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15 best rosacea products for every step of your skincare routine

This arsenal of skincare and make-up buys will help calm redness and soothe irritated skin

Rose Gallagher
Tuesday 28 May 2024 13:53 BST
From moisturisers and foundations to serums, cleansers and SPFs, find everything you need to care for rosacea-prone skin
From moisturisers and foundations to serums, cleansers and SPFs, find everything you need to care for rosacea-prone skin (The Independent/Rose Gallagher)
Our Top Picks

According to Bupa, rosacea is thought to affect one in 10 people in the UK. The skin condition causes redness and texture in the skin: “It can be like sensitive skin with a bit of a short fuse,” explains NHS doctor Kemi Fabusiwa. “It disrupts the normal inflammatory processes in your skin, leading to redness, bumps, and visible blood vessels, particularly around the centre of the face.”

However, rosacea can affect people in different ways. “I would argue that many individuals who have ‘a bit of redness’ have mild rosacea or rosacea-prone skin. It definitely exists on a spectrum,” says Dr Beibei Du-Harpur, a dermatologist within the NHS. There are four types of rosacea and they may overlap, with various symptoms, such as red flushing of the skin, texture in the skin, irritation around the eyes and, in extreme cases, a thickening of the skin.

Though rosacea is a chronic skin condition that will need careful maintenance, the great news is you can reduce symptoms with a simple (and often inexpensive) routine. “Rosacea skin tends to be very sensitive, so it is important to identify products that work for you and try not to change them too much,” advises Dr Du-Harpur. Speaking generally, adapting a skincare routine with a small number of steps will help you on your way. “An ideal routine would be quite simple: a fragrance-free cleanser, a hyaluronic acid serum, a lightweight moisturiser, and, of course, sun protection every single day,” suggests Dr Fabusiwa.

When curating your skincare routine, it’s important to be mindful of ingredients. “Look for ingredients that are calming and anti-inflammatory, like oat extract, green tea and niacinamide. Fragrance is a big no-no, and anything with a high alcohol content can be drying and irritating,” explains Dr Fabusiwa. In addition to your everyday products, using a treatment step can further reduce the symptoms of your redness. “I would always advise someone with rosacea to seek medical attention and obtain a prescription treatment if they can, as these will be more likely to yield an effective outcome. Over-the-counter options I like include products containing azelaic acid, as this is something we commonly prescribe in the management of rosacea.”

From staple skincare to make-up products such as foundation and concealer, we’ve rounded up the best rosacea products to help you manage redness. Have patience, give it time, and you’ll find your redness can be reduced, without needing to spend lots of money or invest lots of time.

How we tested the best rosacea products

Our tester in action with the tried and tested rosacea products
Our tester in action with the tried and tested rosacea products (The Independent/Rose Gallagher)

We’ve compiled a great mix of the best rosacea products, including our favourite moisturisers, foundations, serums, cleansers and SPFs, to help you find everything you need to care for your skin. As each product performs a different function and is suited to different skin types, we haven’t included a best overall pick, but instead have tried to cover all bases of your skincare routine.

The best rosacea products for 2024 are:

  • Best for reactive and sensitive skin – La Roche-Posay toleriane sensitive crème, 40ml: £21, Lookfantastic.com
  • Best for oily skin – Avene hydrance aqua-gel moisturiser: £18.94, Lookfantastic.com
  • Best for dry skin – Dr. Sam’s flawless moisturiser intense: £34, Drsambunting.com
  • Best skincare/make-up hybrid – IT Cosmetics your skin but better CC+ cream with SPF 50+, 32ml: £29.20, Cultbeauty.co.uk
  • Best hydrating cleanser – Skin Rocks the cream cleanser: £32, Spacenk.com

La Roche-Posay toleriane sensitive crème, 40ml

best-moisturiser-for-rosacea-la-roche-posay-.jpg
  • Best: For reactive and sensitive skin
  • Product type: Moisturiser
  • Key ingredients: Glycerin, ceramides and vitamin B3
  • Product benefits: Repairs and protects the skin barrier
  • How to use: Apply to face and neck after cleansing
  • Why we love it
    • Perfect for sensitive skin
    • Great for use twice a day

For those who have already spent too much time and money on solutions that do not work, we would advise turning to the La Roche Posay toleriane range. This has been formulated specifically with reactive, sensitive skin in mind, and is gentle enough not to irritate, while still potent enough to make a difference. This particular moisturiser is great for use twice a day, though, if you would prefer a richer or lighter texture, there are many in this general family that do a similar job.

