:
- Sulfates SLS and SLES
- Parabens
- Formaldehydes
- Formaldehyde-Releasing Agents
- Phthalates
- Mineral Oil
- Retinyl Palmitate
- Oxybenzone
- Coal Tar
- Hydroquinone
- Triclosan
- Triclocarban
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Caudalíe Vinosource S.O.S Thirst-Quenching Serum
The Caudalíe Vinosource S.O.S Thirst-Quenching Serum is a vegan, oil-free, non-comedogenic, paraben-free, phthalate-free, phenoxyethanol-free, mineral oil-free, animal-derived ingredients-free and dermatologically-tested calming serum that restores skin's moisture and treats, hydrates and soothes dehydrated and irritated skin.
It contains hyaluronic acid and olive squalane to moisturize the skin, vinolevure to moisturize and strengthen the skin, organic grape water to moisturize and soothe the skin and polyphenols to provide the skin with antioxidant and anti-aging properties.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum
The Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum is a vegan, cruelty-free,
ethanol-free, silicon oil-free, artificial fragrance-free and artificial coloring-free calming serum that provides deep moisture to calm and cool red, heated and inflamed skin.
It contains centella asiatica extract to calm inflammation, speed wound healing, stimulate new cell growth, build collagen and improve circulation, licorice root extract to provide the skin with antioxidant and astringent properties, grapefruit extract to balance the skin, lemon peel oil to provide the skin with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and astringent properties and lavender oil to lessen acne, lighten the skin and reduce wrinkles.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
[iUNIK] Tea Tree Relief Serum
The [iUNIK] Tea Tree Relief Serum is a non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and hypoallergic-free calming serum that soothes, relieves and nourishes the skin.
It contains tea tree leaf water to provide the skin with anti-inflammatory and anti-infection properties and calm skin irritation and centella asiatica leaf water to soothe and calm skin irritation.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
PURITO Centella Unscented Serum
The PURITO Centella Unscented Serum is a vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, ethanol-free, propylene glycol, mineral oil-free, essential oil-free, fragrance-free and PEG-free calming serum that targets microdamage, stressed and sensitive skin.
It contains centella asiatica to heal wounds and soothe and reduce skin inflammation, ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier, seal moisture in the skin, prevent skin moisture evaporation and maintain a balance of oil and water in the skin and peptide to increase skin regeneration, improve wrinkles and enhance skin elasticity.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Smashbox Nourishing Face Primer Serum
The Smashbox Nourishing Face Primer Serum is a vegan, cruelty-free, non-acnegenic, non-intoxicating and dermatologist-tested calming serum that moisturizes, nourishes, refreshes and boosts skin’s defense.
It contains hemp seed oil to moisturize without clogging the pores, red algae to increase skin moisture and elasticity and green tea to exfoliate and clear clogged pores, reduce puffiness and redness and fight premature aging.
It's formulated without:
- Sulfates SLS and SLES
- Parabens
- Formaldehydes
- Formaldehyde-Releasing Agents
- Phthalates
- Mineral oil
- Retinyl Palmitate
- Oxybenzone
- Coal Tar
- Hydroquinone
- Triclosan
- Triclocarban
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Dr. Dennis Stress Rescue Super Serum
The Dr. Dennis Stress Rescue Super Serum is a vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic calming serum that helps skin recover from stress, corrects flareups, reduces redness and strengthens the skin barrier.
It contains niacinamide (B3) to improve lipid barrier function, repair fine lines and wrinkles and reduce redness and breakouts, ashwagandha to provide the skin with anti-bacterial properties and treat dark spots and fine lines and goji to improve skin immunity, reduce redness, protect skin from oxidative stress, brighten and evens skin tone.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Sensitive Antioxidant Serum
The Lancôme Advanced Génifique Sensitive Antioxidant Serum is a paraben-free, sulfate-free and phthalate-free calming serum that calms stressed skin and protects against environmental aggressors.
