Rosacea 101

What Is Rosacea?

If you’re dealing with rosacea, don’t think you’re part of the minority. In fact, rosacea is a very common facial skin condition! You might notice blushing, or flushing, of the cheeks along with papules (red bumps). Of course, it’s not constant but these flare ups can happen for weeks or months and then dissipate for a while. Some other symptoms of rosacea include:

• Flushing
• Persistent redness
• Papules (red bumps) or pustules (pus-filled bumps)
• Telangiectasia (little blood vessels)
• Swelling
• Stinging or burning sensation

So You Have Rosacea, What do you do?

Dealing with rosacea can be frustrating, we know, but there are ways to avoid triggering flare ups and keeping this skin condition at bay. The best thing you can do, which we know can be the most difficult, is identifying your triggers and of course avoiding them! We’ll go into what kind of things can trigger rosacea flare ups later. Make sure to ALWAYS use sun protection. Not just sunscreen, but physical protectors too like umbrellas and wide brimmed hats. Moisturize religiously! And try out cosmetics, both skincare and makeup, before applying to your face. Check out how to patch test here so you can be a pro!

And of course, if you’re really in the blues about your skin condition, go visit your board certified dermatologist. Rosacea has many lookalikes, so it’s best to get a professional opinion!

Common Rosacea Triggers

Triggers for what can cause your flare ups may differ person to person, but some very common causes are the ones we listed below.

• Cold weather
• UV radiation
• Spicy food
• Alcohol beverages
• Emotional stress
• Microbial infestation (e.g Demodex)

Rosacea Friendly Skincare Products

These are some of Picky’s picks for those dealing with rosacea to hopefully get some relief! Make sure to check out even more options in the Picky app.

Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser

Formulated without soap or fragrance, and contains Feverfew, an ingredient to help with calming sensitive skin and reducing irritation as well as dry skin. This gentle foam cleanser helps to wash away dirt and oil without causing aggravation for those with sensitive skin.

“My skin became irritated and sensitive. Then I stopped every active ingredient and only used this one, a hydrating serum and moisturizer. After one or two uses, I saw immediate reduction in redness and the sensitive feeling.” –Brownskincarelife

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

CeraVe is known for having widely affordable and effective products, with straight forward ingredients and claims! And there’s a reason this hydrating cleanser made it all the way to the top three in Picky’s 2021 Skincare Awards! Formulated with hydrating and gentle ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid and more to restore your skin barrier.

“It’s a soothing, hydrating and non-irritating, gentle (non-foaming) cleanser. It has a gel cream like texture that’s gentle on my rosacea skin. Doesn’t feel sticky or oily after washing off. Sometimes I use only this cleanser when my skin feels a bit itchy or irritated.” –iamfarah36

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner

Centella can be a wonderful addition to your routine if irritation and sensitivity is bothering your skin. And what better product to add than the top toner of 2021! This toner has undergone a skin irritation test and proven to be effective for bother brightening and acne-prone skin!

“I found the centella toner to be a basic calming toner. Great for flare ups. I have mild rosacea and haven’t had any flare-ups with this product….but that’s not to say it will work the same on your skin since everybody’s skin is different.” –Skintastica

Make P:Rem Hydrate Me. Micro Tension Cream

If you want something soothing, hydrating, but won’t clog your pores, then this is the cream for you! Created with non-irritating ingredients to help restore the skin and provide refreshing moisture, without any possible aggressors like fragrance and alcohols.

“I have rosacea and sensitive skin so before using, I test a small amount of the product on my arm. My skin is moisturized and does NOT have any negative reactions to this product. Thicker than a lotion but easily absorbed and easy to spread. After application, the skin is left smooth and feels hydrated to the touch. Since this has a heavier consistency, I think it would be best in a night time routine.” –KristenZoey

Purito Oat In Gel Cream

No essential oils, no fragrance, no alcohol or irritating additives! This gel cream is a savior for irritated or sensitive skin, even fungal acne safe too! Keep skin vibrant, balanced and healthy with this oat and panthenol packed cream!

“My thirsty skin literally drinks it up and after a few days I’m happy to see any redness calmed down, leaving my skin well hydrated and bouncy. Also good to calm down redness and uncomfortable itching, repair and hydrate skin in people with eczema, psoriasis, inflamed acne and rosacea.” –Clarissadebauty

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%

Azelaic acid has been a popular option amongst the rosacea community, stating it can be helpful for flare ups and redness! And this product from The Ordinary can help to deliver visible improvement to both appearances of blemishes along with skin texture. A great antioxidant packed into this lightweight cream gel.

“Very affordable! This product cleared up my acne from my rosacea. This is a very gentle yet affective acid. This worked even better than some prescription skincare topicals from my dermatologist. I have very sensitive skin, yet this product hardly ever causes irritation.” –SkincareMare

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Natural Sun Cream

Formulated with zinc oxide, a great plus for sensitive skin types along with hyaluronic acid! A physical sunscreen that can help keep you covered in addition to preserving your skins moisture barrier!

“Honestly, this is one of the best sunscreens I have tried. Every morning, at the last step of my skincare routine, I apply this. It absorbs quickly to your skin, leaving it glowy and protected. It does not leave a whitecast which is what I like the most. As a chemical sunscreen, it never stung my eyes at all.” –Ysslavendy

Be Picky

On the Picky app, we have a wide community of skincare lovers. And all are facing their own skin goals and concerns. From acne breakouts to eczema and rosacea. If anyone will understand what you’re going through, it’s the skincare community on Picky! Don’t be afraid to drop a discussion question for help or search through previous posts for tips. Make sure to follow us on Instagram for more skincare science content and check out our YouTube channel!