Whether it’s a transient thing, triggered by factors such as harsh weather, stress or food, or seems a permanent fixture on your face, redness caused by rosacea can mean taking a confidence hit for those with the common skin condition.
The natural response is often to reach for heavy concealers and foundations to simply mask the appearance. But while the first step should be to use gentle, effective skincare formulated to help ease the effects of rosacea, using a base with added benefits, from soothing ingredients to an undertone that helps negate redness, offers a more rounded, multi-pronged approach.
“I first recommend using a formula with colour correcting properties,” advises make-up artist Rose Gallagher, who specialises in rosacea solutions as a professional with the condition herself. “People with rosacea tend to have areas of the face that are relatively calm and others of a completely different shade and tone because they are impacted by inflammation. These patches will often sit across the centre of the face in a butterfly shape and tend to be more pink in Caucasian complexions, becoming more brown in tone on darker skin.
“Colour correctors will adjust to both parts, helping to bridge the gap between the two which can be quite jarring. On Caucasian skin, green pigment is great for reducing the appearance of deep red areas, while olive complexions will find that yellow tones are ideal for reducing the appearance of deeper purple in the skin. On Black skin, amber pigment is great for reducing the appearance of deep brown areas.”
For an extra boost from ingredients that can help hydrate while counteracting redness, think of the kind of skincare ingredients we already know are beneficial for sensitive and red-prone complexions. “Ingredients like niacinamide are always welcome because they will help to strengthen the skin barrier which is almost certainly compromised in a rosacea case,” says Gallagher. “Though rosacea can come with all skin types from dry to oily, buttery formulas are also great because they help to alleviate some tightness of the skin.”
As for coverage, opting fuller doesn’t have to mean full-on, as creating a mask-like finish to skin with a heavyweight formula tends to be ageing as well as look unnatural. “My favourite type of foundations or CC creams for rosacea are generally fuller coverage but hydrating,” enthuses Gallagher. “Their creaminess will always look fresh, plus you are packing in a deceiving level of coverage which works not only in the moment, but also as the day goes on – important as rosacea will progress through the day. Creamy formulas also don't feel thick or irritating and can be smoothed and pressed into place using gentle buffing and patting motions to build your desired level of coverage, then easily removed. All of these things contribute to calmer skin in general.”
Read on for our pick of the best foundation formulas, from powders to CC creams, to create a calm, even base for rosacea-prone complexions…
Lumene CC Colour Correcting Cream
The complete Lumene nature-meets-science line-up makes the most of its Finnish surroundings in the most sustainable way possible. So it’s partly the infusion of impressive skincare ingredients – namely Nordic lingonberry that helps unify skin tone and soothing, hydrating Arctic spring water – that make this fluid foundation so effective at helping to combat the redness in rosacea complexions.
The rest lies in the careful balance of a lightweight texture and medium coverage as well as the rich colour pigments that give an even, luminous finish that won’t sit in lines or become cakey during the day. Suited to all skin types, an added SPF20 also gives a good baseline for daily sun protection to quell UV irritation.
Buy now £22.90, Boots
Merit The Minimalist Complexion Perfecting Stick
A stick that works as foundation, concealer and touch-up all in one, plus it’s portable so not going to spill in your handbag or carry-on luggage. The slightly thicker consistency means that a little goes a long way and it blends out easily with the warmth of your fingertips to leave a creamy velvet finish although a brush will work well too.
Rosacea complexions will like that this base has been formulated to be free from acne-triggering ingredients – a regular symptom for some sufferers – while an infusion of fatty acids brings nourishing and conditioning benefits as they lock moisture into the skin. Ideal for targeting specific problem places.
Buy now £40.00, Merit
Sweed Miracle Powder
The signature style of this covetable, make-up artist-created range may be a second skin, no make-up make-up look, but don’t think it means that this featherlight, soft-as-air powder won’t transform a flushed complexion. Buff the smallest amount over the face with a brush and it will instantly take down high colour, then keep layering to get richer coverage. The finish is radiant rather than chalky and gives a flattering blurring effect.
As it’s a mineral base, this foundation won’t clog pores and veils skin in a breathable layer of coverage, making it particularly perfect for the most sensitive skins, while the added antioxidants and vitamin C help protect for environmental irritants too. Miracle indeed.
