Acne Rosacea Skin Care

Experts told us environmental and emotional factors — including stress, heat, spicy foods and more — can be major triggers for rosacea flare-ups.Clinique; Amazon

Facial redness, irritation and small bumps can all be telltale signs of rosacea, a common skin condition affecting more than 14 million people in the U.S., most aged 30 to 50, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Similar to acne and eczema, rosacea can be hard to tame and treat. And worse yet, there's no real cure for the condition. Dermatologists told us that the best way to prevent flare ups is to avoid any potential triggers, including irritating ingredients found in many popular skin care products. We spoke to dermatologists about skin care products that won’t aggravate rosacea, as well as treatments and ingredients that can actually help tame flare-ups.

LEARN MORE Best products for rosacea | How to best manage rosacea | What type of products should you avoid with rosacea?

All About Rosacea: Signs & Symptoms And Treatment

Our experts said that a skin routine with gentle, non-abrasive products is best for people with rosacea. Below, we compiled expert-recommended moisturizers, facial cleansers, serums, sunscreens and more to help tame redness and irritation from rosacea. All of the products listed contain gentle, hydrating and brightening ingredients that can help soothe irritated skin — including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and aloe — and are fragrance-free to avoid further irritation.

“For people who are really sensitive and report that a lot of products burn or sting their skin, I’ll recommend the Vanicream line of products, which are great for people who have eczema and sensitive skin in general — a lot of patients with rosacea find it to be very tolerable, ” said Dr. Emmy Graber, a board-certified dermatologist and president of The Dermatology Institute of Boston. The Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser boasts the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance — the program evaluates products based on the NEA’s criteria of ingredients and contents to ensure they’re beneficial for people with sensitive skin.

Our experts also recommend the brand’s moisturizing cream for very sensitive and dry skin, which is also one of our favorite products for dry skin.

Rosacea Or Something Else?

Foaming cleansers can sometimes be too harsh on the skin — they contain foaming agents that remove most of the oil on the face, which can lead to even more dryness and flaking. Though our experts recommended avoiding most foaming cleansers on the market if you have sensitive skin, there are a few that can be safe for the rosacea community, like this one from Aveeno. “It recognizes that, by adding calming and hydrating ingredients to balance the foam of the cleanser, those that need their soap to foam to feel clean can enjoy the overall experience while limiting the risk of excess dryness, ” Ilyas noted.

Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser is recommended by dermatologists thanks to its gentle, non-foaming formula that helps hydrate and soothe rosacea-prone skin. Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg said she’s used the Cetaphil cleanser since she was 16 years old and loves that it's both affordable and gentle on her skin. “It's also great for travel because you don't have to rinse it off with water — you can massage it in and then (gently) wipe it off, ” she said.

Both Graber and Soza recommended Avene’s redness-relief line as a great option for people with rosacea who hope to calm irritation. This cleaning lotion from the brand is a no-rinse face wash that can gently remove makeup, dirt and oil — Avene recommends applying this cleansing lotion daily using a cotton pad or your fingers and wiping off any excess using a cotton pad.

What Are The Best Products For Rosacea? Here's Everything You Need To Know

Bodemer noted that the Dove Beauty Bar can be “a really good, easy cleanser that people can find inexpensively.” The hypoallergenic formula is safe to use as both a facial cleanser and body soap, and it contains mild and moisturizing ingredients like glycerin that can help maintain the skin’s natural moisture barrier, according to the brand.

One of our favorite moisturizers for acne-prone skin, this nighttime moisturizing lotion from CeraVe contains ceramides that “can help restore the skin barrier to soothe rosacea-prone skin, ” Ilyas said. You can also purchase the brand’s AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion for the daytime, which has a gentle formula and offers SPF 30 protection.

Clinique’s Redness Solutions skin care line offers cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens and more that can be beneficial for those with redness and rosacea. “[The products] come out looking like a green color but don’t look green on your face — they work to mask or camouflage the red color, ” Graber explained. She said the brand’s Daily Relief Cream is a great option for those with a lot of redness: The cream not reduces the appearance of redness, but also works to gently calm irritated skin, according to the brand.