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Avene hydrance aqua-gel moisturiser

Avene-hydrance-indybest
  • Best: For oily skin
  • Product type: Moisturiser (in a gel texture)
  • Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and provitamin E
  • Product benefits: Reduces shine, hydrates skin and provides an instant cooling effect
  • How to use: Apply to clean skin in the morning, at night or as needed
  • Why we love it
    • Great for oily skin
    • Lightweight
    • Super hydrating
    • Sits well under make-up
  • Take note
    • You may wish to use it alongside a hydrating serum, to further quench any dry patches

If you have oily skin or you struggle to get your make-up to last for a long time, you’ll like this moisturiser from Avene. This lightweight gel absorbs quickly and is densely hydrating, yet sits undetectable in a matter of moments. This, in turn, will allow your make-up to last for longer, as one of the main reasons your foundation can separate is if the skin feels dry and, consequently, absorbs moisture from your make-up.

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IT Cosmetics your skin but better CC+ cream with SPF 50+, 32ml

best-foundation-for-rosacea-it-cosmetics-cc-cream.jpg
  • Best: Skincare/make-up hybrid
  • Product type: CC cream
  • Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, soy extract and collagen
  • Product benefits: Provides a full coverage base while hydrating, nourishing, and helping to protect skin from sun damage
  • How to use: Apply with a brush, starting from the centre of the face and blending outwards in a circular motion
  • Why we love it
    • Includes SPF
    • Full coverage
    • Sits comforatbly on skin
    • Hydrating

This IT Cosmetics CC cream is a great all-rounder. The founder of the brand, Jamie Kern Lima, had rosacea herself, so, she created this one-step skincare, make-up and SPF hybrid. This offers full coverage and sits comfortably on hot skin, as it contains hydrating ingredients such as niacin. It’s great for all skin types, in particular dry skin, and is available in a natural, radiant or completely matte finish in a decent range of shades.

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Dr. Sam’s flawless moisturiser intense

Dr-sam-moisturiser-indybest
  • Best: For dry skin
  • Product type: Moisturiser
  • Key ingredients: Sunflower shoot extract, ectoin, lactobacillus and Centella asiatica
  • Product benefits: Alleviates dryness, bolsters skin’s microbiome and fights UV damage, inflammation and pollution
  • How to use: Apply morning and evening to face and neck, after serum, or simply as needed
  • Why we love it
    • Great for dry skin
    • Relieves tightness
    • Instantly rehydrates the skin
  • Take note
    • May feel too rich to use during the day

For drier skin, Dr. Sam’s moisturiser offers a rich, buttery texture. It will relieve any tightness in the skin and leaves a soft balmy residue, which is great for creating a hydrating base for make-up or soothing bare skin at the end of the day. We found this to be especially great as an intensive treatment for particularly dry skin days, working quickly overnight to alleviate tightness and discomfort in the skin.

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L’Oreal Paris infallible 24 hour fresh wear powder foundation

best-foundation-for-rosacea-loreal-paris-infalliable-24-hour-power-foundation.jpg
  • Best: Viral product that lives up to the hype
  • Product type: Foundation
  • Key ingredients: Unspecified
  • Product benefits: Provides lasting coverage with a matte finish
  • How to use: Apply to skin, using the sponge applicator included
  • Why we love it
    • Great for oily skin
    • Exceptional level of coverage
    • All-day wear

If your skin is on the oily side, or you prefer using a powder, the L’Oreal infalliable 24 hour fresh wear compact offers an exceptional level of coverage and longevity. It went viral on TikTok with good reason – this velvety matte foundation covers redness, lasts the day, and won’t draw further attention to any bumps in the skin.

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Maybelline instant eraser concealer

best-make-up-for-rosacea-maybelline-instant-erase-concealer.jpg
  • Best: For concealing isolated red patches
  • Product type: Concealer
  • Key ingredients: Unspecified
  • Product benefits: Provides generous coverage without drying out the skin
  • How to use: Twist collar of the applicator until concealer is visible on the sponge then apply
  • Why we love it
    • Generous coverage
    • Good for on-the-go use

If you wish to target areas of redness alone, the Maybelline concealer offers generous coverage but feels hydrating on the skin. The handy sponge tip also makes this great for touch-ups when you’re on the go, as you can gently layer coverage, if you need to.

