SKINCARE SERIES: ROSACEA AND SENSITIVE SKIN

When your skin is really sensitive I think quite often the best thing that you can do for it is to keep things simple. I have really sensitive skin and as soon as I try to get too fancy with fragrances, use anything really harsh or overload my face with products it doesn’t go well. Rosacea is quite bit harder to handle than your run of the mill sensitive skin because there’s a lot more that sets it off than the wrong skincare (spicy food, sun exposure, fluctuation in emotions, etc.). Additionally one of the symptoms that can come with rosacea is acne. Trying to deal with the acne, without causing further irritation can be a major challenge. Salicylic acid is often recommended because it exfoliates and sooths inflammation concurrently. But if you’re finding your skin to be stubborn I would really recommend going to a dermatologist. I was prescribed Retin-A and topical antibiotics when I went. As for sensitive/rosacea prone skin without the complication of acne, this is what I would recommend:

Cleanser:
I find La Roche Posay to be the dream brand for sensitive skin. A lot of the French pharmacy brands are gentle, but LRP does it best. The Toleriane range is particularly suitable for sensitive skin. There’s nothing in those products that are going to cause irritation. The Toleriane Dermo Cleanser is perfect for dry, sore skin as it’s very moisturizing. You can feel that it has a high glycerin content by its slippery consistency and it really doesn’t feel like it’s stripping the skin at all. In fact it actually leaves behind a bit of a moisturizing residue, which I can see some might not like. A quick wipe with a flannel will get rid of it though. This is the ultimate cleanser for sensitive skin in my mind. It has a way of cleansing, but leaving your skin feeling almost untouched by the process. 

Treatment:
Avene’s Antirougeur Fort is a treatment for chronic redness. It’s supposed to reduce the appearance of blood vessels and calm inflammation. I have to admit that I don’t think I’ve ever used this product to its full potential. I tried using it daily in the hopes that it would reduce the redness in my cheeks over time. But either I didn’t stick with it for long enough or it really isn’t designed to do that. I think this would help more if you were having a flare up and you needed something to calm things down. I need to give it a go next time I start to feel that irritated burning sensation creeping up on me (again, still not talking about STD’s). I’m really curious to know if anyone else has given this a proper go and had good results. Anyone, anyone, Bueller?

Oil:
I love the Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil. I don’t know if anyone else has ever had that sensation of burning when they apply their moisturizer on top of sore skin, but I have never experienced that feeling with this oil. It’s incredibly soothing. And for anyone struggling with both sensitive skin and acne this oil is perfect because it delivers moisturization and helps diminish scaring. It find it does a great job leveling things out in general. ‘Tis a beautiful thing my friends. I use this one only at night. As an oily skin gal I can’t quite pull it off during the day.

Moisturizer:
I mentioned the Toleriane Ultra Moisturizer in my post about skincare for acne prone skin, but I think it shines brightest with sensitive skin. It kicks dryness in the balls. Well and truly. My skin is nice and supple after using this. And of course, as the name suggests, it doesn’t cause any irritation. I like the consistency too. It feels rich, but not at all greasy. Points for having a pump too – hygienic and it allows you use up every drop.

Lastly, I want to say a few more words about rosacea. It’s not something that has a cure. There was a cream just recently released onto the market called Mirvaso, which apparently banishes the redness for about a day. But that stuff honestly scares the crap out of me and, like I said, it’s no long term cure. I think to really get a handle on tough cases of rosacea it takes a lot of commitment. You need to learn your triggers and mold your lifestyle around them. It can mean reducing sun exposure and making sure you’re always wearing an SPF. It can also mean cutting out certain foods from your diet. And most challengingly it can mean being in control of your emotions. If you can find a calm, level place it will not only help your skin, but it will benefit your life in general.