Buy now £38.00, Glorious Beauty
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Natural Matte Color Correcting Full Coverage Cream
Available in an impressive 30 shades, this base is ideal for rosacea-prone complexions that are on the oiler or combination side as well as being easily irritated. Not only will it tone down redness, but the liquid also includes lentil seed extract and Air Licium, a patented ingredient added to create an instant blurring effect, minimising the look of enlarged pores as well as absorbing oil to keep skin matte all day.
Hyaluronic acid infuses some moisture too, ensuring the complexion doesn’t look dry or flat. As the coverage is fairly dense, start gradually and build up until you get the finish you want, but rest assured it will never look heavy.
Buy now £38.00, lookfantastic
Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation
Packed with a menu of some of skincare’s most rosacea-friendly ingredients, this fluid foundation is rich in the likes of hydrating squalane and hyaluronic acid, strengthening and anti-inflammatory peptides and niacinamide, plus brightening caffeine.
Boasting a staying power of eight hours, the medium coverage creates a satin, second-skin effect that neutralises redness and discolouration as well as helping to hide the appearance of pores and blemishes. The super-fine, powder crystals included also ensure the finish has dimension even though it isn’t dewy.
Buy now £35.00, Cult Beauty
Et al Skin Protect Powder Foundation
There’s nothing dusty or fussy about this airily light loose powder that creates a beautiful, gauzy veil over the face to protect while it tempers redness. Blend on a first, sheer application then reapply and build just where you need more coverage and you’ll feel that it hydrates like a cream thanks to squalane and lutein, which also works as an anti-inflammatory.
There’s an oil-control benefit that means a light layer down the T-zone will mattify any breakthrough shine during the day, while filters protect skin from the damaging UV rays and blue light that can further aggravate skin prone to rosacea. The 22-strong shade range should be applauded too.
Buy now £35.00, Face the Future
Dolce & Gabbana Blueberry Nutri Tint Hydro Glow & Fresh Skin Tint
Breathable and easily blendable but formulated to dry quickly to a velvet finish, this luxurious liquid foundation comes in a whopping 30 shades, covering the fairest to deepest skin tones.
The fresh feeling on application is thanks to a molecule identical to one in blue-green algae that gives skin a power boost when it comes to retaining moisture, as well as a blueberry extract that enhances glow as it provides antioxidant protection. And despite being very sheer, the rich colour pigments used are coated in silicone, ensuring they give an even, almost imperceptible coverage that efficiently takes down redness and flushing.
Buy now £48.00, Harrods
ilia True Skin Serum Foundation
With a texture and dewy finish that truly speaks to the ‘serum’ part of its name, this very fluid foundation feels weightless but can be built up to create a medium coverage. It’s packed with skincare ingredients fantastically beneficial for rosacea sufferers, including aloe to ease irritation and redness, a mattifying tree resin and balancing, nourishing squalane.
As well as blurring imperfections and correcting any high colour, you’ll get a flattering plumping effect and skin will feel comfortable and look luminous throughout the day.
Buy now £50.00, Sephora
Clinique Redness Solutions Makeup SPF15
As a brand with its heritage based on dermatology, Clinique has revered skincare and make-up collections devoted to caring for rosacea-prone complexions. Fragrance-free and allergy-tested, this thick liquid foundation may only come in four lighter shades, but they cater to the complexion tones in which rosacea most commonly shows up.
Suited to all skin types from oily to very dry, it immediately neutralises redness to correct as it covers, while probiotic technology helps tackle inflammation. Fans online call it a “game-changer”.
Buy now £35.50, Clinique
bareMinerals BAREPRO 16hr Skin-Perfecting Powder Foundation
For complexions that need to tackle breakthrough shine during the day as well as counteracting redness from rosacea, this talc-free pressed powder is ideal. The finish is matte without being dehydrating or cakey, it will give up to 24-hours of effective oil control and is sweat and transfer-resistant too.
Used dry for a light layer of colour or wet to add more intense coverage (making it brilliantly versatile), the texture feels silky and quickly evens out skin tone to ensure the complexion has a fresh, refined and unified look.
Buy now £37.50, bareMinerals
Verdict
There are so many cosmetic formulas now claiming hybrid status that fuses together make-up and skincare, but Lumene really does prove its expertise in this arena with its CC Colour Correcting Cream.
Managing to perfectly bring together the benefits of natural but powerhouse ingredients that temper the irritation and dryness in rosacea-prone complexions, as well as creating a unifying veil of natural-looking colour, this easy-to-blend liquid foundation gives not only immediate visible results, but impressive lasting ones too.
