11 Products for Rosacea That Will Calm Your Skin and Soothe Redness
Relief is on the way!
While most women experience some facial redness from time to time, if you’re prone to having a flushed face or find yourself consistently dealing with red, blotchy, and bumpy skin, you may have rosacea. With 14 million US adults reported to be living with rosacea, it’s a common skin condition, to say the least. Luckily, there are plenty of options out there that you can use to help quell its symptoms. The beauty aisles of your favorite stores are stocked with the best products for rosacea, if you know what to look for. Keep reading to find out more about the condition and the best products to give you relief.
What is rosacea?
Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that causes skin redness and visible blood vessels on the face, particularly across the forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. Typically seen in fair-skinned women, the condition can vary greatly from person to person, with symptoms that range from general redness to thick, swollen skin and acne-like breakouts.
What causes rosacea?
While the root cause of rosacea may still be unknown, researchers have made several discoveries about the condition that may hold clues to its origin. Rosacea tends to run in families, leading many to believe it may be a genetic disorder. Most sufferers also react to a bacteria called bacillus oleronius and have higher predispositions for an intestinal bug called H pylori, both of which may be underlying causes.
There are also a number of factors that can trigger rosacea flare-ups, including sunlight, wind, extreme temperatures, alcohol, spicy foods, stress, vigorous exercise, harsh skincare products, and drugs that dilate the blood vessels, like some blood pressure medications. While some of these may be harder than others to avoid, being aware of the things in your life that can trigger flare-ups is the first step to clearer skin.
How to Treat Rosacea
Currently, there is no cure for rosacea. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that you can do to keep it under control. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are six ways patients can keep the condition at bay: cleanse your face twice daily, use a cream moisturizer, apply sunscreen (even on cloudy days!), carefully test new skincare products, avoid rough skin practices, such as rubbing and scrubbing of the face, and opt for skincare products that are made with rosacea in mind.
Best Products for Rosacea
From gentle cleansers and soothing creams to calming serums and redness-fighting face masks, there are tons of products out there that can ease rosacea symptoms. When used in conjunction with the tips above, you can better keep rosacea in check. Keep scrolling for FIRST for Women’s picks for the best products for rosacea.
Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
best cleanser
Where to buy: $8.99, Amazon
Most dermatologists will tell you that when it comes to facial cleansers for rosacea, the more basic the formula, the better — and it doesn’t get any more simple than Vanicream’s gentle facial cleanser. Formulated without any fragrances, dyes, parabens, formaldehyde, lanolin, oils, sulfates, or gluten, this face wash is a doctor-recommended pick for the condition. Manhattan-based dermatologist Dendy Englemen, M.D., shared, “Its gentle formula provides thorough cleansing without the worry of irritation or skin reactions that many traditional cleansers can cause.”
Eau Thermale Avène Antirougeurs Fort
best rosacea treatment
Where to buy: $49, Dermstore
A favorite of rosacea sufferers everywhere, Eau Thermale Avène’s Antirougeurs Fort is formulated specifically for those prone to redness. This prescription-free, concentrated cream’s star ingredient is ruscus extract, which increases circulation and improves the appearance of blood vessels for immediate redness relief. Topped off with cooling thermal spring water and moisture-locking shea butter, this formula makes for a soothing treatment that anyone with sensitive skin can get behind.
La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense
best serum
Where to buy: $39.99, Dermstore
Serums are an effective part of any skincare routine due to their high potency and ability to deeply penetrate and treat the skin, but they’re especially great for conditions such as rosacea. With a cult-following from both users and dermatologists, La Roche-Posay’s Rosaliac AR Intense is a top serum contender thanks to its ability to effectively treat redness, clearing and comforting the skin in the process. In fact, a 2013 clinical study of this product found that it offered “significant improvement of all the clinical signs and symptoms of rosacea and a reduction of the skin reactivity to ‘trigger factors.'”
Honeyskin Ultimate Face and Body Cream
Best Over-the-Counter Face Cream
Where to buy: $22.47, Amazon
When it comes to treating rosacea, calming the skin is key. As such, you want to make sure you’re buying a face cream that’s loaded with skin-soothing, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and Honeyskin’s Ultimate face and body cream definitely fits the bill. Rich and nourishing, this fragrance-free formula comes packed with cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, hempseed oil aloe, blue-green algae, and, most importantly, anti-inflammatory powerhouses manuka honey and Australian Cehami.
Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream
best probiotic cream
Where to buy: $49.50, ULTA
With studies showing the positive effect that probiotic skincare can have in the treatment of inflammatory skin ailments like eczema and rosacea, we couldn’t leave Clinique’s Redness Solutions Daily Relief cream off this list. Loaded with the company’s own probiotic microbiome technology, it instantly reduces redness and persistent blotchiness. Over time, this gentle formula even works to improve the appearance of broken capillaries for clearer, healthy-looking skin.
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
best sunscreen
Where to buy: $30.40, Amazon
One of the biggest triggers for rosacea is sun exposure. Protect your skin from its harmful rays with a healthy application of EltaMD’s UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 sunscreen. Made specifically for sensitive skin, this zinc oxide-based, tinted blend not only shields your complexion from UVA and UVB rays, but simultaneously soothes rosacea-prone complexions thanks to its niacinamide (a form of vitamin B), hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E. Aah!
Origins Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience
best face mask
Where to buy: $37, Sephora
Treat your inflamed, rosacea-riddled epidermis right with this Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience soothing face mask from Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins. Creamy and calming, its star ingredients include a superfood blend of reishi, fermented chaga, and coprinus mushrooms, all of which are known to reduce the appearance of redness and nurture irritated skin. As one of the most nutrient-rich masks on this list, your face will feel supple and even in no time after use (literally — it only requires a 10-minute application)!
NEOGEN’s Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine
best gentle exfoliator
Where to buy: $27, SOKO GLAM
You may be surprised to find an exfoliator on this list, but even those with rosacea need to slough away dead skin every now and then — and the best way to do it is with this K-Beauty staple. Unlike typical exfoliators, which contain abrasive granules or beads that only cause more irritation and redness to the skin, these chemical exfoliating pads are gentle, yet powerful. Infused with top rosacea-soothing ingredients, including resveratrol, a polyphenol found in wine, and glycolic acid, these pads also help to protect the compromised skin barrier of rosacea sufferers from free-radical damage.
InstaNatural Niacinamide Serum
best natural treatment
Where to buy: $15.97, Amazon
Niacinamide is a natural nutrient that has long been touted as an anti-redness juggernaut. Derived from vitamin B3, its ability to calm, even, and nourish irritated skin make it an essential part of any rosacea skincare routine. For a simple, clean niacinamide treatment, we love InstaNatural. Featuring an additional blend of hydrating hyaluronic acid, moisturizing avocado oil, and wrinkle-fighting rosemary oil, it’s also great for those with dry, mature skin.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting-Cream
best makeup for rosacea
Where to buy: $34, ULTA
Since the brand’s launch in 2008, IT Cosmetics has been a leader in solution-based makeup, and rosacea is no exception. The brand’s Bye Bye Redness neutralizing color-correcting cream is formulated specifically for those with those prone to redness in mind, making it a dream for rosacea sufferers looking for light coverage. Rich in anti-aging peptides, calming colloidal oatmeal, hydrolyzed collagen, soothing aloe, and avocado, this is more than just coverup — it’s a skin treatment and a makeup base all in one!
