Anyone who has read my short story in the "About Julie" section knows that I am also dealing with rosacea. For 20 years, it has bothered me to varying degrees. Today, I'll give you a brief overview of what I recommend, what I avoid, and where I would start with regards to skincare.
First and foremost: please do get a diagnosis from a dermatologist. And if they prescribe an antibiotic ointment, use it! Once you're out of the acute phase, I'd be happy to establish a skincare routine together.
I always use an antibiotic cream when I have a severe flare-up. For me, that means: not just redness, but many small pustules and often itchy inflammations that truly look like acne. At this stage, I can do whatever I want, it's all useless. I then use a prescription cream for a few weeks, gradually taper it off, and then switch back to my normal skincare.
There are classic triggers for such really bad flare-ups. For me, these are always prolonged periods of stress and the annual start of hay fever season. I can then literally see how my skin condition gradually worsens until it becomes unbearable.
Things like red wine, sauna, cold-to-hot changes (e.g., switching from the slopes to a hut while skiing), spicy food, hot food, embarrassing situations (yes, really) cause short-term "flashes." However, these rosacea flare-ups are short-lived and not associated with pustules, but "only" with severe red patches, hot cheeks, and a burning sensation in the face. The only thing that helps here is to wait it out, or (if possible) to cool the cheeks in some way.
Here are my skincare recommendations for rosacea:
Do's:
- Cleanse gently
- Use hydrating serums
- What always works well for me: hyaluronic acid, ceramides, tremella, reishi
- Many customers also swear by niacinamide, which personally doesn't do anything for me at all, but this is totally individual
- Enzymatic peels or acid peels with glycolic acid (only when needed!!)
- Use sunscreen
Don'ts:
- Very rich, oily products
- Alcohol and citric acid
- Vitamin C (and anything else that stimulates blood circulation)
- I would always avoid (even without rosacea) mineral oil derivatives and silicones; I always feel like the skin is "sealed off" and can't breathe. However, this probably falls into the realm of anecdotal evidence....
- Mechanical peels
- Acids, such as AHA, BHA
- In individual cases: essential oils (unproblematic for me, but can be different for others)
I would start with a minimalistic routine: cleanse, moisturize, sunscreen. If that establishes well over a few weeks, then you can gradually add one or two active ingredients if necessary.
Here are my favorites (of course, you only need one product per category; these are alternative suggestions!):
- Cleansing:
* Middlemist Seven
* Cleansing Cream
* Calming Cleanser - Serum
* Instant Kalmer
* Back to Life
* Revitalizing Gel
* Drippy Cocoon - Moisturizer
* The Anthemis
* Balancing Cream (for normal and combination skin)
* Care Balm (for drier skin)
* RoseaCalm - Protection
* All SPF with mineral filter
If you already have your rosacea quite well under control, you can gradually add further active ingredients, e.g., moth bean and/or bakuchiol as gentle retinol alternatives. If you're struggling, or have any other questions, please feel free to reach out!