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When dealing with rosacea, it’s better to have an idea about what type of products to use and what ingredients to avoid. You can save yourself a lot of money and disappointment if you’re more informed about what causes redness, irritation, and blotchy skin. Red cheeks, broken capillaries, and flushed and itchy skin are common problems for rosacea sufferers. But no worries. Here are some of the best skincare products for rosacea to reduce redness and inflammation.
But know that rosacea alone is not conclusive when choosing products. Though there are certain things to look for, you’ll still need to keep your skin type in mind. So in that sense, your products need to be suitable for your skin type and gentle enough for your rosacea.
I’ve put together a few essentials to include in your routine so that you have an idea about what kind of products you might need and which ones come in handy. I must say, even though face masks hardly count as essentials, I find them to be incredibly helpful for my rosacea flares.
And let me clarify a common misconception about rosacea. Yes, the cause is unknown. And no, nobody knows how to completely treat it. But rosacea is the result of inflammation. It’s just a symptom of skin inflammation.
When they say they don’t know the cause, they don’t know the cause of the inflammation. So, as always, when science fails to cure the disease, you treat the symptoms of the disease.
Having said that, the best products for rosacea are, obviously, the anti-inflammatory ones. Anti-inflammation is the name of the game.
For reducing facial redness, look for any products with soothing and calming ingredients like aloe, cucumber, oat, green tea, and chamomile.
The Best Skincare Products For Rosacea
Below are some of the best skincare products for people with rosacea.
La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser
The type of your cleanser is as important as the ingredients when you have rosacea. For example, powder cleansers can be very drying, even for normal skin. If you have rosacea, you should wash your face with a super gentle cleanser, free of irritants, and ideally in gel or cream/lotion form.
This cleanser is as clean as it gets for people with rosacea, redness, and sensitive skin. It’s soap-free, fragrance-free, and sulfate-free to avoid any irritation. It’s also oil-free to avoid congestion.
The minimal formula has a creamy texture and contains ceramides and niacinamide to support the skin barrier. It also has soothing thermal water and vitamin B5 to reduce redness. You can wash away without worrying about rosacea flare-ups.
Product Type: Face cleanser
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, vitamin B5
Key Benefits: Cleans without irritation, protects skin barrier
Size: 13.5 oz/400 ml
Good To Know: Soap-free, paraben-free, oil-free, fragrance-free
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner
Toners, similar to serums, are lightweight and more penetrative. That’s why it’s important to choose one that’s non-drying and free of harsh chemicals. Plus, there’s a face toner for every skin issue, not just for redness. This face toner is full of antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory benefits.
A soothing blend of oatmeal, licorice, feverfew, and green tea keeps redness at bay while squalane and hyaluronic acid replenish the skin. It’s perfectly suitable for sensitive skin. Apply it after cleansing to soothe your face and enjoy soft and calm skin.
Product Type: Face toner
Key Ingredients: Squalane, oatmeal, green tea, feverfew
Key Benefits: Hydrates, calms redness, and sensitivity
Size: 6 oz/177 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, cruelty-free, fragrance-free
Related: The Best Toners For Rosacea
Paula’s Choice Calm Redness Relief Repairing Serum
This is one of the best skincare products for rosacea that’s a must-have when your condition is acting up. It has all you need to repair the damaged skin barrier, soothe redness, and calm irritation. Because when your skin barrier is intact, you’re less prone to dehydration, irritation, and redness.
This is an overall amazing serum for rosacea. It hydrates with hyaluronic acid, and glycerin, and improves the skin barrier with ceramides. And it contains licorice and feverfew extracts, which are anti-inflammatory botanicals with major redness-reducing benefits. And they help manage sudden flare-ups.
Product Type: Face serum
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, licorice extract
Key Benefits: Hydrates, provides antioxidant benefits, calms
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Cruelty-free, fragrance-free
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
If you don’t care for layering products, this SPF moisturizer should cover your basic needs for the day. It’s a lightweight, oil-free lotion that hydrates with glycerin, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. And it contains both chemical and physical sun protection with SPF 30.
