The Skincare Ingredients That Will Fade Redness For Good

Constant redness or flushing in the skin occurs when blood vessels in the face dilate and become more visible. Often this is due to various skin conditions, hormones or sensitivities to cosmetic preparations, however there are ways to better manage it. More importantly there are specific ingredients that we should be adding to our skincare routine to help! Although if you suffer from facial redness, where do you start? We sat down with Crystal Patel, Managing Director of Clinica-Lase to give us the low down.

If you suffer from constant redness or flushing in the skin, “there are many treatment options available,” Crystal says. “These can include dietary and lifestyle changes, laser/light treatments and topical products. Yet, despite redness being an ongoing concern for some, a holistic approach is generally recommended as one size never fits all.”

However, before we chat about how to treat these concerns, it’s important to first address what could be causing them in the first place. You see redness can occur for a variety of reasons. It can be attributed to a flush, too much sun exposure, or even more serious skin conditions such as rosacea and/or eczema.

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that predominantly affects the central face area, the exact cause of which is currently unknown. Meanwhile eczema is an allergy based inflammatory skin condition which affects the skin’s ability to repair its protective barrier and is complicated by its association with other allergic disorders.

Crystal warns us though, “to the untrained eye, the symptoms of rosacea, eczema and even psoriasis may appear to be similar but the treatment approaches will often be different. It’s therefore important that diagnosis by a qualified professional is sought prior to treatment.”

SOCIETY SUPER FRUIT ENZYME CLEANSER

ASPECT FRUIT ENZYME MASK

Crystal says “whilst the skin is in an aggravated state it is important to avoid strong exfoliating ingredients such as AHAs, BHAs and Retinol. I also advise against highly fragranced or chemical products, particularly sunscreens.”

So how should somebody with facial redness or flushing exfoliate if both physical and chemical exfoliators are out?

“I find a mild enzyme chemical exfoliate is best for people with redness. My two favourites for impaired or sensitive skin are the Aspect Fruit Enzyme Mask & the Societe Superfruit Enzyme Exfoliator“, Crystal tells us.

And as for the ingredients we need to be on the lookout for in our skincare? She’s put together a top five list for us below.

BETA GLUCAN

A natural ingredient derived from the cell walls of oats, wheat, barley, etc… that has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Great for reducing redness and general skin sensitivity.

EPILOBIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM (CANADIAN WILLOW HERB)

A plant based extract traditionally taken orally to treat gastrointestinal disorders but more recently acknowledged to be an effective anti-microbial and anti-irritant when applied topically to the skin.

HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES (SEA BUCKTHORN)

The pulp oil from the Sea Buckthorn contains a potent mix of fatty acids that have been shown to significantly alleviate eczema symptoms.

NIACINAMIDE (VITAMIN B)

Vitamin B is a powerhouse ingredient when it come to the skin an indeed overall health as it has a multitude of benefits. In terms of redness it helps by stimulating the production of Ceramides which form an important part of your skins lipid barrier which protects the skin from external aggressors.

N-ACETYL GLUCOSAMINE (NAG)

An acid/sugar derivative that essentially promotes the growth of human connective tissue. Commonly used to assist with wound healing but is also highly effective for general skin regeneration, particularly when combined with Vitamin B which is why it gets a mention here.

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS

PCA Skin Anti-Redness Serum – $63.00

A fast and easy to use serum that calms red, sensitive skin quickly.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Correcting Cream – $54.00

This neutralising cream will completely cover up your redness prior to you popping on makeup. Alternatively, you can wear it on its own to conceal any redness when your skin is feeling super sensitive.