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11 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
Thursday 09 May 2024 17:43
Shop our hero buys from La Roche-Posay, Murad and more
Shop our hero buys from La Roche-Posay, Murad and more (The Independent)
Our Top Picks

Rosacea is a skin condition that impacts a lot of people, and yet there are still many questions that remain around the best products for rosacea, and how to effectively manage the condition.

What is rosacea?

Rosacea is a skin condition that causes redness and texture in the skin. According to Bupa, it is thought to affect one in 10 people in the UK. 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 drastically reduce these symptoms with a simple (and often inexpensive) routine.

Speaking generally, adapting a skincare routine with a small amount of steps, prioritising a great cleanser, moisturiser and SPF, will help you on your way.

UV is thought to be one of the single biggest triggers for rosacea. By adding a dedicated SPF to your skincare routine every morning, you are not only protecting your skin from sun damage (including burning and premature ageing), you are also drastically reducing your risk of a redness flare up.

From staple skincare to make-up products such as foundation and concealer, whichever options you choose, simple steps are the most powerful when managing redness. Have patience, give it time, and you’ll find your redness can be reduced easily, without needing to spend lots of money or invest lots of time. Small, gentle steps will take huge strides on your journey to calmer skin.

How we tested the best rosacea products

We’ve split up our picks into sections that include the best moisturisers for rosacea, along with foundations, face washes, cleansers and SPF, to help you find everything you need to care for your skin.

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 – Kiehl’s ultra facial oil-free gel cream, 125ml: £35, Kiehls.co.uk
  • Best for dry skin – Murad intense recovery cream, 50ml: £68.73, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best skincare/make-up hybrid – IT Cosmetics your skin but better CC+ cream with SPF 50+, 32ml: £36.50, Cultbeauty.com
  • Best viral product that lives up to the hype – L’Oreal Paris infallible 24 hour fresh wear powder foundation: £10.45, Amazon.co.uk

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 retreating 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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Kiehl’s ultra facial oil-free gel cream, 125ml

best-moisturiser-for-rosacea-kiehls-oil-free-gel-cream.jpg
  • Best: For oily skin
  • Product type: Moisturiser
  • Key ingredients: Antarcticine and micronised amino acid
  • Product benefits: Reduces shine, hydrates skin and provides an instant cooling effect
  • How to use: Apply to clean skin in morning, night or as needed
  • Why we love it
    • Great for oily skin
    • Lightweight
    • Super hydrating
    • Sits nicely under make-up

If you have oily skin or you struggle to get your make-up to last for a long time, you’ll like the Kiehl’s ultra facial oil-free gel cream. 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.

  1. £35 from Kiehls.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Murad intense recovery cream, 50ml

best-moisturiser-for-rosacea-murad-intense-recovery-cream.jpg
  • Best: For dry skin
  • Product type: Moisturiser
  • Key ingredients: Shea butter, macadamia oil, mirabilis jalapa plant extract and microalgae extract
  • Product benefits: Soothes irritation, calms visible signs of stress and provides long-lasting moisture
  • How to use: Apply morning and evening to face and neck, after serum
  • Why we love it
    • Relieves tightness
    • Good base for make-up

For more of a dry skin type, the Murad 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. An added bonus is that this is also safe to use around the eye area, and has been designed to target the impact of stress and irritation in the skin.

Read our round-up of the best eye serums to treat dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles

  1. £68 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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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 protecting 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
    • Make-up and SPF in one
    • Full coverage
    • Sits comforatbly on skin
    • Hydrating

Our favourite all-rounder is the IT Cosmetics CC cream. 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 a completely 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.

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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 you have more of an oily skin 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.

  1. £10 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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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 the areas of redness alone, the Maybelline concealer offers a generous coverage but feels hydrating on the skin. The handy sponge tip also makes this great for touch-ups on the go, as you can gently layer coverage, if you need to.