It contains pure ferulic acid to enhance other antioxidants and reduce premature aging, pure vitamin E to fight free radicals and reduce UV damage and centella asiatica to calm skin inflammation, speed wound healing, encourage new cell growth, promote collagen production and improve circulation.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Aveeno Calm + Restore™ Triple Oat Serum
The Aveeno Calm + Restore™ Triple Oat Serum is a non-comedogenic, paraben-free, alcohol-free, phthalate-free, fragrance-free, dye-free and dermatologist-recommended calming serum that calms irritated skin and strengthens skin's moisture barrier.
It contains prebiotic oat to provide the skin with anti-oxidant properties, lock moisture in the skin and soothe irritated skin and feverfew to provide the skin with antioxidant and anti‐irritant properties and reduce skin redness and irritation.
Suitable for: Normal skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Bi-Phase Hydraquench Serum
The Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Bi-Phase Hydraquench Serum is a non-comedogenic and paraben-free calming serum that reduces redness, tightness and irritation while hydrating and refreshing the skin.
It contains leaf of life to boost skin natural hydration and beautyberry to revive skin radiance.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
REN Clean Skincare Evercalm™ Anti-Redness Serum
The REN Clean Skincare Evercalm™ Anti-Redness Serum is a clean and cruelty-free calming serum that reduces redness, dryness, irritation and sensitivity while strengthening the skin’s barrier.
It contains microalgae extract to reduce redness prone skin and strengthen the skin barrier while hydrating skin and lingonberry seed oil to reinforce skin barrier and soothe the skin.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel
The SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel is a clean, oil-free, non-comedogenic, paraben-free, sulfate-free and phthalate-free calming serum that hydrates and clams the skin while improving redness.
It contains thyme, olive and cucumber extracts to soothe and calm the skin, eucalyptus leaf to purify the skin and hyaluronic acid to moisturize the skin.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense for Visible Facial Redness
The La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense for Visible Facial Redness is a paraben-free, alcohol-free, preservative-free, fragrance-free, colorant-free, allergy-tested and dermatologist-tested calming serum that soothes the skin and reduces redness.
It contains ambophenol to calm and soothe redness, neurosensine to reduce discomfort and La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water to protect, refresh and soothe sensitive skin.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Dermalogica UltraCalming™ Serum Concentrate
The Dermalogica UltraCalming™ Serum Concentrate is a vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free calming serum that interrupts inflammatory triggers and calms and soothes the skin.
It contains oat to calm inflammation, glycerin to hydrate the skin and evening primrose oi to calm rashes, inflammation and dry skin.
It's formulated without:
- Sulfates SLS and SLES
- Parabens
- Formaldehydes
- Formaldehyde-Releasing Agents
- Phthalates
- Mineral Oil
- Retinyl Palmitate
- Oxybenzone
- Coal Tar
- Hydroquinone
- Triclosan
- Triclocarban
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Neogenlab Neogen Dermalogy H2 Dermadeca Serum Spray
The Neogenlab Neogen Dermalogy H2 Dermadeca Serum Spray is a calming serum that calms, hydrates, refines and repairs the skin.
It contains vitamin C and niacinamide to brighten the skin and fight signs of aging, centella asiatica extract to calm inflammation, stimulate new cell growth and encourage collagen production and peppermint oil to cleanse the skin, provide the skin with antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties and soothe skin irritation and inflammation.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serum
The Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serum is a cruelty-free, fragrance-free, volatile alcohol-free, PEGs-free and ECOCERT certified calming serum that provide the skin with multiple boosting benefits.
It contains snail secretion filtrate to repair the skin, clear acne scars and treat hyperpigmentation, bee venom to calm and target breakouts and tea tree and camellia sinensis leaf water to soothe and provide the skin with acne-fighting benefits.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
iS CLINICAL Pro-Heal Serum Advance+
The iS CLINICAL Pro-Heal Serum Advance+ is a clean, paraben-free and dermatologist-approved calming serum that protects, calms and repairs the skin.
It contains vitamin E to provide the skin with antioxidant properties and moisturize, retinol to provide the skin with antioxidant properties and reduce the appearance of premature aging, olive leaf extract to nurture the skin and l-ascorbic acid to protect against photo-damage while providing calming properties.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
First Aid Beauty Anti-Redness Serum
The First Aid Beauty Anti-Redness Serum is a vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, nano-free and allergy-tested calming serum that calms the skin, relieves visible redness and reduces flare-ups.