It also has niacinamide, which helps both dry skin and oily skin. You can use it as a daily moisturizer to prevent transepidermal water loss and sun-induced redness without irritating your skin. The formula is fragrance-free, budget-friendly, and multi-tasks big time!
Remember that sunscreen is a big deal for people with rosacea. So you need one in your routine way or another. Even though this formula is very gentle on the skin, chemical sunscreens can be irritating for certain types of rosacea. In that case, mineral sunscreens tend to work better. So keep that in mind.
Product Type: Daily moisturizer with SPF
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
Key Benefits: Multi-tasks, moisturizes, provides sun protection
Size: 3 oz/89 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
Color correcting is probably the most powerful weapon against rosacea. As you know, green cancels out redness. So color-correcting creams, primers, and concealers are super useful products to create an even skin tone with no sign of redness. This multi-purpose product by Dr. Jart is the only green-tinted product you need if you have rosacea.
Let me elaborate. First of all, it’s a treatment. So, it treats redness, as opposed to just covering it, if you use it regularly. Second of all, it’s tinted. So you can use it as a color-correcting primer before you apply your makeup. It neutralizes any redness and gives you an even complexion. The best part is that it’s so good that you don’t even need a foundation!
Third of all, it has mineral SPF to provide you with basic sun protection. And lastly, it has several plant extracts, including Centella Asiatica, to nourish your skin while protecting it from external aggressors. This is one of the best skincare products for rosacea if you want to actually treat redness while looking great with an even skin tone. The cream has an herbal scent and a matte finish.
Product Type: Primer/color-corrector/SPF
Key Ingredients: Centella Asiatica, niacinamide
Key Benefits: Neutralizes redness, soothes, skincare/makeup hybrid
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
Kiehl’s Calendula Petal-Infused Calming Mask
It’s always handy to keep a face mask when you need quick solutions for whatever skin issue you have. And when you have rosacea, keep more than one. You might not always be in the mood for a 45-minute skincare routine, but a quick anti-redness face mask is too practical to get lazy about. Calendula extract is highly anti-bacterial as well as anti-inflammatory.
Honey, of course, is a natural humectant that draws in moisture. It’s also anti-bacterial and is a common ingredient in acne-fighting products. This face mask is like an anti-redness treatment to calm reactive skin. It’s perfect for normal/dry skin to even out the skin tone, and reduce redness. It’s also super-hydrating with aloe and honey as well as glycerin.
Product Type: Face mask
Key Ingredients: Calendula extract, aloe, Centella Asiatica, squalane
Key Benefits: Hydrates, plumps, instantly calms redness
Size: 3.4 oz/100 ml
Good To Know: Paraben-free, fragrance-free
La Roche Posay Anthelios Mineral Zinc Oxide Sunscreen SPF 50
Sun protection is an important step in managing rosacea. Because UV rays are among rosacea triggers. They can even worsen existing rosacea, not to mention cause wrinkles. This mineral sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection with SPF 50 and enhances it with antioxidants to promote more resilient skin.
No parabens, no fragrance, and no oil! There’s literally nothing in this to cause irritation. It disappears into the skin and is practically weightless. Whether you’re prone to acne or flaky skin, the mineral sunscreen is perfect for sensitive and rosacea skin.
Product Type: Sunscreen
Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, vitamin E
Key Benefits: Prevents sun-induced rosacea flare-ups
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
Good To Know: Paraben-free, fragrance-free, oil-free
Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream
When your skin barrier is damaged, your skin doesn’t have the proper mechanism to guard against bacteria or free radicals. It’s like a boat taking on water, which compromises its integrity. That’s why it’s crucial to maintain a healthy protective barrier or repair it if it’s compromised. This alone will help a lot with reducing redness, inflammation, and dryness.
