From dermatologist faves to top-rated buys.
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Rosacea is associated with facial redness, but usually it’s more than just a “Wow, it’s hot outside!” type of redness. (Although hot temperatures can be a trigger, but we’ll get into that later.) It most commonly affects the center of your face such as your nose and cheeks, and Dr. Iris Rubin, a dermatologist and the founder of SEEN Skin & Hair Care, says as many as 16 million Americans are affected by rosacea in one form or another.
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Below, we’ve rounded up the 12 best products for rosacea. Read on for the most effective over-the-counter skin care products that can help calm redness, even out bumps, and subdue other symptoms like dryness and puffiness.
The Best Moisturizer for Rosacea
Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream
Rosacea can cause flaky, dry skin with its red patches, so it’s important to lock in moisture. Though it’s for all sensitive-skin types, Vanicream’s moisturizer is ideal for dryness; it does lay it on thick but in a way that doesn’t suffocate your pores. It has a 4.6-star rating out of 5 on Amazon, and reviewers say it quickly cleared up irritation and redness.
SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer
If you’re looking for a moisturizer that can help cool irritation and redness, add this dermatologist-recommended product to your cart. The lightweight cream works to calm dry skin and redness brought on by skin conditions like rosacea or general dryness. It contains cooling and soothing biomimetic peptides and botanical extracts, nourishing Shea Butter and Squalane Oil, and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, which works to combat environmental triggers that initiate irritating redness and flushing.
The Best Cleansers for Rosacea
Joanna Vargas Ritual Bar
Vargas’s Ritual Bar has soothing green-tea extract that rapidly calms inflammation, and it’s great for sensitive skin. The avocado oil also keeps your skin consistently hydrated and contains skin-nourishing vitamins A, E, and D. If you’re the kind of person who prefers a simple bar to wash your face, this one will do wonders, and it’s gentle enough to use each morning and evening without stripping your skin barrier. In addition to using products with green-tea extract to help defuse rosacea, Vargas also recommends chamomile tea, which “compresses to calm the skin and make it feel a little bit better if it flares up.”
iS Clinical Cleansing Complex
A three-in-one product might sound too good to be true, but the ratings and reviews don’t lie. This formula also has that aforementioned magic ingredient centella asiatica to combat a flushed face, and it acts as a cleanser, toner, and mask in one sleek blue bottle. You’ll be left with zero traces of makeup and less visible pores; plus, the naturally derived AHA and BHA exfoliants are nice to your skin while giving it a smoother texture. On Amazon, the cleanser has a 4.7-star rating out of 5 if you need more convincing.
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
This cleanser is the holy grail of moisture. Even for those who don’t have rosacea, it’s one you should use. If your rosacea symptoms are easily triggered by anything and everything, this cleanser is super-gentle yet effective and provides all-day hydration with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin. On top of all the pros, it’ll last you for ages, so for just $15, it’s pretty much a no-brainer.
The Best Masks for Rosacea
Danucera Cerabalm
This clean skin-care product, which nourishes and hydrates skin, isn’t your average balm. In fact, it works as a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a mask, all in one. And while Cerabalm can be used to brighten and illuminate skin, it is also “ideal for those with rosacea and redness,” according to Danucera and Rescue Spa founder Danuta Mieloch. And to help prevent flare ups, Mieloch recommends avoiding “extreme sun exposure, excessively hot and cold temperatures, and spicy food. Additionally, refrain from mixing products containing fragrance, silicons, and parabens to avoid skin irritation.”
Peter Thomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask
Sulfur helps target flare-ups and acne, so this is a good go-to if you have the type of rosacea that forms those tiny pimplelike bumps across your face. It also contains cooling aloe vera, and the bentonite clay vacuums out your pores so you’re left with a radiant glow (an oil-free one, I might add). Waiting five to ten minutes with this mask on your face before washing it off is all you need for a smoother complexion without any harsh scrubs or physical exfoliants.
The Best Creams and Sunscreens for Rosacea
Eucerin Redness Relief
Shainhouse recommends this gel-like, fragrance-free Eucerin cream that targets redness. She says the licorice-root extract calms skin and it’s non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores. Simply apply a layer on your face before you go to sleep, and you’ll wake up with a more even complexion.
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Idriss calls azelaic acid “the gold standard” for rosacea. In prescriptions, she recommends it at 15 percent, but this $11 cream still has 10 percent — not bad for the price tag. She says the acid is an anti-inflammatory ingredient, and it also has mild antimicrobial properties to control the growth of certain bacteria on the skin. “The skin may be more susceptible to bacterial colonization with rosacea, and azelaic acid can help reduce the number of bacteria present, potentially decreasing the inflammatory response,” she says. The gel-like consistency has a lightweight, non-greasy finish that brightens and targets any bumps or unevenness in your skin.
Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
If you’re more of a Paula’s Choice die-hard, this azelaic-acid product is also a great place to start. Shainhouse recommends this booster that you can wear on its own or mix with any moisturizer or serum. It contains licorice root to fight those flushed cheeks and also has a dose of salicylic acid for a visibly smoother complexion. Reviewers say it performs well as a dark-spot remover, so you can add hyperpigmentation to the list of things this product helps solve.
Hero Cosmetics Shield Superlight Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30
The light-green glossy texture counterbalances any redness, and this also acts as a great primer if you’re adding makeup into the mix. The green tint seeps into your skin and leaves a breathable finish that happens to be fragrance-free and reef-safe. Apply this in the morning, and reapply every two hours for sun protection that also feels hydrating and soothing thanks to the green-tea-leaf extract.
The Best Retinol Treatment for Rosacea
Hourglass Equilibrium Resurfacing Retinoid Treatment
This is a retinol you can use every evening without any annoying peeling or burning sensations. Of course, you should ease into this formula before testing it out on your own skin type, but the milky consistency gives you that glassy complexion. It targets discoloration and uneven texture, leaving your face brighter and smoother by morning. Some reviewers say they even use it in the a.m. and p.m. without the harsh side effects of other retinols.
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