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Sculpted by Aimee velvet veil pressed setting powder mini

Sculpted-powder-indybest
  • Best: For setting make-up in place
  • Product type: Setting powder
  • Key ingredients: Centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide
  • Product benefits: Sets and maintains the colour of your foundation
  • How to use: Use a small brush to press this over your foundation and/or concealer, to seal in coverage
  • Why we love it
    • Keeps make-up in place
    • Prevents shine and redness
    • Gives skin and make-up that blurred effect
    • Small enough to pack in your make-up bag and take everywhere
  • Take note
    • If your skin is especially dry, you may prefer to use a make-up setting spray

Whichever make-up option you choose, sealing it in place is key. Your skin may well be slightly hotter to the touch when you have redness or rosacea, meaning make-up is more prone to sliding or even melting away altogether. Gently pressing in a translucent powder, such as this one, will seal your make-up in place and prevent it from disappearing throughout the day.

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Skin Rocks the cream cleanser

The-cream-cleanser-indybest
  • Best: Hydrating cleanser
  • Product type: Cleanser
  • Key ingredients: Amino acids, squalane and jojoba seed oil
  • Product benefits: Gently removes impurities to leave skin soft and soothed
  • How to use: Massage gently, in circular motions, over wet or dry skin, then rinse off with warm water and a soft flannel
  • Why we love it
    • Removes all make-up (including eye make-up)
    • Hydrating and comforting on hot or irritated skin
    • Fragrance-free version available

From Caroline Hirons (the skincare expert with a cult following), this cream cleanser is the perfect step to begin your skincare routine. Designed to thoroughly melt away make-up and cleanse the skin of SPF and the general grime of the day, this feels no more abrasive than a rich moisturiser. What we liked about this product was that it was gentle and creamy but, at the same time, worked quickly to dissolve even long-wear make-up.

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Klira the special

Klira-special-indybest
  • Best: For targeting bumps
  • Product type: Treatment serum
  • Key ingredients: Different for each client, but some examples include: tretinoin, azelaic acid, ivermectin
  • Product benefits: Offers prescription-strength support without the need for a trip to the doctor
  • How to use: Use each night on freshly cleansed skin before moisturising
  • Why we love it
    • Reduces texture
    • Custom formulated for each client to suit their skin needs
  • Take note
    • An investment price tag but worth the money

Every type of rosacea is different, and having a one-to-one is essential in helping you to correctly manage your symptoms. Klira is an online service developed by dermatologists, designed to custom blend formulas to target your skin concerns. The brand uses prescription-strength active ingredients, so you can effectively treat your skin without needing an in-person trip to the doctor. Though there are several skin services of this nature, Klira offers the widest variety of solutions and the widest variety of options to customise your formula. You can, for example, opt for a richer or lighter base to house your blend of active ingredients.

  1.  £65 from Klira.skin
Prices may vary
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The Outset firming vegan collagen prep serum

The-outset-serum-indybest
  • Best: Vegan-friendly brand
  • Product type: Serum
  • Key ingredients: Vegan collagen, Mexican arnica flower extract
  • Product benefits: Hydrates and comforts dry, tight skin, while being super gentle
  • How to use: Apply a small amount to freshly cleansed face and neck before moisturiser
  • Why we love it
    • Lightweight and hydrating
    • Doesn’t pill under make-up
  • Take note
    • You may wish to add a traditional hyaluronic acid to lock in extra moisture

The Outset is a brand co-founded by A-list actress Scarlett Johansson. Unlike many celebrity launches, the ethos behind The Outset is to encourage the use of a relatively nondescript, simple and gentle skincare regime. Everything in the range is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, enabling you to care for your skin with an entirely ethical routine. The serum and moisturiser were our favourite picks for lightweight formulas with a deeply hydrating impact on the skin.

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Garnier ambre solaire invisible serum super UV SPF 50+

Garnier-sun-cream-indybest
  • Best: SPF for rosacea
  • Product type: SPF
  • Key ingredients: Ceramides
  • Product benefits: UVA, UVB and long UVA protection, protects skin from pollution-induced stress
  • How to use: Shake well and apply before sun exposure, re-apply frequently and generously
  • Why we love it
    • High SPF
    • Incredibly lightweight
    • Hypoallergenic

Though relatively affordable, this sophisticated SPF offers a lightweight texture and factor 50 protection from the sun’s harmful rays. As a result, you’ll achieve adequate sun protection without disrupting any make-up that you may wish to wear on top. This SPF sets to a completely invisible finish, so it is suitable for all skin tones and won’t leave any unsightly marks on your collar or clothes.

