Rosacea Skin-Care Game Changer: 6 Steps to Calming, Protecting Skin

If you’ve recently noticed that the skin on your face is constantly red, flushed, and feeling extremely tender, you may have an inflammatory skin condition called rosacea. If that’s the case, don’t panic: The condition is common, and while there’s no complete cure, it can be managed by avoiding things that irritate the skin, taking medication when necessary, and adjusting your skin-care routine. To bring you up to speed on the latter, we asked two board-certified dermatologists for their top skin-care tips for rosacea, and they emphasized taking a gentle, moisturizing approach. Read on to learn the six most important considerations when building a rosacea-friendly skin-care routine, from which products to use to when to consult a dermatologist.

Meet the Experts

Purvisha Patel, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Advanced Dermatology and Skin Cancer Associates and Visha Skincare in Memphis.

Deeptej Singh, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Sandia Dermatology.

Symptoms of Rosacea

Wondering if you have rosacea? When someone has this common skin condition, they may experience the following symptoms:

Sensitive skin

Dry nose and cheeks

Blushing

Redness on the face

Burns on the skin

Pimples

Clearly visible blood vessels on the surface of the skin

Of course, many of these symptoms can have other causes as well. The best way to find out if you have rosacea is to consult a dermatologist. However, many of the best skin care tips for rosacea require a gentle, low-key approach. So, you can usually feel safe trying them whether you have a diagnosis or not.

Best Skin Care Tips for Rosacea

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Know Your Triggers

In order to create a skin care routine that won’t further aggravate rosacea skin, you should first understand your triggers, or factors that make symptoms worse. These triggers vary from person to person, but the most common include stress, heat, cold, wind, alcohol, pollution, sunlight, certain skin and hair products, and foods like dairy, chocolate, and spicy foods. 1 If your skin has these triggers, it may become irritated and inflamed if exposed. So, if you know what typically aggravates rosacea, you should do your best to avoid it.

While avoiding triggers may help, keep in mind that this approach isn’t completely foolproof. “For some patients, rosacea is manageable by carefully avoiding triggers,” says board-certified dermatologist Deeptej Singh, MD. “Others, however, may find that avoiding triggers alone isn’t enough to manage their condition.”

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Practical Gentle Cleansing

If you have rosacea, gentle cleansing is crucial—especially since your skin is inflamed, and you don’t want to do anything that will further irritate it. “Over-cleansing can cause irritation,” says Singh. “Often this is more about removing makeup that’s been applied to the skin than satisfying an inherent need for cleanliness.”

Nationally certified dermatologist Dr. Purvisha Patel recommends cleansing twice a day with warm water and a gentle cleanser, and emphasizes that people with rosacea should avoid scrubbing. Singh says how often you clean may vary depending on your skin and symptoms, so be sure to check with your dermatologist and assess how your skin feels regularly. “The type and severity of rosacea varies from person to person, and a person’s tolerance for cleansing can change over time,” he tells us. Here are some tips for choosing a gentle cleanser:

Choose a gentle formula: Look for cleansers and soaps that are labeled as gentle or suitable for sensitive skin, such as face washes like Cetaphil or Cerave.

Watch out for niacinamide: Cleansers that contain niacinamide may be helpful for some people with rosacea. This ingredient can reduce inflammation and protect the skin from environmental stressors.

Consider some synthetic ingredients: Detergents made from synthetic detergents (rather than soaps) may help relieve rosacea symptoms in some people because they are less irritating. It may sound counterintuitive, but the acidic pH of these types of cleansers may be better suited to the skin’s natural acidity.

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Focus on hydration and barrier repair

Hydration is important for people with rosacea because it has a variety of potential benefits, including repairing the barrier, maintaining the skin microbiome, and maintaining pH balance. “Keeping the skin moisturized can reduce inflammation and help relieve the itching and discomfort caused by rosacea,” explains Patel. “It also repairs the barrier so the nerves aren’t exposed to air.”

Are you searching for a moisturizer that’s safe for your rosacea skin? The dermatologists we spoke to recommend trying a product that’s noncomedogenic, pH-balanced, and contains ceramides. These help protect and repair the skin. Products with hyaluronic acid or azelaic acid can also help.

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Use a good SPF

While sun protection is absolutely necessary for everyone, it’s especially true for people with rosacea, as UV rays can trigger and exacerbate irritation and inflammation. “Applying sunscreen can help prevent inflammation in rosacea,” says Patel.

When it comes to finding the right SPF for rosacea (especially if this is one of your known rosacea triggers), we have a few tips:

Look for an SPF 30 or higher: To avoid sun irritation, you need adequate protection. It’s best to choose a formula with SPF 30 or higher and reapply throughout the day.

Opt for a mineral formula: Try a physical sunscreen with titanium oxide or zinc oxide. These products are generally less inflammatory than chemical sunscreens.

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Avoid irritating products

If you have rosacea, your skin barrier may be compromised, and makeup and skincare products with irritating ingredients can easily irritate your skin and inflame it. For example, “people with rosacea, eczema, or skin conditions shouldn’t use medicated skincare or exfoliating toners, as these may make the condition worse,” Patel says. Instead, she recommends looking for ingredients like:

Sea buckthorn oil: This helps heal inflamed skin.

Niacinamide: As mentioned above, this ingredient has soothing and antimicrobial/antibacterial properties that can be very helpful for people with rosacea or other skin irritations.

Hyaluronic acid: This moisturizer can help restore moisture without locking it in.

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Ask your dermatologist

Like any other skin condition — especially if you haven’t been diagnosed yet — it’s important to see a licensed dermatologist if you have any questions or concerns about rosacea. He can assess your symptoms and use his expertise to develop a specialized treatment plan for you. This step is especially important because the best rosacea treatments are not the same for everyone.

Of course, it’s also important to see your doctor to make sure the suspected condition is indeed rosacea. “It’s important to recognize that not all facial redness is rosacea,” says Singh. “If treatment isn’t working, this may indicate a need to reevaluate the diagnosis.”

Conclusion

Rosacea can be frustrating and uncomfortable, but the good news is that you can relieve some of the irritation by identifying your triggers and choosing gentle, simple habits. While you should see a dermatologist to confirm whether you have the condition and see if they can advise you on the best daily care routine, skin care for rosacea is generally designed to moisturize, protect, and reduce rosacea flare-ups, so most of the steps above can help with a range of sensitivities.

DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek. “Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more. Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals. Sunscreen “We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.” Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup. Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand. Vitamin C Serum “A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging. Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants. Peptides Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.” Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively. This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek. At-Home Peel Pads Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate. “The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.” According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says. Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection. KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids. Emollient Night Cream “In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.” “Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products. Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme “The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.

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