Battle Facial Redness and Acne: Top Tips to Fight Back!

What Causes Facial Redness?

There are numerous reasons why redness may appear on the face. Firstly, genetic predispositions play a role. If your mother has these small skin issues like rosacea or couperose, chances are you might too. If your skin is delicate and fragile, it’s also more vulnerable to environmental aggressors like cold weather and pollution, leading to discomfort and skin imperfections such as pimples and irritation. However, it’s not only sensitive skin that’s prone to redness and blemishes. Indeed, all skin types can suffer from these problems. Harsh cleansing techniques, using water that’s too hot or too cold, or applying a cream that doesn’t suit your skin type can all contribute to skin issues.

Which Products Should You Use to Eliminate Redness?

In the morning

It’s essential to use a moisturizing cream to protect yourself from wind, cold, and pollution. Choose one that matches your skin type—dry, combination, or oily. Creams are now available with or without sun protection, depending on the season’s requirements. For redness like couperose, a moisturizing cream with a slight green tint can cover up to 30% of the redness.

In the evening

Choose a cream to nourish and rejuvenate your skin, suitable for your age since skin ages differently at 35, 45, or 65 years old. Apply it gently, and remember, fast is not the same as hard—many of us make this mistake! Similarly, many of us apply our cream just five minutes before bed, which doesn’t give the skin enough time to absorb it (though your pillow might!). Therefore, it’s better to apply it earlier in the evening.

What Are the Right Techniques?

For instance, it’s important to know the ideal water temperature for washing your face, which is between 32 to 34°C. This temperature prevents skin drying and doesn’t trigger the “vasoconstriction” or “vasodilation” processes in the small blood vessels, which can weaken over time. For cleansing and makeup removal, you should perform these steps both morning and evening, preferring gel-based makeup removers. Here are some practical tips:

• Apply and emulsify using the pads of your fingers
• Gently wipe off using either tissue paper or pre-moistened cotton pads
• Spray your face with a soothing water mist and perfect the cleansing using your fingertips
• Wipe off again in the same manner.
• Finally, it’s very important to always moisturize your skin before applying makeup.

How to Apply Makeup When You Have Redness?

• For women with minor redness and who aren’t used to wearing makeup, opt for a liquid foundation, which works well on areas like the cheeks. Use a very small amount on your fingertips and gently dab onto the redness. This is a technique even men use to cover their rosacea without looking like they are wearing makeup.
• For a special event or an evening out, the same liquid foundation smoothed over the entire face and enhanced with a bronzing powder on the cheekbones will delight those who prefer a “no makeup” look.
• For those with more intense redness and other skin imperfections like pigment spots, a fragrance-free and preservative-free compact cream is preferable. It should be applied with a sponge, using small dabs starting at the center of the face, then gently smoothed outward. The high pigment concentration (40 to 45%) of this type of makeup offers excellent coverage with minimal product. If redness is more pronounced and foundation alone is insufficient, add a touch of green corrector, either with a brush for minor redness or in a stick for more significant imperfections. This hint of green neutralizes—or greys—the redness, effectively and discreetly concealing it with very little foundation layered over top.

Corrector brushes are also very handy for directly targeting small red areas, as well as for under-eye circles, pigment spots, and expression lines. Dab with your fingertip to set the pigments, and you may add a light, possibly translucent powder to set. To increase your makeup’s longevity and also enjoy a refreshing moment, finish your beauty routine with a light misting of your face with a hydrating spray. Additionally, at Avène, I recommend trying a mini face compress treatment at home using Thermal Water with a face compress soaked and kept moist with the spray for 10 minutes before applying your night cream. Generally, lifestyle plays a significant role in skin health. It’s important to maintain regular, sufficient sleep, eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals (fruits, vegetables), and protect your skin from the sun regardless of the season.