The Best Makeup Products For People With Rosacea

Using a bunch of makeup products to cover up rosacea seems to be the easiest way out of facial redness. However, there’s this annoying dilemma we face every time we want to put makeup on. On the one hand, you want to cancel out redness using foundation, concealer, or whatever is necessary. And on the other hand, the products you use always carry the potential to make things worse! But with the rise of clean makeup, it seems like we finally have a healthy middle ground where you get to color up your face, cheeks, and eyes without aggravating your rosacea.

Rosacea is still somewhat of a mystery as the cause is unknown. Plus, it’s widely personal. So the level of redness and sensitivity you’re dealing with changes. Some people may get by with occasional redness and a few broken capillaries whereas others also deal with acne rosacea. And of course, what you expect or need from makeup changes too.

But luckily, there are some guidelines around makeup formulations to use when you have rosacea. For example, both the American Academy of Dermatology Association and the National Rosacea Society recommend avoiding alcohol and fragrance in beauty products and trying green-tinted makeup.

My dermatologist tells me to always, always go easy on the makeup and to use only the essentials to avoid irritation. After all, the more products you use, the easier it is for the skin to get irritated by one of them. So far so good.

However, this “no makeup, go natural, embrace your redness” attitude isn’t always easy to adapt to. Because when you’re experiencing rosacea flares, looking at angry and red skin stresses you out, which, ironically, is a common trigger for rosacea!

That’s why we should be enjoying makeup as much as we want to without, of course, aggravating redness, sensitivity, and irritation. Before digging in, remember that your skincare is more important than your makeup. Skincare is where you collect actual benefits whereas camouflage is only good for the day.

So before investing in makeup products to deal with rosacea, make sure you follow a proper skincare routine too. And needless to say, your skincare helps a lot with your finished makeup look.

Find below the best makeup products for rosacea.

Best Foundation: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation

We all expect different things from our foundation depending on our condition and our desire for coverage. But this foundation stands on a neutral spot; neither too heavy nor too light. It’s a serum foundation, which is basically a skincare-infused foundation. The lightweight, clean formulation makes it a super gentle foundation for people with rosacea. It has light-medium coverage with a radiant finish.

It’s fragrance-free and oil-free, which also makes it suitable for rosacea sufferers that are prone to breakouts. Additionally, it has mineral sunscreen in it for non-irritating sun protection ideal for people with rosacea. Plus, it has hydrating hyaluronic acid, moisturizing squalane, and barrier protecting niacinamide to avoid flakiness as well. If you depend only on the foundation for coverage, this is not going to give you that full, flawless base. But if you use a primer or color-correct in advance, it might as well. The cruelty-free, clean, and vegan foundation is perfect for a natural-looking base.

Coverage: Light
Finish: Radiant
Shades: 30
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, vegan, cruelty-free

Best Primer: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30

This is, without a doubt, the best green-tinted thing you could ever put on your face. The multi-tasking treatment is a green-tinted primer, which reduces your reliance on foundation significantly! It’s formulated around Centella Asiatica, an anti-inflammatory plant extract. The green tint cancels out any and all redness all over the face, including the eye area, and adapts to your skin tone in a few seconds. It feels like a thick face cream and has an herbal scent.

But when makeup is concerned, this product is loved by anyone with rosacea who’s tried it. And it’s a multi-purpose product! First, you can use it alone without using a foundation whatsoever. Second, you can use it with a light coverage foundation for a natural, redness-free finish. And last, you can pair it with a full coverage foundation for a completely flawless, smooth base. The Korean gem also has sunscreen in it! It cancels out redness, and even reduces the look of pores.

Related: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30 Review

Ingredients: Centella Asiatica, niacinamide, mineral SPF
Finish: Matte
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml

Best Powder: BareMinerals Mineral Veil Talc Free Setting Powder

This practically weightless, ultra-fine translucent powder is one of the best makeup products for rosacea. Even though we’re always advised to keep makeup products to a minimum, we want to look our best with an airbrushed finish every now and then. When that’s the case, this powder comes in handy.

It extends the wear of the foundation while also coating the skin to smooth everything out. Plus, it absorbs oil, reduces shine, and makes your base sweat-proof too. The mineral powder comes in radiant and matte finishes to help both oily and dry skin types.

Finish: Matte + Radiant
Shades: 4
Size: 0.3 oz/8.5 gr
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free

Best Under-Eye Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

If you have ocular rosacea, which makes the eyes watery and red even at the mere sight of an eye product, you might want to go easy on the eye makeup. The wrong products will not only irritate your eyes but also ruin the rest of your makeup. That’s why this super affordable, drugstore under-eye concealer is perfect for people with rosacea. It checks all the boxes in the formulation department.

