If you constantly suffer from skin redness and swelling, chances are you should think about changing your skincare routine. In this article, we’ve collected some of the best rosacea skincare products you should try for the odd (or regular) bout of skin redness and irritation. They can alleviate the symptoms of rosacea as well as other types of skin redness and are a great complement to medical rosacea treatment as well.
1. The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Azelaic acid was only available with a prescription for a very long time, and it was very commonly prescribed for rosacea treatment, or specifically for alleviating its symptoms. These days it is available over the counter and has become a popular treatment for skin redness from various causes as well as for acne. The Ordinary deserves credit for popularizing it in the mainstream for making such an excellent and affordable version of it! It comes in the form of a light cream. You can buy it from Sephora.
2. Dr. Barbara Sturm Calming Serum
This nourishing serum moisturizes the skin and helps soothe it, which helps mitigate some of the irritation associated with rosacea. It includes skin-fortifying ferment ingredients and nourishing botanical oils, as well as water-binding humectants. It has a very light texture but is best for those with dry skin. Get it at Nordstrom!
3. Rosacea Care Willowherb Moisturizer with Vitamin K
This is a wonderful evening moisturizer for those with rosacea and dry skin. This rosacea cream moisturizes the skin with squalane and almond oil, helping to lock in moisture and fortify the epidermis. It also has vitamin K, which has a healing effect that can be especially useful during flare-ups but won’t hurt the rest of the time either. It contains other worthwhile skin-soothers like bisabolol and zinc oxide, so you can’t go wrong. Find it online through Dermstore!
4. Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
This other great azelaic acid option is from Paula’s Choice. This booster has more of a serum formula, which you might appreciate if you have oily skin in addition to rosacea. It also contains a small amount of salicylic acid, which helps exfoliate the skin and reduce acne-related blemishes, and licorice root extract, which has antioxidant and skin-brightening properties. It is available at Dermstore.
5. Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer
Probiotics can be great for improving the health of the skin’s microbiome and bringing in good bacteria. For those with rosacea, the main benefit of probiotics would be that they might be able to prevent the skin’s inappropriate inflammatory response. They also help to hydrate the skin, which is always useful, especially when combined with squalane like they are here. In clinical trials, users of this moisturizer noticed a marked decrease in skin redness after a few weeks. Pick it up from Sephora!
6. CosRx Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream
Honey is one of the best skincare ingredients, especially for those with sensitive skin. It promotes healing, increases hydration and is quite soothing as well. In this moisturizer, it is combined with a skin-fortifying combination of ceramides and botanical oils in order to maintain the integrity of the skin barrier. It is fragrance-free best for those with dry, normal, or combination skin. It is sold at Ulta.
7. Herbivore Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner
This is a great hydrating toner to choose if you have both rosacea and oily skin. This toner is free of comedogenic ingredients but is rich in anti-inflammatories. It contains potent skin-soothers like white willow bark extract and green tea extract, as well as fortifying and hydrating ferment extracts. It will tighten your pores while keeping flare-ups at bay. Find it at Sephora!
8. Avène Antirougeurs Day Redness-Relief Soothing Cream SPF 25
Sun protection is extremely important for preventing skin redness, but a lot of sunscreens can irritate those with rosacea. Not this sunscreen, however, which is made without irritants. It is a chemical sunscreen, which means it is very light yet non-drying with a wonderful texture. There are many moisturizing ingredients in it, and users rave about its ability to reduce skin redness. You can purchase it through Dermstore.
9. Tatcha The Indigo Cream Soothing Skin Protectant
This fabulous moisturizer helps to infuse the skin with moisture and restore its barrier functions. It is fragrance-free, so it is excellent for those with rosacea. It is made with a variety of extracts and ferments, the star of which is indigo extract, loaded with anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as soothing colloidal oatmeal. It is a light blue cream that will work for all skin types, but especially those with normal and dry skin. Buy it from Sephora!
10. SK-II LXP Ultimate Revival Essence
This fairly new essence from SK-II uses pitera, their star ingredient which is a filtered fermented yeast. Like other ferments, it is probiotic rich in beneficial compounds that fortifies the skin and strengthens its microbiome. Many folks with rosacea find that ferments do a great job of nourishing their skin. It also contains centella asiatica extract, which is a wonderful anti-inflammatory ingredient that soothes skin redness and inflammation. Find it at Nordstrom!
11. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Fluide
For many people with rosacea the simpler their skincare, the better. This lightweight moisturizer hydrates well and even contains a touch of niacinamide for an antioxidant effect. Beyond that, it doesn’t have much beyond mild MCT oil and gentle humectants. There are no fragrances or potentially irritating compounds. This is the product to try if it seems like everything causes a rosacea flare-up for you. Get it online through Dermstore!
