Facial Redness Relief Tips if You Have Rosacea

​If you have rosacea you know how easy it is to find yourself in a flare-up. Red, flushed skin can be caused by things other than rosacea, including warm weather, an intense workout, and some endocrine disorders. Regardless of the cause, if your face is red and uncomfortable, we’ve got tips on how you can get some facial redness relief.

Stay out of the sun

This is essential for people with rosacea, and it’s essential all year round. Even in winter, the sun can get you because it’s reflected off snow and ice. Sunlight is the leading cause of rosacea flare-ups, which, of course, lead to redness. If you do go outside, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen designed for sensitive skin, with SPF 30 or higher. We recommend our Sunscreen 30, which contains 13.5% of ZinClear™, the most advanced form of Zinc Oxide. It helps in calming sensitive skin and protecting it against free radicals, and unlike most zinc oxide-based sunscreens, it doesn’t leave whitish marks on the skin.

Cool down with a sheet mask or compress

For quick redness relief, try a chamomile tea compress: soak a clean washcloth in steeped chamomile tea, then lay the washcloth on your face and relax for 20 minutes or so. Chamomile is known for its soothing and calming properties. Another compress alternative: Take a clean washcloth, run it under cold water and wring it out, and put the washcloth in a plastic bag filled with ice cubes. Then put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes, remove, and apply to your face as above.

Avoid irritating products

Redness can be caused by certain ingredients in your skincare routine. This is particularly true for acids, which are commonly used to exfoliate the skin. “Steer clear of strong retinoids or retinol, as these products can further irritate sensitive skin, as well as harsh physical exfoliants and polishing scrubs,” said board-certified dermatologist Anna Guanche, MD. “Some acne products can be drying and should be used with caution if you have sensitive skin, such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and glycolic acids.”

In order to provide long-term redness relief, choose cleansers and skincare products that calm the skin, such as our Mild Oatmeal Cleanser, created by one of America’s best-known dermatologists who was inspired by rosaceans who made their own oatmeal facial masks. Mild Oatmeal Cleanser uses a colloidal oatmeal (whole oats ground into an extremely fine, silky powder) plus a rich assortment of other beneficial ingredients to create a gentle, non-irritating, and effective cleanser. We also make an Ultramild Cleanser that combines the soothing and protecting qualities of shea butter and meadowfoam oil.

If you can’t eliminate the redness, hide it

You may have tried concealers to cover up your facial redness, but you probably found they didn’t work all that well. The reason for this is that standard concealers don’t contain pigments that will really hide the red! Our Instead of Red Concealer does, and we promise you that it’s great for any skin, not just rosacea skin. Instead of Red adjusts to your natural skin tone to fully cover redness, blemishes, dark circles, and other skin imperfections. It’s available in four tones: light beige, natural beige, tan, and a yellow corrector.

After you’ve applied one of our concealers, add a layer of one of our all-natural mineral foundations. These are lightweight powders designed to neutralize and cover redness, enriched with botanical extracts that are beneficial for rosacea skin. Our foundations won’t clog pores or dry the skin, and they can be used by themselves or under other mineral makeup. Our foundations come in four shades: Moonlight, Morningstar, Venus, and Supernova.

Facial redness can have dramatic effects on self-esteem and confidence, but the good news is that there are things you can do about it in the short term and the long term. As always, we recommend that you speak with your doctor and get a referral to a dermatologist if your facial redness is causing you concern or lasts for more than 2 weeks.