It contains colloidal sulfur to combat facial redness, aloe vera to soothe and calm the skin, ginger to provide the skin with anti-redness properties and bisabolol to penetrate the formula's active ingredients.
It's formulated without:
- Alcohol
- Artificial Colorants
- Artificial Fragrance
- Lanolin
- Mineral Oil
- Parabens
- Petrolatum
- Phthalates
- Propylene Glycol
- Sulfates
- Talc
- Formaldehyde
- Oxybenzone
- Coal Tar
- Hydroquinone
- Triclocarbon
- Ethanol
- Ethyl Alcohol
- Denatured Alcohol
- Methanol
- N-Butyl Alcohol
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- SD Alcohol
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Shiseido Bio-Performance Serum
The Shiseido Bio-Performance Serum is a dermatologist-tested calming serum that reduces redness, discoloration, dullness and signs of aging.
It contains Multi-Capsolve 1124™ to even skin tone, TXG Complex to improve redness, super bio hyaluronic acid to moisturize the skin and Western hawthorn extract and rice bran protein to support circulation.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Azure Hemp & Aloe Nourishing Facial Serum
The Azure Hemp & Aloe Nourishing Facial Serum is a natural, vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, hypoallergenic and non-GMO calming serum that revitalizes, moisturizes, soothes and protects the skin.
It contains hemp seed oil to moisturize without clogging the pores, aloe vera to provide the skin with anti-inflammatory properties, reduce infection and acne, moisturize the skin, boost wound healing and fight skin-aging, collagen to increase blood flow to the skin, improve skin elasticity and reduce visible wrinkles, hyaluronic acid to hydrate and moisturize the skin, vitamin B3 prevent water loss and retain skin's moisture content and vitamin B5 to provide the skin with anti-inflammatory properties and hydrate the skin.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Calm Perfect Ampule Serum
The Calm Perfect Ampule Serum is a calming serum that soothes and calms sensitive skin, helps the skin barrier and balances the skin's pH level.
It contains centella asiatica leaf water to calm the skin face and help the skin barrier, aloe vera leaf to protect and vitalize the skin and allantoin to nourish and calm the skin.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
BRING GREEN Artemisia Calming Balance Serum
The BRING GREEN Artemisia Calming Balance Serum is a calming serum that calms and soothes irritated skin.
It contains artemisia capillaris thunberg extract to soothe the skin, dermaclara to soothe the skin, calm damaged skin and enhance the skin barrier and nicotinamide to improve and brighten skin tone.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
If you're looking for other green tea infused serums, check this list of 8 best green tea serums.
Kate Somerville DeliKate™ Recovery Serum
The Kate Somerville DeliKate™ Recovery Serum is a cruelty-free calming serum that soothes stressed skin and relieves redness, burning, tightness and itching while restoring the skin’s barrier.
It cointains omega + ceramides to relieve redness and irritation while supporting the skin's barrier, tasmannia lanceolatea fruit extract to calm the skin and cucumber seed oil to calm and soothe the skin.
It's formulated without:
- Sulfates SLS and SLES
- Parabens
- Formaldehydes
- Formaldehyde-Releasing Agents
- Phthalates
- Mineral Oil
- Retinyl Palmitate
- Oxybenzone
- Coal Tar
- Hydroquinone
- Triclosan
- Triclocarban
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Darphin Intral Redness Relief Soothing Serum
The Darphin Intral Redness Relief Soothing Serum is a non-comedogenic, paraben-free, phthalate-free, formaldehyde-free, mineral oil-free and dermatologist tested calming serum that reduces redness and irritation and hydrates and softens the skin.
It contains calm complex of 3 powerful flowers (hawthorn, peony and chamomile) to soothe and reduce irritation and redness.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Eminence Organic Skin Care Calm Skin Arnica Booster-Serum
The Eminence Organic Skin Care Calm Skin Arnica Booster-Serum is a vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, SLS-free and propylene glycol-free calming serum that calms and balances the skin.