This one is a super-effective moisturizer to rebuild the protective layer so that your skin is less prone to external damage. It contains probiotics and green tea to calm inflammation. And it has squalane formulated into a nice emollient, non-comedogenic base to restore the lipid barrier so the skin holds on to moisture. It’s fragrance-free and an overall great moisturizer for rosacea.
Product Type: Daily moisturizer
Key Ingredients: Probiotic, green tea, squalane, shea butter
Key Benefits: Moisturizes, calms sensitivty and irritation
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free, paraben-free
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream
Last but not least, this super affordable azelaic acid cream is going to be your new go-to multi-tasker. Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring acid that’s found in the sebum of normal skin. So it’s easy to tolerate for all skin types. When used in your skincare, it has anti-inflammatory benefits for the skin.
And it also helps with hyperpigmentation and acne. Plus, azelaic is one of the most commonly prescribed ingredients for people with rosacea because of its gentle nature. This one is free of common irritants and is a great option to care for your skin while managing rosacea symptoms.
Product Type: Face cream
Key Ingredients: Azelaic acid
Key Benefits: Reduces hyperpigmentation and acne on rosacea skin
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free, cruelty-free, vegan
So these are some of the best skincare products for rosacea. You don’t need to go out of your way to care for your skin. You just need to be purposeful with the products you use and selective about ingredients.
How To Care For Rosacea
Below are some skin care tips to help you better manage rosacea flares.
1. Know your triggers.
First of all, the best way to manage rosacea is by knowing your triggers. The common triggers vary from person to person. Some people with rosacea can handle steaming hot showers or sunbathing without SPF.
But some people turn into vampires under the sun. If you know what causes your skin to flare up, you can take the necessary precautions to avoid it.
2. Choose your products wisely.
Avoid any skincare products with harsh ingredients like mainstream exfoliating hydroxy acids, soaps, or sulfates. The same goes for makeup products for rosacea.
If you keep it simple without too many ingredients and additives, you’ll be able to wear makeup without irritating your skin. It’s a no-brainer that minimal products lower your chances of getting irritation.
3. Establish a rosacea-friendly skincare routine.
Regardless of what condition you’re suffering from, a skincare routine is essential for maintaining healthy skin. Cleanse, tone, and apply serums and moisturizers.
The problem is not with the routine but the ingredients of the products. If you choose your products consciously and follow a healthy skincare regimen for rosacea, you’ll not only reduce your redness but also minimize the condition significantly.
4. Be gentle with your skin.
Be very gentle with your skin in general. Picking or rubbing the face can cause even more broken capillaries. When taking off your makeup, for example, avoid using wipes or tugging/pulling with washcloths.
5. Be aware of the temperature.
Avoid too hot/cold showers. Temperature is tricky when it comes to rosacea. Likewise, protect your skin when going out in harsh weather.
6. Use SPF regularly.
Forget about rosacea for one second. Sun exposure is the #1 cause of aging. Protect your face from it if you want to look younger for a little while longer! And concerning rosacea, it’s a common trigger. For the sake of your beauty and your health, use sunscreen every day.
7. Spice things down.
Any spicy food has the potential to cause flushes on the face. I think this is the area where rosacea sufferers are like “I’ll take my chances”. And I get that. Same here! You can’t sacrifice good taste just for the sake of having an even skin tone.
I’m okay with giving people the illusion of a shy person by flushing when in fact, it’s just my skin. But if you really are experiencing facial redness after you eat spicy foods, you can at least avoid them before a special occasion or something like an interview.
8. Lower your alcohol intake.
Alcohol also triggers rosacea and causes random flushes. So next time you get drunk, set an alarm in advance to take a selfie. See if you flush when you’re drinking. While you’re at it, see if you care 🙂 Rosé all day! Pun intended.
Hopefully, you have a better idea about some essential skincare products to keep in your arsenal. These are all generic and some may not work for your unique skin.
But they can serve as a recipe. At least you now know what to look for when choosing products. So keep looking until you find the ones that are suitable for your skin.
Read Next: The Best Anti-Aging Products For People With Rosacea
