Most likely, a red, flushed complexion is what first springs to mind when you think of rosacea. But this common skin condition is much more that just an exaggerated blush.
Affecting more women than men and occurring across every complexion tone, rosacea can appear in many guises, from flaky patches to acne-like bumps, spanning dry to oily skin types via sensitive ones.
“Rosacea is a very common, chronic disorder that can present with a variety of skin manifestations,” explains Dr Emma Craythorne, consultant dermatologist and President of the British Cosmetic Dermatology Group. “It primarily affects the central part of the face with papules and pustules, flushing, visible redness from veins and sometimes skin thickening. Why we get rosacea is mainly due to our genetics and sometimes what we inadvertently do or expose our skin to.” This can mean being born with a heightened response to external factors such as UV light, aggressive skincare or certain bacteria, which causes the body’s immune system to activate inflammation as a defence system.
While it can’t be cured, there are steps you can take to improve rosacea, from understanding what prompts flare-ups to your overall skincare approach. “Because it can appear quite differently, rosacea covers a blanket term of conditions so treatment can differ,” advises Dr Craythorne. “To help, start by really understanding your skin. Think about what your flares are and keep a flare diary for three months to see if there are specific triggers.
“Make your skincare routine is simple and targeted, using products that have good evidence behind them including a gentle, non-foaming cleanser, suitable moisturiser and a sunscreen every day with no exceptions. Once you have a routine that works, don’t deviate from it. The skin will ebb and flow in terms of how it behaves, but don’t swap and change routines too quickly. Real results that make a meaningful difference take at least eight weeks.”
Serious cases will benefit from being professionally diagnosed by a dermatologist who can help determine the proper course of treatment, be it a prescription or over-the-counter products that soothe your symptoms. But begin with skincare, from cleansers to masks, that will soothe inflammation and repair the likely-disrupted skin barrier, helping to lock in moisture, minimise dryness and re-establish calm.
Shop the best below
Katherine Daniels Treatment Boost for Rosacea & Sensitive Skin
Think of this as your salon-strength serum that goes under moisturiser morning and evening to ease redness and repair damage. Half a pipette of the quick-to-absorb, silky fluid is enough to cover face, neck and décolletage – perfect for rosacea sufferers who find their chest looks flushed too.
Ingredients such as a red algae extract are used to flood skin cells with oxygen and boost circulation, helping a ruddy appearance to dissipate long term, while stem cells derived from a cotton plant have been shown to reduce redness by over 50 per cent in two hours. It’s also packed with azelaic acid to bolster the soothing, anti-inflammatory benefits and hyaluronic acid for a deeply hydrating finish.
Buy now £93.00, Katherine Daniels
Avène Antirougeurs Calm Soothing Mask
As a brand already renowned for tending to the most sensitive of skin, Avène’s Antirougeurs range is well placed to cater for those who specifically suffer with visible redness and rosacea. This cooling, gel-cream mask stays on the face and neck for 10 minutes before you gently wipe off any excess, allowing the hydrating formula ample time to get to work.
Boosted by its signature thermal spring water, which has fantastic anti-irritation qualities, as well as a patented active ingredient called TRP-Refulin that eases flushed, puffy skin, this refreshing, green-tinted mask is a fantastic fast fix for tackling rosacea flare-ups. By calming inflammation and irritation, the complexion looks move even and feels soft and comfortable again.
Buy now £17.50, Boots
Bioeffect EGF Power Cream
The science that gives this luxurious cream anti-rosacea results to match the anti-ageing properties help make the hefty price tag easier for those who want visible benefits in tackling both concerns. It’s a powerhouse of potent ingredients, including an epidermal growth factor (or EGF) derived from barley, which the skin recognises and then signals its cells to ramp up collagen production.
Added to this are softening squalane plus niacinamide to minimise pores and help even out patchy skin tone. But it’s the new ingredient oridonin, derived from a medicinal plant, which really helps rosacea suffers thanks to potent protective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The texture is reassuringly rich but melts into skin quickly, leaving a satiny soft finish behind, making it a great make-up base too.
Buy now £165.00, lookfantastic
Paula's Choice Calm 1% BHA Exfoliant
Taking advantage of exfoliating acids that can potentially be irritating is made possible with this ultra-light, leave on-gel. It uses BHA, otherwise known as salicylic acid, to delicately slough off dead skin cells that sit on the surface, blocking pores and making the complexion look dull.
Oat extract, which is renowned for its soothing capabilities, as well as calming and antioxidant green tea are included to boost the formula’s credentials when it comes to keeping skin calm and hydrated. And as BHA is also a great breakout-beater, this is an ideal addition to a routine for anyone who is rosacea- and spot-prone but still wants smooth, glowing skin.