It contains arnica to cleanse the skin, ivy to tone and tighten the pores, rosehip to reduce inflammation and exfoliate, hydrate, and moisturize the skin, horse chestnut to tone and tighten the skin, lavender to restore moisture, chamomile to revitalize, calm and balance the skin and BioComplex to reduce wrinkles.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Origins Mega Mushroom Relief & Resilience Advanced Face Serum
The Origins Mega Mushroom Relief & Resilience Advanced Face Serum is a vegan calming serum that reduces redness and calms the skin.
It contains reishi mushroom to strengthen the skin, chaga mushroom to calm redness, coprinus mushroom to provides the skin with skin-protecting, anti-irritant and antioxidant properties and probiotic ferment to protect the skin against inflammatory aggressors.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
PCA Skin Anti-Redness Serum
The PCA Skin Anti-Redness Serum is a clean, paraben-free and fragrance-free calming serum that calms, soothes and improves skin redness.
It contains aldavine, capparenols and bisabolol to calm and soothe the skin.
Suitable for: Sensitive skin
Dr. Barbara Sturm Calming Serum
The Dr. Barbara Sturm Calming Serum is a cruelty-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, GMO-free and PEG-free calming serum that soothes and rebalances irritated skin.
It contains a plant-based complex to soothe and rebalance irritated skin and purslane to calm the skin and reduce irritation.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
iS CLINICAL Hydra-Cool Serum
The iS CLINICAL Hydra-Cool Serum is a clean, paraben-free and dermatologist-approved calming serum that provides intensive hydration and antioxidant protection and cools, calms and soothes dry and irritated skin.
It contains vitamin B5 to promote healthy skin, mushroom extract to minimize uneven skin tone while brightening the skin, hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and centella asiatica to reduce the appearance of premature aging.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Algenist AA Barrier Serum
The Algenist AA Barrier Serum is a vegan calming serum that strengthens the skin barrier and protects against environmental aggressors.
It contains patented alguronic acid to strengthen the skin barrier, phloretin to soothe and protect the skin and even out skin tone, niacinamide to improve redness and dull skin and ergothioneine to neutralize skin pollution and defend against free radicals.
It's formulated without:
- Parabens
- Formaldehydes
- Formaldehyde-Releasing Agents
- Phthalates
- Mineral Oil
- Oxybenzone
- Coal Tar
- Hydroquinone
- Triclosan
- Triclocarban
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer
The SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer is a non-comedogenic, paraben-free, alcohol-free, silicone-free, fragrance-free and dye-free calming serum that combats the appearance of skin blotchiness.
It contains palmitoyl tripeptide-8 to prevent and soothe inflammation, eperua falcata bark extract to improve skin firmness and elasticity, bisabolol to soothe inflammation and calm the skin and glycerin to retain moisture in the skin.
Suitable for: Normal skin Dry skin Sensitive skin
Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum
The Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum is a paraben-free, sulfate-free, artificial color-free, alcohol-freel, silicone-free, mineral oil-free, essential oil-free, artificial fragrance-free and artificial color-free calming serum that soothes and balances irritated skin.
It contains green tea water to prevent skin damage and soothe and calm irritated skin, mugwort extract to treat redness and skin sensitivities, centella asiatica extract to calm inflammation, speed wound healing, stimulate new cell growth, build collagen and improve circulation, Panthenol to lock moisture in the skin and protect the skin barrier and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and moisturize the skin.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin
Pevonia RS2 Concentrate
The Pevonia RS2 Concentrate is a calming serum that delivers cooling effects, eases redness and irritation, strengthens and decongests capillaries and evens skin tone.
It contains chamomile extract to provide the skin with anti-inflammatory properties, licorice extract to regulate capillary function, reduce redness and sooth irritation, french rose extract to calm redness and reduce congestion and green tea extract to soothe, calm, heal and reduce inflammation.
Suitable for: Normal skin Sensitive skin
Pai Instant Calm Redness Serum
The Pai Instant Calm Redness Serum is a vegan and BUAV accredited calming serum that restores and calms the skin, reduces the appearance of redness and collagen and elastin in the skin.
It contains sea aster to reduce the appearance of redness, wild oat to soothe reactive skin and improve damaged skin and hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and prevent premature aging.
Suitable for: Normal skin Oily skin Combination skin Dry skin Sensitive skin