It’s fragrance-free and oil-free, so it won’t irritate or give you milia under the eyes. Additionally, you can wear it to spot conceal imperfections on the face without having to worry about clogged pores or breakouts. You can also skip foundation and use this to get an even-looking base. Because the texture is super creamy and goes on perfectly both under the eyes and on the skin. Wherever you put it on, it gives you a smooth, matte finish.

Coverage: Medium/High
Finish: Matte
Shades: 18
Size: 0.23 oz/6.8 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free

Best Mascara: Clinique High Impact Mascara

Similarly, a hypoallergenic mascara will make eye makeup a breeze for people with sensitive eyes. And using a fragrance-free formula like this one is a good start if you want to avoid watery eyes. This one is a volumizing mascara that gives you fluttery lashes. It has a black pigment and it colors up individual lashes pretty nicely. The liquid formula allows you to build volume without drying too fast.

But that also means the application can get tricky. So build slowly and avoid getting any mascara very close to your roots, which might turn on the waterworks. If you have a good makeup removal routine to properly melt away makeup, you can try the waterproof option. As long as you’re not being harsh with rubbing, the waterproof one is a good alternative for longer-lasting wear.

Shades: Black, brown
Size: 0.28 oz/8 gr
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, paraben-free

RELATED: The Best Mascaras For Ocular Rosacea

Best Eyeliner: Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyeliner

For eyes that start to water up right from the application, you might want to opt for this waterproof eye pencil. It’s hypoallergenic and also has a smudging tip that allows you to play with different looks or sharpen your wing. The color range includes brown and green too. And you also have both matte and shimmer options.

Plus, in addition to using it as an eyeliner, you can use the pencil to tightline too. You can color up the waterline without irritating sensitive eyes. It simply glides on the skin and delivers an intense color payoff. It’s long-wear and does not fade. Plus, it’s cruelty-free and vegan. If you’re looking for something to fill in your brows, they have a hypoallergenic eyebrow pencil too.

Finish: Matte + Shimmer
Shades: 8
Size: 0.01 oz/0.28 gr
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free

Best Blush: Glossier Cloud Paint

Well, we cancel out the redness so that we can put back the redness of our choice, so what? Not sure you’ve noticed, but rosacea redness doesn’t make the most flattering flush of color on the cheeks. But this one does. It’s a cream blush perfect for people with rosacea. Its texture complements natural makeup for everyday wear.

For barely-there makeup, you can apply it on a tinted moisturizer too. Or if you’re going for full coverage, it brings about a healthy flush of color on the cheeks without looking like, well, you have rosacea. From pink to peach, the fragrance-free formula comes in different shades too.

If you are struggling to make blush work for your skin, we have the best tips on how to wear blush with rosacea.

Finish: Natural
Shades: 8
Size: 0.33 oz/10 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, cruelty-free

Best Bronzer: Tower 28 Beauty Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer

If you’re not into blush, which is understandable, you can try a bronzer to freshen up the complexion or sculpt the face. The problem with bronzers when you have rosacea is that you usually go for mineral formulations, which tend to be in powder form. But mineral bronzers don’t have a lot of shade range for achieving that sun-kissed tan or sculpted cheeks. That’s why I personally prefer clean, cream bronzers.

And I can’t get enough of this! Its creamy texture looks natural and is a lifesaver for people with rosacea who are dealing with dry, flaky skin. That skin simply doesn’t get along with powder formulations as powder clings onto dry patches. The buttery formula melts into the complexion and gives you a natural, radiant tan on the cheeks. It’s clean and it’s fragrance-free. Plus, it has soothing botanicals like aloe, green tea, and chamomile too.

Finish: Radiant
Shades: 5
Size: 0.158 oz/4.5 gr
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, cruelty-free, vegan

Best Multi-Tasker: Wander Beauty Double Date Lip and Cheek

If you’d like to try the latest trend of using over-achieving products that multi-task big time, then try this one. It’s a dual balm, one clear and another pigmented one, that goes onto the eyes, the cheeks, and the lips. These types of products pair incredibly well with a light base.

So you can use it with a CC cream or a tinted moisturizer to achieve the ultimate dewy skin with a luminous finish. You can moisturize the lips with the balm or even use it as a highlighter. Or you can achieve a monochromatic look by coloring up your cheeks, eyes, and lips. The skin-loving formula is basically a pigmented balm you can safely use on rosacea skin.

Finish: Radiant
Shades: 4
Size: 2×0.07 oz
Good To Know: Cruelty-free, vegan-friendly

This concludes our round-up of the best makeup products for people with rosacea. Remember to care for your skin with a proper skincare routine and use mineral sunscreen to protect it. Avoiding triggers is way easier than covering the redness! Last but not least, be gentle with your skin while removing makeup. It made the biggest difference for me.

Read Next: The Best Makeup Removers For Rosacea