Bumps and ruddiness? Nah, no ty.
10 Skincare Products That Will *Actually* Help Clear Up Your Rosacea
Dealing with constant facial redness, acne-like bumps, or broken blood vessels? Is your skin suuuuper sensitive and easily irritated? Are you lowkey always annoyed with how temperamental it seems to be? Yeah, chances are, you're dealing with rosacea—a super-common skin condition that can affect just about anyone (although it's most common in women with fairer skin tones). Rosacea is also unpredictable: It can flare for a few days, weeks, or even months, and then disappear, only to come back very randomly. And while there is no "cure" for rosacea, there are some in-office treatments and at-home skincare products you can use to help keep it in check.
What are the main causes of rosacea?
Rosacea can be genetic (so if your mom or dad has it, there's a good chance you will too), but it's usually made worse by triggers like sunlight, wind, alcohol, hot or spicy foods, exercise, and medications that dilate your blood vessels (though, FWIW, rosacea triggers can differ from person to person). It may sound like a no-brainer, but the first step in treating your rosacea is figuring out exactly what your triggers are and then avoiding them when you can. And that, yup, starts with a dermatologist.
Sorry, but Dr. Google doesn't cut it, and before you know how to treat your rosacea, you've gotta make sure you're actually dealing with rosacea, and not one of the zillion other potential red/bumpy skin conditions out there. Can't make it to a derm in person? Don't worry—virtual appointments are also totally reliable and most derms are currently offering them. See? No excuses.
How do you clear up rosacea?
If—no, when—you see a dermatologist for your rosacea, they'll likely prescribe you oral medications and/or topical treatments to manage the bumps and redness. But if you want to go the over-the-counter route, you've still got options, like gentle skincare with anti-inflammatory properties and redness-reducing ingredients (like aloe vera and azelaic acid) can help keep flushing and irritation to a minimum. Ahead to make it all easier for you, I rounded up the 10 best rosacea skincare products you can get without a prescription, below.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Best Moisturizer for Rosacea
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$42.00
Made with a blend of restorative minerals and soothing thermal spring water, this nourishing cream is a must for anyone with rosacea—especially during the dry winter months. Smooth it on clean skin both morning and night to relieve redness and inflammation.
Best SPF for Rosacea
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$125.00
UV exposure is a common trigger for rosacea, which makes daily sunscreen a must if you want to keep yours from flaring. Go with this three-in-one formula—it color corrects with a subtle green tint to cancel out flushing, soothes skin with niacinamide, and protects with mineral-based SPF 50.
Best Face Wash for Rosacea
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$38.00
Anyone with rosacea should steer clear of aggressive face washes with harsh surfactants (looking at you sodium lauryl sulfate) and opt for a gentle cleanser instead, like this one from LA-based facialist Shani Darden. It removes makeup and build-up but without aggravating your skin, thanks to soothing olive and chicory leaf extracts and nourishing oat bran extract.
Best Drugstore Serum for Rosacea
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$17.97
Designed for the most sensitive of skin types, this drugstore face serum is free of potential irritants (like fragrance, alcohols, and dyes) and filled with a blend of prebiotics, oats, and feverfew extract to restore your skin's protective barrier, tone down redness, and eliminate dryness too.
Best Face Mask for Rosacea
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$85.00
Pop on this face mask after a night of red wine and Thai takeout (remember, alcohol and spicy foods are classic rosacea triggers) to help relieve redness. The gel-like formula provides an instant cooling effect and helps calm down skin with anti-inflammatory aloe vera and rosemary extract.
Best Drugstore Face Wash for Rosacea
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$10.49
Legit every dermatologist recommends this drugstore face wash to patients with rosacea (or just anyone with sensitive skin in general). The mild formula gets rid of dirt, makeup, and excess oil while minimizing redness and irritation with soothing allantoin.
Best Booster Serum for Rosacea
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$36.00
Not familiar with azelaic acid? You should be, because the ingredient is one of the best out there for treating rosacea. It smooths bumps and rough texture, reduces flushing and swelling, and helps brighten your skin tone too. Try it in this booster serum, which can be used alone or mixed with your moisturizer.
Best Lightweight Moisturizer for Rosacea
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$29.99
If your rosacea-prone skin also happens to be oily, this moisturizer from La Roche-Posay is for you. The lightweight, oil-free lotion soaks into skin fast (so there's no greasy residue) and helps eliminate redness with niacinamide, glycerin, and the brand's famous healing spring water.
Best Toner for Rosacea
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$55.00
After you wash your face, saturate a cotton round with this toner and sweep it over your skin. It helps balance your skin's moisture levels post-cleanse—plus it's infused with soothing aloe vera and chamomile extract to take down any flushing.
Best Serum for Rosacea
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$67.00
This calming face serum is a gem for rosacea-prone skin, thanks to soothing botanicals, like thyme, olive leaf, and cucumber extracts plus hydrating hyaluronic acid. Use it twice daily under your moisturizer and SPF for redness-free skin.
This story originally appeared on: Cosmopolitan - Author:Lauren Balsamo
