Rosacea is a very stubborn condition that affects facial skin. It begins with infrequent redness around the nose and on the cheeks and can progress to permanent redness and irritation, rash, blemishes, large pores and surfaced capillaries. Skin affected by rosacea can be particularly temperamental and reactive to cosmetics, so do your research and test products before using them.
Good Cosmetics for Rosacea
For some rosacea sufferers, cosmetics can actually be beneficial. In a survey by the National Rosacea Society, 30% of respondents reported that liquid makeup foundation improved the appearance of their rosacea. Nineteen percent reported that pressed powder helped minimize the appearance of the condition, followed by 17% who said cream foundation helped, and another 17% who responded that powder blush had worked for them. Depending on the type and severity of your rosacea and your particular skin's temperament, makeup may improve the appearance of your skin and some cosmetics, such as a pore-refining makeup, may address the symptoms of rosacea.
Possible Irritants
The same study by the National Rosacea Society also reported that a certain number of respondents' conditions were irritated by cosmetics. Sixteen percent said that cream foundation made their condition worse and another 13% said the same of liquid foundation. Twelve percent said gel and cream blush irritated their skin, followed 11% for pressed powder. Because of the temperamental nature of rosacea, it is difficult to predict which cosmetics might irritate your skin. Depending on the type and severity of your rosacea and your skin type, some kinds of cosmetics may worsen your condition. However, people suffering from rosacea should try to avoid the following ingredients: Bentonite, alcohol or SD alcohol, cocoa butter, fragrances of any kind, menthol, TEA-lauryl sulfate, and ascorbic acid. They should also avoid any cosmetics containing botanicals as many of these can be irritating to the skin.
Best Cosmetics to Use
Experts agree that for problem skin, less is best. In other words, the fewer the ingredients a makeup product contains, the less irritating it will be for the skin. Simple products containing few chemicals and light, easily absorbed ingredients are less likely to cause flare-ups. Heavy cream or liquid foundations inhibit skin from breathing, and the same goes for heavy concealers and cream blushes. Rosacea-support.org recommends that rosacea sufferers stick to water-based makeups because they are light and less likely to cause irritation. They also say that anything that says non-comedogenic and non- acnegenic is a good bet for people with rosacea. Mineral foundations, powders and blushes often get good reports from people with problem skin, because they are light and contain natural ingredients.
Application Tips
According to Rosacea.org, you should always apply makeup to clean, moisturized skin. Handle skin gently, never wiping or rubbing, and use gentle application products like antibacterial brushes which can help keep some irritants away from the skin. Keep the products you use to a minimum. The more ingredients you put on your skin, the more likely it is to react negatively. Choose a few products and stick to those--changing products often can also aggravate rosacea. Another helpful tip is to use a green-tinted makeup base. In the National Rosacea Society survey, 35% of respondents reported that using a green-tinted base made their rosacea appear less noticeable. This is because the green tint counteracts the redness that rosacea sufferers usually experience.
Precautions
Before using any cosmetic, test it first. Buy the smallest available size of the product you wish to use and test it on a small patch of skin. If there is no irritation within 24 hours, then the product is probably safe to use. Rosacea skin can develop sensitivity to any product at any time, however, so even testing is not foolproof. If you develop an irritation from a product discontinue use and dispose of the product.
