How to Deal With Face Redness

Do you look like you’re blushing 24/7 with face redness? Fair skin, a sensitive complexion, rosacea—they’re all common occurrences. And don’t even get us started on springtime allergies! Not to worry. We’ve got both quick fixes and long-term solutions to help get rid facial redness right here.

The Instant Fix

Remember our color theory guide? It has great tips on combating redness on the fly using products. Try Smashbox Photo Finish Primer in Adjust (the green one)—its color-correcting properties mean you’ll use less foundation, and since it’s a primer, the product stays where you want it.

For an instant redness-blasting effect that won’t irritate hypersensitive skin, try the yellow Clinique Redness Solutions Mineral Powder. Just buff on with a kabuki brush, either alone or over foundation. Tip: Stow a color-corrector in your gym bag, so you can instantly look good even after the most punishing of workouts.

Easy Home Remedies

Splashing your face with cold water is a quick way to constrict blood vessels and tighten pores. A dot of calamine lotion with a Q-tip will calm inflamed skin eruptions. Eucerin Redness Relief Daily Perfecting Lotion, with its licorice root extract-based formula, is a rosacea-sufferer’s best friend. You can also DIY your own calming mask by mixing crushed raw oats with honey.

An Ounce of Prevention

You know what they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take heed and experiment with proper skin care and diet. While many people experience redness, the cause of such flare-ups is not necessarily the same for everyone. So it takes a bit of patience and observation to figure out what irritates your skin. Good rules of thumb for keeping skin calm:

Don't overexfoliate. Choose scrubs with smooth beads, like Peter Thomas Roth Botanical Buffing Beads.

Avoid spicy foods and alcohol. Both are vasodilators, meaning they open up blood vessels in your skin, which can contribute to a flushed appearance.

Cover up. Wear sunscreen and a hat outside and try to stay out of the heat as much as possible.

Try it first. Spot-test skin care products with very active ingredients like retinol, alpha hydroxy acids, benzoyl peroxide, etc.

Eat your fatty acids. Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, like flax, salmon, and walnuts, can have a calming effect on skin.

With a little bit of prevention and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can banish unwanted facial redness from your life altogether. Keep calm and carry on!