The 13 Best Moisturizers For Rosacea: Dermatologist Approved Picks

Like Avene, La Roche-Posay is a French brand that makes gentle products for sensitive skin — our experts recommended this brand for both rosacea and acne-prone skin. I use La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair moisturizer every night since it’s both gentle on my rosacea and hydrating enough to keep my flaky, dry skin at bay. The moisturizer contains ceramides and niacinamide, which Ilyas said can help soothe and calm rosacea flare-ups. I pair this moisturizer with the brand’s Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser, which is a gel face wash that maintains my skin’s moisture and doesn’t irritate it (unlike most other cleansers).

Much like Cetaphil's gentle skin cleanser, the brand's moisturizing lotion can be a great option for those with very sensitive skin. An expert favorite, the moisturizer has a non-greasy, paraben-free formula with no added fragrance to avoid irritation for rosacea skin, the brand says. It can also provide up to 24 hours of hydration, according to the brand. If you're looking for a daytime moisturizer option from the brand, its Redness Relieving Daily Facial Moisturizer comes with SPF 20 for some sun protection and a tinted formula to reduce the appearance of redness.

Pros: Inexpensive compared to other similar options; Our experts say the actives help to heal acne scars; Our editors think its great under makeup

Papulopustular Rosacea: How To Treat Your Acne Rosacea Breakouts

Both Graber and Ilyas recommended The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Serum to help improve redness and generally even out skin tone, including any dark spots caused by bumps and blemishes. The serum contains 10% azelaic acid and is cruelty-free, vegan and gentle enough to use up to twice a day, according to The Ordinary.

Pros: Our editors thought that it was great under makeup; The brand says it has green-colored particles to immediately reduce the appearance of redness

The Inkey List’s Azelaic Acid Serum, which is recommended by Ilyas, is similar to The Ordinary’s serum — both formulas contain 10% azelaic acid and can be applied twice a day, according to both brands. If redness is a major concern, The Inkey List’s serum contains micro-fine green-colored particles that can help mask redness, as well as 0.3% allantoin, which is a chemical compound that can help soothe the skin, the brand says.

Best Skin Care Products For Rosacea And Redness In June 2023

Though retinoids can often be too harsh on sensitive skin, they can still work for rosacea-prone skin if they’re introduced slowly, starting with just once a week before building up tolerance. “I find the best approach is to first create a simplified routine that directly addresses the rosacea, followed by consideration of adding retinols and retinoids once inflammation in the skin is under better control, ” Ilyas said. She noted that adapalene gel — an OTC retinoid treatment that can be used to treat mild to moderate acne and blackheads — is considered a milder retinoid compared to other options like tretinoin and tazarotene. Because of this, both she and Soza recommended Differin Gel — which contains 0.1% adapalene— as a suitable anti-aging and acne-fighting option for people with rosacea.

The EltaMD UV Clear Sunscreen is a favorite among our experts since it’s free of heavy moisturizers that could clog pores. It also contains niacinamide, which acts as a natural anti-inflammatory ingredient for rosacea. The mineral-based sunscreen offers SPF 46 protection and includes zinc oxide, which experts previously told us provides protection against the sun's UVA and UVB rays while soothing the skin. This EltaMD sunscreen is the only one I’ve tried that doesn’t flare up my rosacea. Similarly, Ginsberg said she uses it on her fair, sensitive skin every day following her dermatologist’s recommendation because it doesn’t cause flare-ups for her, either. “I [also] love the texture and it never burns my eyes if I sweat, ” she said.

One of our favorite mineral sunscreens, the Isdin Eryfotona Ageless tinted sunscreen can provide some coverage to cover up redness and protect the skin against rosacea’s biggest trigger, according to Soza. It also contains peptides and antioxidants to also help minimize signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, the brand says.

Rosacea Natural Treatment · Top Dermatology · Dermatologist Nyc

Ilyas said she typically recommends Vanicream sunscreen to her patients because it provides broad-spectrum protection with SPF 50. The mineral sunscreen is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes and can be great for sensitive skin since it only contains one active ingredient (zinc oxide) and no dyes, fragrances or