Buy now £30.00, Paula’s Choice
Pai Skincare Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil
With enough oomph to remove make-up including waterproof mascara but gentle enough that it won’t aggravate sensitive rosacea-prone skin, this light oil makes a wonderful evening cleanser, particularly when the weather is cold and skin craves extra hydration.
Vegan and organic, it glides over skin and can envelop the face in just two pumps, so a little goes a long way. Rosehip oil is the star ingredient, used for its fantastic healing and strengthening powers, while seed oils ward off environmental stressors that can trigger a red, inflamed reaction. Massage onto dry skin, add water and it will rinse clean away leaving a soft, even and soothed finish. The oil benefits from a blissful orange, jasmine and basil scent too.
Buy now £33.00, Pai Skincare
Green People Age Defy+ Soothing Anti Redness Serum
Organic, vegan and plant-based, this rich serum feels more like a light oil that sinks into the skin easily to leave it feeling soothed and nourished without being greasy. The reduction in redness comes from an apricot leaf extract that works hard to calm inflammation and ease sensitivity as well as helping to boost luminosity so skin looks calmer and with a better glow.
Using a good amount of omega-rich camellia oil in the formula also allows the serum to glide on give the complexion a plump feel and over time, look firmer, while the delicate palmarosa, neroli and lavender scent make applying it an even more uplifting experience.
Buy now £29.00, Green People
Klira The Special night cream
Great for anyone with rosacea who feels they could benefit from expert help but without the cost of a clinical appointment. Created by Dr Emma Craythorne and a team of medically trained skin specialists, this subscription service creates a bespoke cream to tackle your specific needs. Answer an online questionnaire and send a handful of photos so you can be analysed into one of twelve ‘skin sizes’ (a more modern, thorough version of skin types).
A night cream is then custom-blended using the most suitable base plus active ingredients in the correct dose to best benefit your individual complexion. They include anti-inflammatory ivermectin and tretinoin, a precursor to retinol that stimulates collagen as well as reducing inflammation, making it an ideal anti-ageing and anti-rosacea additive to your cream.
Price per month.
Buy now £49.00, Klira
Meder Red-Apax Calming And Anti-Redness Mask
Part of the award-winning Red-Apax rosacea range created by biochemists, microbiologists and neurophysiologists, this one-shot sheet mask comes armed with that scientific know-how channelled into an intensive, 20-minute treatment.
The mask is infused with a powerhouse of potent ingredients including centella asiatica plant extract. This has been used for centuries in Indian medicine to soothe swelling, heal wounds, plus fight itching and irritation, while strengthening the skin’s barrier to prevent water loss. Added chamomile and marigold extracts are healing too.
The mask itself is made of biodegradable bamboo fibres and sits comfortably on the face with loops to pop over the ears so it won’t move around. Used once or twice a week, skin is calmer, clearer and looks significantly less angry.
Price for five.
Buy now £68.00, Meder
The Inkey List Redness Relief Solution
Developed alongside a panel of British dermatologists, this anti-rosacea formula from the Supersolution line-up that tackles specific skin concerns is designed to be slotted into any skincare regime. The hero ingredient is azelaic acid, a compound derived from grains such as wheat or rye that takes down the redness of rosacea and eases inflammation, while making skin look and feel calm and soothed.
A very light and cooling cream-gel texture, it’s tinted with a subtle green tone to help camouflage any residual ruddy appearance, making it an ideal layer under make-up although nightly use is recommended too for the best results. For an effective treatment, it’s a great price too.
Buy now £11.99, Boots
Rosalique 3 in 1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula SPF50
A hybrid of skincare and colour corrector, this lightweight cream comes out of the tube a bright mint tone, but quickly blends down into a warm beige that neutralises the appearance of redness. As well as being a perfect morning primer before make-up, it also includes a wealth of effective ingredients such as the anti-inflammatory mineral zeolite, all clinically proven to counteract and soothe the flushing and irritation caused by rosacea.
The sunscreen adds another layer of protection against aggressors that provoke a reaction and it can be reapplied all over or to targeted areas during the day to top up masking the look of red patches.
Buy now £29.99, Dermacare
Verdict
The two-pronged approach of treatment plus repair to help combat rosacea, teamed with other essential skin benefits such as ramped up hydration and collagen production make Katherine Daniels Treatment Boost for Rosacea & Sensitive Skin a fantastic all-rounder for every complexion.
The half-pipette dosage ensures it’s easy to measure out just the right amount - no waste of the luxury serum here - and it smoothes over skin easily leaving it with a beautiful satin finish.
The blend of potent ingredients is impressive too, from the circulation-boosting red algae to the anti-inflammatory azaelic acid. It’s all rosacea-prone complexions need to keep calm and carry on.
