WHY SO SENSITIVE? HOW TO TACKLE ROSACEA

Anyone who suffers from rosacea will be familiar with the ignorance surrounding it. A skin condition that causes a reddening in the face, it’s not uncommon to be asked if you caught too much sun, why you’re perpetually embarrassed, or whether you’ve just been for a jog? In mild cases, cheeks can appear crimson, while in chronic ones, skin can become thickened and pimpled. It’s your body’s response to inflammation. Causes largely vary, but triggers are thought to include everything from hot drinks and spicy food, to stress and overheating. Wine (sorry) is also an offender. As April is Rosacea Awareness Month, we wanted to offer some handy, expert approved tips to help those flushed of face. 

Active ingredients such as retinol, glycolic acid, AHAs and BHAs can cause sensitive skin to inflame, so it’s best only to use them in areas that aren’t prone to redness. On the whole less is more when it comes to actives, because rosacea is exacerbated by anything that irritates the skin. It’s also worth avoiding any products with fragrance or astringent ingredients in. Those harsh (but gratifying) skin stripping toners? Get rid.  

Sun exposure is a real trigger, so even though you should be wearing sun protection every day anyway, it’s especially important if you’re a rosacea sufferer. That said, some ingredients in SPF can be irritating themselves, so it’s best to use mineral formulas with titanium oxide or zinc oxide. We recommend Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturiser, £30, a lightweight, easily blendable formula which uses the latter. 

Kill redness with kindness. Offset its rage and anger with calm and cosseting products. With St. John’s wort, a known anti inflammatory, the Susanne Kaufmann Calming Mask, knocks out some of the heat, and contains other brilliant botanicals that soothe and harmonise. 

Red and green are complementary colours, so while swiping green concealer on problem patches might feel a bit odd, it’ll do a brilliant job at neutralising any area that's ablaze. Afterwards go in with a foundation/moisturiser hybrid. Grown Alchemist Grown Alchemist Hydra-Repair Day Cream, £31, gets rave reviews online. Cancelling redness while also soothing and calming angry skin, it’s a deft multitasker that you shouldn't be without. 

Unfortunately as no one knows exactly what causes rosacea, there isn’t a known permanent cure. You can however keep it under control. But remember: while all the above points are worth following religiously, if things start to get really fiery, do see your GP or a dermatologist.