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La Roche Posay cicaplast B5 repairing serum

Cicaplast-serum-indybest
  • Best: Intensive repair treatment
  • Product type: Serum
  • Key ingredients: Vitamin B5
  • Product benefits: Restrengthens the skin barrier within one hour
  • How to use: Apply a few drops to face and neck after cleansing
  • Why we love it
    • Great as a fast-acting antidote to irritated skin
    • Can be used twice daily
    • Is deeply hydrating but non-sticky or greasy
  • Take note
    • This is very rich, so go gently under your make-up, to avoid pilling

If you find your skin especially distressed, this product is something you can look to for quick and powerful comfort.

While we love the original Cicaplast moisturiser, it is far denser and richer in consistency. This serum, on the other hand, is lightweight, and therefore easier to use.

We found this serum wasn’t something you necessarily need in your day-to-day rosacea management, but served as a quick-acting remedy to any moments of extreme skin discomfort. 

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Vichy mineral 89 100H moisture boosting cream

Vichy-mineral-indybest
  • Best: Everyday moisturiser
  • Product type: Moisturiser
  • Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamins B3 and E, squalane
  • Product benefits: Hydrates and strengthens the skin barrier
  • How to use: Apply to face and neck after cleansing
  • Why we love it
    • Suitable for all skin types
    • Clinically proven to hydrate the skin for up to 100 hours
    • Simple and effective
  • Take note
    • You may prefer a richer formula if you have particularly dry skin

Vichy’s Mineral 89 range is known for being as simple as possible. The formulas contain relatively few ingredients, reducing the risk of introducing any aggressors to sensitive or rosacea-prone skin. Instead, the products simply focus on rehydrating and strengthening the skin barrier.

This moisturiser is lightweight and easily absorbed but provides instant and lasting hydration to hot and bothered skin. We tested this across a long period, in various climates, and it worked well against everything from extreme cold winds to sticky heat.

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Dr. Jart cicapair colour correcting treatment

Dr-jart-treatment-indybest
  • Best: Redness neutraliser
  • Product type: Colour-correcting treatment
  • Key ingredients: Probiotic ferment, tiger grass, vitamins
  • Product benefits: Uses green particles to colour correct redness
  • How to use: Warm between the fingertips and gently press into areas of redness
  • Why we love it
    • Instant coverage
    • Skincare benefits woven into the formula

Though there are many green colour correctors on the market, Dr. Jart’s remains the most effective. The formula is designed to sit directly on flushed skin, helping to counteract the severity of redness. To apply this successfully, we found that using a small amount and adding more bit by bit was the best approach. If you prefer more of a glowing skin finish, the same technology is also available in lightweight drops. Our top pick is the original cream, however, because the coverage is better.

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The Inkey List oat cleansing balm

The-inkey-list-oat-cleaner-indybest
  • Best: Affordable make-up remover
  • Product type: Cleanser
  • Key ingredients: Oat kernel oil, colloidal oatmeal
  • Product benefits: Removes make-up, hydrates and moisturises the skin
  • How to use: Apply straight onto dry skin, massage into face, remove with a damp flannel
  • Why we love it
    • Melts all make-up away gently and instantly
    • Large size and affordable price point
  • Take note
    • This contains ingredients derived from nuts

Skin that is prone to redness will be easily exacerbated by touch. Luckily, this rich, slippy cleanser from The Inkey List will melt make-up away instantly, meaning you won’t need to work this product into the skin for very long at all.

The ingredients in the formula are designed to deeply hydrate and comfort the skin, while also being powerful enough to break down even waterproof mascara. An affordable, high-performing cleanser that comes in a tube that will last you for months, this is ideal for removing your everyday make-up.

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Rosacea products FAQs

What causes rosacea?

The exact cause of rosacea is not yet known. However, much research has been done into possible causes, such as abnormal facial blood vessels and the possibility of microscopic mites on our faces causing a reaction with certain skin types. 

How to treat rosacea

There are several simple steps you can take that are likely to help ease your rosacea symptoms. This includes avoiding known stressors, such as certain products or even alcohol and caffeine. Speak to your GP or dermatologist, as they may be able to prescribe cream or gels to be applied directly to the skin. Similarly, there are tablet medication options out there that could also help. 

While there is currently no cure for rosacea, the above methods are your best chance at easing and calming its appearance.

Is rosacea itchy?

For some people, rosacea can cause itching, also known as pruritus. It is more common in those who also suffer from bumps on the skin caused by rosacea.

The verdict: Rosacea products

The Vichy mineral 89 100H moisture boosting cream is a great all-rounder. For days when your skin is feeling particularly irritated, the La Roche Posay cicaplast B5 serum will provide instant and lasting comfort. To manage your skin most effectively alongside your everyday routine, a personalised Klira special will wield the most transformative results.

SPF is the most important step in your skincare regime, and these are the best sunscreens for your face

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