How to choose lingerie for sensitive skin

Shopping for lingerie is a deeply personal experience, but even more so for those with sensitive skin. Finding pieces that combine comfort, style, and skin-friendly materials can be challenging but it’s well worth the reward in the end! When you’re wearing the perfect bras and knickers that feel dreamy against the skin without sacrificing style, you’ll be glad you took the time to find them. Angela Friedman, a luxury lingerie brand known for its exquisite craftsmanship and dedication to quality, offers a range of beautiful sensitive-skin friendly lingerie designed to minimize irritation and enhance comfort. This guide will help you navigate the world of lingerie shopping for sensitive skin, ensuring you make informed, confident choices when it comes to luxury lingerie and loungewear.

Understanding sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is characterized by heightened reactions to various irritants, including fabrics, dyes, garment construction techniques, and even detergents. It may be a small concern like simply avoiding itchy tags or it may be something more complex like psoriasis, eczema, or acne. While we can’t offer specific advice for medical conditions – talk to your doctor about these! – we can absolutely help you better handle the symptoms by understanding how your clothing affects sensitive skin. Common symptoms of sensitive skin include redness, itching, hives or bumps, and general discomfort. For those with sensitive skin, selecting the right lingerie is crucial to minimize or avoid these issues. At the very least, we want to ensure that your clothing choices don’t exacerbate any pre-existing discomfort!

Key considerations for lingerie for sensitive skin

1. Material matters

The foundation of skin-friendly lingerie lies in the textiles used. Natural and breathable fabrics such as 100% silk, soft cotton, and viscose or bamboo are ideal for sensitive skin. These materials allow air to circulate, reducing the risk of irritation and keeping your skin cool and dry. Hypoallergenic fabrics further minimize the chance of allergic reactions, making them a top choice for anyone prone to skin sensitivity. Learn more about why silk is so good for your skin here, or skip right to viewing our collections of 100% silk lingerie and loungewear!

Even synthetics can be comfortable on sensitive skin if the texture of them is very soft and they’re of a high quality. Consider how you might find some laces to be scratchy and others to feel dreamy and smooth. That’s down to how the textiles were woven or knitted, and whether the fibers themselves are of a high quality. At Angela Friedman, we understand the difference between ultra soft textiles and those that aren’t, and all of our designs pass the basic softness test! But for those of you who are ultra sensitive, we’ve selected a specially-curated collection featuring our very softest designs: Lingerie for Sensitive Skin.

100% silk textiles like these silk loungewear designs are the gold standard for sensitive skin.

2. Seams and stitching

Seams and stitching can significantly impact the comfort of your lingerie. If you find that seams cause uncomfortable friction against the skin, look for designs with fewer seams, fully lined interiors, or no seams along your most sensitive areas. (For example, if your underarms are very sensitive, you might select a triangle bralette that doesn’t have any fabric near the underarm area at all.) Seamless bras and underwear are also an option to try, although some people may find those microfiber materials to seem clammy, as they are not made of natural fibers.

These Gemma and Wisteria knickers feature a double layer of stretch silk to skim over your curves.

3. Dyes and chemicals

Synthetic dyes and chemical treatments used in some clothing can be harsh on sensitive skin. At Angela Friedman, almost all of our textiles are GOTS Organic and Oeko-Tex certified, which means they’ve passed rigorous testing for environmentally-safe and skin-friendly materials. However, any dyes at all can be sensitive for some people, so you may prefer garments that have no dye in them at all! In that case, consider choosing undyed ivory-colored silk garments, which will be the absolute gentlest on your skin.

Off-white silk pieces like this Simone robe are undyed so they're free of additional irritants for sensitive skin.

4. Style points

Some styles are just objectively better for sensitive skin than others! Look for garment designs that feature size adjustability like fully-adjustable straps so that you can customize your fit. (This is also really helpful if you experience size changes or cycle fluctuations.) Also consider looser fitting garments or pieces that incorporate stretch so that they will move with your body throughout the day. There’s nothing worse than an overly-tight waistband or a poking underwire bra that prod and dig in constantly! Here are some of our favorite garment types for sensitive skin:

• Wirefree bras and bralettes for soft, flexible fitting support
• Stretch silk underwear that breathes and moves with your body
• Silk tap pants with loose fitting legs, gently skimming over your curves
• Loose fitting loungewear like silk camisoles and luxury wrapped robes
• Silk slips, perfect for sleeping in

Silk tap pants / French knickers are lightweight and float over the skin, avoiding tight elastic bands or chafing.

Tips for shopping for lingerie for sensitive skin

1. Research and reviews

Before making a purchase, take the time to research brands and read reviews from other customers with sensitive skin. Personal experiences can provide valuable insights into how different materials and designs perform in real-life scenarios! If you have friends with similar concerns, don’t be afraid to ask them either - these are things we should all talk about more! Don’t be afraid to reach out and contact the retailer or manufacturer for more information, too. At Angela Friedman, we’re always happy to answer your specific questions, whether about fiber content, fitting recommendations, or just general suggestions for the best options for your specific needs.

2. Check return policies

When possible, try on lingerie before purchasing to assess comfort and fit. Pay attention to how the materials feel against your skin and whether any seams or tags cause irritation - and even check whether the tags can be easily cut out without damaging the garment. If trying on items in-store isn’t an option, make sure to review the brand’s return policy to familiarize yourself with return options in case your purchase isn’t just right. (Pro tip: You can request any Angela Friedman garments be made-to-order with the size and care tags sewn on after the fact, rather than integrated into the garment, for more easy removal. Just contact us with your bespoke request before placing your order to do so.)

3. Care and maintenance

Proper laundering of your lingerie is essential for prolonging its lifespan and maintaining its skin-friendliness. Use gentle, hypoallergenic detergents and avoid scented soaps and harsh chemicals when washing your lingerie. We love the delicate washes from Eucalan and Soak in particular! Air drying is recommended to preserve the integrity of the delicate fabrics and reduce the risk of irritation as well. An added bonus to proper care is that it will help your favorite lingerie sets last longer, so you’ll be able to keep wearing that favorite set for years to come! For more tips and tricks on care, read our ultimate guide to hand washing your lingerie.

For the best possible care, hand wash your underwear with unscented detergents.

Conclusion

Choosing the right lingerie for sensitive skin is vital for your comfort and confidence. By focusing on high-quality materials, thoughtful design, and eco-friendly practices, Angela Friedman ensures that you don’t have to compromise on style or comfort. Explore our sensitive-skin friendly collections to find the perfect lingerie that feels like a second skin against yours!