I have decided to try out a new type of post called “Beauty Fix“. The idea is to take an issue and present products + advice from experts to help you battle your beauty woes. These posts will be much longer than regular posts but I promise they will be full of amazing information that I hope you will find useful 🙂
Did you know that it’s Rosacea awareness month? Nor did I! Since I just found out I thought it would be good to do a post for those battling with Rosacea.
I don’t personally suffer from rosacea but I know many that do including my mother in law who has a mild case.
First off, what is rosacea?
Rosacea typically introduces itself after the age of 30 as redness on the cheeks, nose and forehead. A burning or a stinging sensation may be present as well. Dry patches and swelling as well as acne like bumps can also occur. No one really knows what causes rosacea except that it’s an inflammatory response but for some people there can be triggers such as the sun, certain foods and alcohol.
So what can you do about it?
There are some products on the market that may help.
Photo credit: J. Francisco Photography
“Primer. Certain Primers can combat redness, soothe the skin and create a canvas for further coverage. My favourite is Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer. I like Hourglass because it is sulfate, paraben and fragrance free – soothing on the skin and gentle for Rosacea. I do see a difference in the redness when I apply this primer. Another fantastic primer to help cover redness is MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Microperfecting Primer in Green. The green counteracts redness making this an ideal choice for those with Rosacea.
Foundation/Concealer. When choosing a foundation or concealer, look for one that is hydrating. Typically those with Rosacea have a little dryer complexion. A moisturizing foundation with an SPF is your best bet. When choosing a concealer to cover redness, look for one with a green or yellow tinge to counteract the red. The MAKE UP FOR EVER camouflage cream palette (in colour 1) has a great assortment of 5 colours to conceal redness (the green and yellow tones) and other concealing needs (peach/pink tones).
Powder. Powder can be tricky with a dryer complexion. Choose a yellow tone but use sparingly (too much powder on dry skin is not always a good thing). Clinique offers a Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Pressed Powder. This powder is yellow in colour and is offered in loose or compact. The compact is great for keeping with you throughout the day. This is a really gentle product and is 100% talc free!
In all your products, look for those that are geared towards sensitive skin, have an SPF and are free from too many chemicals. My final words of advice would be – highlight what you love, conceal what you don’t – but don’t stress – everyone is beautiful and what you see in the mirror is not always what everyone else sees 🙂“
How about some natural and practical tips for dealing with Rosacea? Kristen Ma skin expert of Pure + Simple also shares her practical tips for Rosacea sufferers.
Photo Credit: Lindsie Grey
“Stop Irritating Your Skin – Stripping skin with drying, strong cleansers + peels/exfoliation will trigger sensitive skin conditions and rosacea. Over-washing, scrubbing too often or using drying skincare products will lead to skin aggravation and capillary dilation. It is also important to be cautious when using AHA’s, retinols + exfoliants. While those with Rosacea may be able to use them once their condition is under control, most peeling agents should not be used on inflamed skin types. I also recommend avoiding stimulating ingredients such as ginseng, an abundance of vitamin C + lemon oil along with alcohol (natural or not).
Avoid Petroleum – Clogging ingredients can also contribute to inflammation as it prevents the skin from being truly moisturized, leading to an impeded barrier function. It also prevents healthy skin as it suffocates the skin and causes blockages in its surface/pores. Blocked pores prevent our skin from absorbing oxygen as well as create dehydration, which makes our capillaries more susceptible to breakage. Petroleum is found is many skincare products and contains molecules too big to fully permeate the skin. Petroleum-based ingredients can also be called mineral oil, paraffidum, petrolatum along with many other names. To find out if your skincare contains petroleum, you can use online resource such as Skin Deep to look up the ingredients listed on the labels of your products.
Soothe Naturally – For a regime that properly penetrates your skin tissue, I recommend using natural skincare that contains plant-based waters, oils and waxes. Natural ingredients that have specifically cooling and soothing properties include German Chamomile, Lavender, Camellia Oil, Coconut Oil, and Aloe Vera. Try to get organic products, as pesticides + chemical solvents can also be irritating. The Holistic Vanity Rosacea Care line contains 80-100% organic ingredients depending on the item – as well as it contains no water. Instead, products use a base of organic aloe vera juice, packing it with anti-inflammatory goodness.
These tips are all topical as there are so many lifestyle recommendations for calming rosacea and inflammation – For internal tips to combat sensitive skin and rosacea through diet and lifestyle – feel free to watch this video lecture I did at the Whole Life Expo. My apologies for the poor quality – but there is great information!“
“Naturopathic Medicine takes a whole person approach to treatment and rather than simply masking or controlling the symptoms. Long term use of the conventionally prescribed oral tetracycline antibiotics and topical steroids may contribute to and exacerbate rosacea symptoms. Naturopathic solutions include treating associated gut dysfunction and identifying triggers and food sensitivities. Food sensitivities may be a factor in rosacea when certain foods produce an inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract and elicit the release of histamine systemically, leading to increased skin inflammation. Laboratory tests are available to aid in the
identification of offending foods.
I also recommend that patients switch to more natural skin care products to reduce exposure to harsh chemicals and ingredients that can irritate the skin; look for natural products that nourish and heal the skin from companies such as Consonant, Living Libations, Cocoon Apothecary and Clinical Luxury by Nature.
Naturopathic care of rosacea is a very individualized approach to treatment. Nutritional supplements, dietary modifications and other therapeutic approaches such as facial rejuvenation acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, homeopathy and stress management techniques are all prescribed in a personalized manner tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Naturopathic Medicine offers rosacea suffers an individualized option for lasting relief from a concern that is often more than skin deep.“
So there you have it. The main points were to look for skin care products that are soothing and not irritating. Look to combat Rosacea by avoiding trigger foods and drinks and avoid inflammation. Look for cosmetics products that moisturizing and won’t cause dryness and layer green and yellow tinged products to combat redness where you need it.
I really hope this was helpful to you or someone you know. To get in touch with Meredith you can contact her via Blush Pretty. Kristen writes her blog Holistic Vanity and she’s also really active on twitter. Jen Newell is a Naturopath practicing at Lakeside Natural Health Centre. You can get in touch with her on her website.
If you have a beauty or skin concern that you would like a Beauty Fix for feel free to leave me a comment, email me or tweet me 🙂 I would also really appreciate your thoughts on this post. Your opinion matters to me immensely!
Thank you so much to my experts and friends for helping me out with this post!