A Guide To Rosacea Friendly Skin Care

I didn’t even know I had rosacea. Years of redness and flare ups, little red bumps and inflamed skin had been boiled down to puberty, stress, and well, more stress. These same years were filled with copious amounts of my thickest MAC foundation (you know the one) and setting powder that lived rent free on top of every one of my pores. I was desperately trying to hide any signs of my uneven, blotchy red skin tone, of course my embarrassment of my own condition only heighted it’s effects. Typical. What I didn’t realize was my skin care routine was making a huge contribution to my flare ups and pigmentation, and how little information there was in choosing the right products. Making the switch to a routine that not only calmed my rosacea, but actively worked to correct it has made the world of difference for my now very happy complexion. So, let’s get to work:

Tip #1: Stay away from harsh exfoliants

While you might think your apricot scrub exfoliant is working wonders for a smooth skin appearance, it’s probably working against you. The problem for those with rosacea is that they have a fragile stratum corneum (this is a fancy word for the outermost layer of your skin). Since exfoliants are designed to scrub away the top layer of skin, this can be very irritating. Avoiding those with ground fruit pits or nutshells in particular will help reduce this agitation.

Essentially, there are two types of exfoliants: physical and chemical. Chemical exfoliants dissolve the glue holding the unwanted dead skin cells on, while physical exfoliants mechanically remove them by rubbing or abrading them off. Think physical: little granule, chemical: a liquid containing active ingredients.Chemical exfoliants are a great option for rosacea prone skin, since there is less abrasion happening to the skin’s barrier. My go-to is a good ol’ BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) which is found in both our truly brightening vitamin C serum and our truly cleansing facial cleanser in the form of salicylic acid. Reap the benefits of exfoliated skin and ditch the redness. You deserve this.

Tip #2: Hydrate, and then hydrate some more… maybe even more than that.

Let your moisturizers fight the skin battles you don’t want to. The right combination of humectants will lock much needed moisture into your skin while reinforcing the skin’s epidermal barrier. Without getting all science-y on you, keeping your skin as hydrated as possible reduces the worst of your rosacea symptoms, and in mild rosacea cases is often enough to significantly reduce many of its effects for good, phew. The #1 product that has saved my skin is truly hydrating hyaluronic acid serum. HA is produced naturally by skin cells to retain moisture and trap water in the skin, so you can feel great about putting it on knowing your body already produces it. Unlike the name suggests, it is not an acid at all. When applied topically, 1 gram can hold up to 6 LITRES of water!! Skin care science *magic*. This active ingredient tames redness, itchiness and inflamed red bumps while locking in moisture to defeat dry skin.

Tip #3: You got this.

Wash your face with lukewarm water, wear an SPF sunscreen of 30 or more daily, drink plenty of water, opt for fragrance free products, be kind to yourself. Stick to a simple routine of cleansing, toning (ditch alcohol-based toners), serums, and finish it off with a great face cream. (My favourite is the truly moisturizing face cream for its 100% naturally based ingredients and unscented gentleness). We might not know what causes rosacea, but we do know that we don’t have accept its symptoms. Let the only times your skin gets bright red be from blushing, you.