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I’ve written about my blushing woes before. Dealing with a relentless, cherry-red rosacea face is just about as fun as it sounds.
The constant anxiety, the agonizing embarrassment, and the shame that always follows combine to form a never ending, vicious cycle with undercurrents of persistent, sickening dread.
While I wouldn’t call my treatment for facial flushing a “cure,” since I have started this regimen, I haven’t had one single instance where I felt like my blushing was out of control – something I haven’t felt in a number of years!
So what’s my secret to treating my blushing and facial redness?
It’s probably something you’ve been told to use every day.
SUNSCREEN.
But not just any, run-of-the-mill sunscreen. The special sunscreen I use, coupled with a few tweaks to my skincare regimen, have been the perfect marriage of products to finally bring my chronic flushing under control.
If you suffer from rosacea or other sensitive skin conditions, you may already be well aware of the fact that sun exposure is the most common rosacea trigger. Just a few minutes outside can lead to a flushed face (and yes-this includes cloudy days, too).
In fact, beyond exacerbating the symptoms of rosacea, sun exposure has been shown to cause damage to the blood vessels in the face, which only worsens the facial redness.
It’s a little odd that such a basic product in my everyday skincare routine was never recommended to me by my dermatologist, though I had seen them many, many times about my facial flushing.
I had always worn makeup products with sunscreen in them, and that was deemed to be “enough” by my doctor.
Well, it turns out it wasn’t, because I was still suffering from persistent facial redness and flushing.
There are a number of sunscreens out there designed for sensitive skin like mine, and I’ve tried several with special, rosacea and eczema friendly ingredients that are marketed towards those with sensitive skin.
When dealing with facial flushing and redness, it’s important to choose a sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection. UVA rays age the skin, while UVB rays burn it.
Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen, along with a few changes to my skin regimen, have drastically and positively affected my skin to the point where I don’t have to worry about my blushing anymore.
Curious to see which products worked for my facial flushing? Read on to see which products have been the best treatments for my chronic blushing.
The Best Products for Treating Facial Redness/Blushing
1. Raya Gentle Cleansing Gel. As tempting as it is to buy the newest face wash I see when I head to the pharmacy, I always use a basic wash that gently cleanses my skin and removes any makeup, dirt, or oil. Raya Gentle Cleansing Gel
easily removes my makeup without leaving my face feeling dry or stingy. It leaves my skin feeling soft, and with just the right amount of moisture afterwards.
2. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Toner. Prior to using witch hazel, I had always used toners with fairly strong drying agents, with ingredients like glycolic acid and salicylic acid. But after a while, I got a little fed up with the constant peeling and flakiness, not to mention that the ingredients aggravated my already sensitive skin. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner
has been a God-send toner for my sensitive skin. Witch hazel is known for its soothing, calming properties. It also has powerful antioxidant and astringent benefits that encourage healing, slow the signs of aging, and even removes the bacteria and oils that lead to clogged pores. Although it’s a natural acne fighter, it’s still gentle enough for extremely sensitive skin like mine. To use, I apply the toner to a cotton round after washing my face, and swipe all over my face. It always amazes me how much residual makeup this takes off, even after I’ve already washed my face.
3. Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Sensitive Skin. I’ve used this ultra gentle moisturizer for years now because of its irritant-free formula. It’s oil-free and non comedegenic, and absorbs quickly into the skin. To use, I apply immediately after using Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Toner.
4. Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid-Lotion Sunscreen, Broad Spectrum SPF 55. To top off my anti-blushing skincare routine, I use this powerful, facial redness reducing sunscreen every morning. This broad spectrum sunscreen
protects against both UVA and UVB rays, and is formulated for sensitive skin like mine. It’s advertised to not cause breakouts, but I’ve found that since using this sunscreen, I actually stopped having breakouts, even around my time of the month. Plus, it doesn’t leave me chalk white like other sunscreens do, and actually leaves my skin with a perfect matte finish. This is by far the best sunscreen I’ve used yet, and I will continue to use it not only to keep my blushing at bay, but also for its amazing anti-aging properties.