12. PureHeals Centella 65 Green Tea Pack
This centella pack is great to have when your skin seems to reject everything because of a flare-up. It is made of 65% centella extract, and also contains a touch of kaolin clay to control oils, green tea extract, and just a bit of salicylic and glycolic acids for a very light exfoliation without irritation. It’s a great choice for those with oily skin that have rosacea. Grab it from Ulta!
13. Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil
If you have dry skin in addition to rosacea then this kind of oil cleanser is the best choice. It will help thoroughly cleanse your skin with the gentlest touch, and it can be still be removed with water. It will not leave your skin parched – quite the opposite! Your skin will feel soft and luxurious. It is made with a collection of nourishing botanical oils that are naturally rich in skin-fortifying vitamin E. Pick it up at Sephora!
14. Colorescience All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector SPF 50
This valuable product offers three benefits. First of all, it is the 50 SPF, which comes from strictly mineral ingredients, which are less likely to irritate the skin for many rosacea sufferers. Next, we gotta talk about the green pigment in it, which acts as a color corrector to neutralize skin redness and also works beautifully under makeup. Lastly, this product also has some serious skin benefits since it includes antioxidant and balancing niacinamide as well as some anti-inflammatory compounds. Order it from Dermstore!
15. Dermadoctor Calm Cool & Corrected
This nourishing moisturizer is on the way towards being a balm. It is creamy and occlusive like a thick, cool blanket for your skin. It prevents moisture loss while also protecting the skin from external irritants, and it includes wonderful skin-soothers like vitamin E and white tea extract. It has a thick texture, so it is ideal for evening use for calming rosacea for those with very dry skin. It is best applied after a hydrating essence or serum. It is sold at Sephora.
16. Bioderma Sensibio Foaming Gel
This ultra-gentle cleanser glides over the skin without tugging or dragging, minimizing any chances of irritation. It has a formula that won’t dry out your skin but will help clear away impurities as well as sunscreen and makeup. The formula is fragrance-free and sulfate-free, mildly acidic and should work for all skin types, though it’d be best for those with oily or combination skin that don’t enjoy lotion or oil cleansers. It is safe to use on the face and around the eyes. It is available at Dermstore.
17. REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Anti-Redness Serum
The biggest fans of this serum are rosacea sufferers, because it has the ability to fade skin redness and make the skin feel healthier. It has a hydrating formula with both humectants and vitamin-rich oils, as well as skin-fortifying milk proteins. There is also arnica extract in it, which has inflammation calming properties that are perfect during a flare-up. Purchase it at Sephora!
18. Luzern Laboratories La Defense Urban Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
If your skin is extremely reactive, and finding an appropriate sunscreen is a big struggle, this zinc-based formula really is worth trying. Zinc protects the skin from the sun while also soothing it, and it has a great non-oily finish. The other ingredients here are fabulous fortifiers and anti-agers like green tea extract, safflower oil, and hyaluronic acid. Have it sent to you from Dermstore!
19. Sunday Riley Saturn Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask
Some research has shown that products with sulfur can reduce symptoms of rosacea. While the exact mechanism isn’t clear, it is definitely a tactic worth trying, especially if you feel like you’ve already tried everything else. It can also be a great choice if you are dealing with both rosacea and acne. In addition to sulfur, it also contains 4% niacinamide, zinc, and a collection of different anti-inflammatory extracts. You can buy it from Sephora.
20. 111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond Retinol Oil
Retinoids are very difficult to incorporate into a rosacea skincare routine, which is unfortunate because they are probably the most anti-aging ingredients around. This 1% retinol oil is one of the gentlest formulas that still have remarkable effects. It also includes hydrating isopropyl myristate and nourishing sunflower and MCT oils. If you feel like your skin is stable and you would like an anti-aging boost, consider slowly introducing it into your routine. You can purchase it from Net-a-Porter.
21. Paula’s Choice CALM 1% BHA Lotion Exfoliant
Exfoliation is not always easy or recommended when you’re dealing with rosacea. However, some people find that a super gentle form of salicylic acid can actually help improve the look of their skin without irritating. This product is made specifically with sensitive skin in mind. It contains just 1% salicylic acid along with a ton of skin-soothers like green tea extract and allantoin. If you think your skin will benefit from gentle exfoliation, this is the product to try. It’d be best used every other night or so. Find it at Dermstore!
Photos via @nikki_makeup, Sephora, Nordstrom, Dermstore