  1. £7 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Laura Mercier translucent loose setting powder

best-make-up-for-rosacea-laura-mercier-translucent-loose-powder.jpg
  • Best: For setting make-up in place
  • Product type: Setting powder
  • Key ingredients: Unspecified
  • Product benefits: Sets and maintains the colour of your foundation
  • How to use: Saturate the puff with powder and press onto skin, using a rolling motion
  • Why we love it
    • Keeps make-up in place
    • Prevents shine and redness
    • Gives skin and make-up that blurred effect

Whichever make-up option you choose, sealing it in place is key. Your skin may well be slightly more hot 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 from Laura Mercier will seal your make-up into place and prevent it from disappearing throughout the day.

  1. £31 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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CeraVe SA smoothing cleanser

Cerave-SA-Smoothing-Cleanser-Salicylic-Acid.jpg
  • Best: For textured skin
  • Product type: Cleanser
  • Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, niacinamide and ceramides
  • Product benefits: Removes dirt and oil while exfoliating and smoothing rough and bumpy skin
  • How to use: Massage cleanser onto wet skin then rinse thoroughly
  • Why we love it
    • Gently exfoliates
    • Helps reduce appearance of redness

Many dermatologists would advise against using anything foaming on red or rosacea-prone skin, for fear of making an already compromised skin barrier even drier. However, the likes of the SA cleanser from CeraVe is an ideal face wash if you suffer from textured skin. This will clean your skin and gently exfoliate any bumps, helping to reduce their appearance.

  1. £13 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Dr Jart cicapair tiger grass enzyme foam cleanser, 100ml

best-face-wash-for-rosacea-dr-jart.jpg
  • Best: Hydrating foam cleanser
  • Product type: Cleanser
  • Key ingredients: Jartbiome, cicabond and centella Cx
  • Product benefits: Gently removes impurities to leave skin soft and soothed
  • How to use: Massage gently, in circular motions, over wet skin then rinse off with warm water
  • Why we love it
    • Feels like a foam cleanser without being drying
    • Hydrating

A cult brand from the heart of Korea, the Dr Jart cicapair range has been the subject of many a viral TikTok video. Though it is widely known for its cicapair colour correcting cream, another trusty redness solution, this face wash is a great option for anyone who wants the feel of a cleansing foam with a hydrating skin finish.

  1. £17 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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SkinCeuticals gentle cleanser cream, 200ml

best-cleanser-for-rosacea-skinceuticals.jpg
  • Best: For targeting bumps
  • Product type: Cleanser
  • Key ingredients: Orange oil and emollients
  • Product benefits: Hydrates and comforts dry, tight skin while smoothing rough surface texture
  • How to use: Apply a small amount to a wet face and neck and massage in with light circular motions before rinsing
  • Why we love it
    • Helps target bumps

If you are experiencing redness and texture and like the idea of a soft, hydrating cleanse that will also target bumps, the gentle cleanser cream from SkinCeuticals will be for you. This brand is known for the intelligent science behind all of their products, and as such this cleanser merges the comfort of a cream with the smoothing power of exfoliants.

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Garnier Ambre Solaire super UV anti dark spots and anti pollution face fluid SPF 50+, 40ml

best-spfs-for-rosacea-garnier.jpg
  • Best: Best make-up-friendly SPF
  • Product type: SPF
  • Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and vitamin E
  • Product benefits: Offers high SPF protection and 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
    • Lovely high SPF
    • Lightweight
    • Wont disrupt make-up

Though relatively affordable, this sophisticated SPF offers a factor 50 sun protection and a lightweight texture. As a result, you’ll achieve an adequate sun protection without disrupting any make-up you may wish to wear on top.

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Rosacea products FAQs

What causes rosacea?

The exact cause for 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, which can be 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 also 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 the appearance of it.

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

If you’re looking for an all-rounder, we’d suggest the IT Cosmetics CC+ cream as a one-step skincare, make-up and SPF hybrid. If your skin is on the oily side or you prefer using a powder, we also loved the viral L’Oreal infalliable 24 hour fresh wear foundation, which provided great coverage and longevity.

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

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