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There are many ways to combat redness and rosacea long-term, but what are your options when you need an instant cover up, either on the go or when you’re just out of the gym or shower with rosy red cheeks?
If you suffer with rosacea, there are topical treatments that will help to ease it, cosmeceuticals that will help and of course, makeup that can cover it. You can figure out your personal triggers and avoid them, also.
But if your red cheeks aren’t necessarily rosacea related, if you simply have sensitive skin, increased blood flow to the face at times or you just turn really pink when embarrassed or after exercise (me, me and me) there are ways to temporarily but instantly reduce redness with skincare and makeup.
I’m going to break this down into two parts – those times when you have a few minutes to spare to deal with the redness, and those times when you instantly need it to be gone.
If you’re out of the shower and your face is flushed from the warmth or the fact that you’re rushing, or whatever the case may be, these products can help take down your redness while you get dressed, brush your teeth or scroll mindlessly on Instagram for a few minutes. Masks and moisturisers are the best way to ease flared-up skin, so if it’s more than just heat causing the redness, these should help.
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Skin Relief Treatment Moisturiser, €48
This is a gel-like textured moisturiser that works beautifully under makeup. It helps tackle your flushed cheeks pre-makeup by both cooling and, with its green tint, cancelling out the redness. I’ve been using it after the gym alone as a base and it’s been great for taking the edge off my terrifying beetroot visage.
Avene Antirougeurs Calm Mask, €14.45
I love Avene skincare in general, but this really very reasonable mask is the dream for calming and soothing ill-at-ease skin. I leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then just remove any excess with a cotton pad. I would always have a bottle of thermal water with me (whether Avene, Vichy, La Roche-Posay or other brands, all are great!) to spray on afterward as a further method of cooling and soothing.
Mario Badescu Cucumber Tonic Mask, €19.50
Again, this gem from Mario Badescu isn’t overly spendy and feels as soothing as putting actual chilled cucumber slices onto your face. I also cool my masks in the fridge (if I think of it) before I use them just for extra oomph.
When time is against you, sometimes all you can do is cover the problem and deal with it later. So these are the three products I turn to when I need to say an immediate goodbye to my alter-ego, Beetroot Betty.
Vichy Dermablend Colour Corrector in Green, €17.45
I apply this with an old foundation brush, I concentrate it on the worst of the redness (otherwise it can turn your skin a sickly, ash colour – not ideal) and then put my foundation on over it. Ideal.
It Cosmetics Your Skin Only Better CC Cream, €39
This stuff, again from redness masters It Cosmetics, is a dream in terms of coverage. So if the redness is coming through your normal makeup, add some of this on top of the effected areas, or just use it as your foundation instead and it works a treat.
Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Pressed Powder, €38.50
I love this for setting my makeup when I’m having a bout of redness or sensitivity. No parabens, no phtalates, no fragrance, it’s just there to balance out the colour change in your skin in a more targeted way than standard powder. I would wear it sometimes even on days without redness issues and it’s a standalone decent product.