It’s a skin condition that affects 10 per cent of people worldwide, and was the most Googled of 2023. But what exactly is rosacea?
Not to be confused with general skin flushing, which fluctuates and subsides with things like heat and reactivity to skincare products, rosacea is redness that doesn’t disappear. The NHS reports that, “Many people with rosacea have reported feelings of low self-esteem, embarrassment and frustration” and as a result it’s a topic I’m asked about a lot on social media.
“Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory condition of the hair follicle, its sebaceous gland and blood vessels. It’s characterised by facial flushing, skin hyper-sensitivity, persistent redness, broken capillaries, papules and pustules,” says clinical facialist, Kate Kerr. “Stress can be a trigger, as can the sun, as well as diet, alcohol, and hormones, although everyone’s triggers are different.”
There's currently no cure for rosacea, but treatment can help control the symptoms. Bruce Green, chartered chemist and founder of SOS Serum Skincare, says: “For day-to-day life, there are three main steps that I would recommend taking if you do have rosacea.” Avoid harshly scrubbing or rubbing the face when cleansing and use a mild cleanser with no ethanol/alcohol and no harsh surfactants. Always apply a fragrance-free moisturiser sparingly and SPF after cleansing. Keep note of what triggers your rosacea to flare up and proactively avoid those triggers where possible.
Glowing skin is just a few drops of face oil away (Getty Images/iStockphoto)TOP PRODUCTS
Thankfully there are plenty of brilliant products available to tackle rosacea head on. As well as calming the symptoms and masking excessive redness with colour correctors, actives such as retinol can be used to encourage cell turnover, forcing the skin to repair itself. So while we can’t get rid of the condition completely, it can be improved.
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Treat it…
Green People Scent Free 24 Hour Cream*Reformulated and better than ever, Green People Scent Free 24 Hour Cream, £25.50, is a super gentle daily hydrator suitable for even the most reactive of skin types, with balancing probiotics and firming evening primrose oil.
Skin Ceuticals Redness Neutraliser*Skin Ceuticals Redness Neutraliser, £94, is a lightweight gel cream which cools and calms rosacea, along with general redness, while hydrating with glycerin.
Rosalique Balm Cleanser*Rosalique 3-in-1 Balm Cleanser, £29.99, gently cleanses and hydrates with oat, centella asiatica, sweet almond oil and aloe. It removes make-up and impurities without stripping or irritating the skin.
Cover it…
Elf Camo Color Corrector in Green*Elf Camo Color Corrector in Green, £4, is a bargain redness reducer for use under make-up. Sweep and blend over patches of rosacea to neutralise.
Erborian ed Correct*Erborian CC Red Correct, £42, is a colour correcting face base that contains green pigments to neutralise redness, and calming centella asiatica, or tiger grass.
No7 Airbrush Away Colour Balancing Primer*No7 Airbrush Away Colour Balancing Primer, £17.95,can be worn alone, mixed into or under foundation. The green pigment neutralises redness, while creating a smooth canvas onto which to apply make-up.
*Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahrbritt
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