19 Soothing Rosacea Creams and Serums That Experts Swear By
All the hydration, none of the redness.
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Rosacea, which is most commonly associated with redness, impacts 16 million Americans. Anyone can experience rosacea, but according to the Mayo Clinic, it’s most common in middle-aged white women. Although there’s no cure, these rosacea creams can help minimize signs and symptoms of rosacea, including facial flushing, visible veins, swollen bumps, and burning sensations.
As our skincare-obsessed beauty editor, I consulted several board-certified dermatologists about all things rosacea and their no-fail rosacea cream recommendations. Most of these suggestions are $40 or less, so you can spend extra money on Valentine’s Day gifts for yourself (and lucky loved ones).
Best Rosacea Creams and Serums
- Best Overall: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
- Best Budget: Cetaphil Redness Relieving Set
- Best Night Cream: Eucerin Redness Relief Night Creme
- Best for Oily, Combination, and Acne-Prone Skin: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Water Gel Moisturizer
- Best Tinted Rosacea Cream: La Roche Posay Toleriane Rosaliac AR
What is Rosacea?
“Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by central facial redness, papules and pustules, flushing, red eyes, and a feeling of warmth in the skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Corey L. Hartman, M.D. He says there are four main subtypes of rosacea that are all thought to be mediated by neural control of the small blood vessels of the face.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara, M.D., adds that it’s commonly mistaken for acne because of the symptoms of redness and pus-filled bumps on the face.
What Causes Rosacea?
Rosacea is typically triggered by red wine, cheese, and seafood, as well as hot drinks like coffee and tea, says Hartman. Other causes include changes in weather, such as extreme sunlight, cold, and wind, as well as stress and emotional trauma. Gohara adds that rosacea most commonly affects middle-aged women with sensitive skin.
This skin condition is also associated with an extremely diminished skin barrier, which manifests in dryness, redness, and reactivity to external stressors, adds Courtney Brown, PA-C.
Can You Treat Rosacea?
Both dermatologists say there is no cure for rosacea, but you can lessen the look of symptoms with various treatments. There are some amazing over-the-counter products you can reach for to soothe your skin: You just have to look for the right ingredients to keep your skin calm.
Best Ingredients
Gohara suggests slathering on fragrance-free moisturizers and creams that contain ceramides (in SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2), hyaluronic acid (found in the Fresh Chemistry Glow Getter Brightening Serum Set), niacinamide (vitamin B-3), or bisabolol. “Each of these ingredients will help create a moisture barrier to keep the skin hydrated, calm, and better protected from outside factors,” she says.
Worst Ingredients
As for what to avoid, Hartman says many active ingredients may be too harsh for people with rosacea to use since their skin is sensitive. “While many people falsely think that a reaction to one product deems them sensitive, those with rosacea are intolerant to many active ingredients in skincare products that prove beneficial for others, like retinol, salicylic acid, gels, and solutions,” he says. Both doctors advise against using harsh astringents and drying ingredients, including alcohol, witch hazel, glycolic acid, and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which can cause rosacea to flare up.
What to Consider
Your Skin Barrier
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King M.D. notes it’s important to use non-irritating and non-drying rosacea products that contain calming ingredients, like cica or aloe vera, to help support your skin barrier. “One aspect of rosacea is impairment of the skin barrier function — the barrier tends to be not as robust, and therefore the skin is more sensitive because potential irritants are more likely to penetrate and more moisture can be lost,” she says.
Always Stick to Gentle Products
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Nava Greenfield, M.D. of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC says you must be vigilant about only using non-irritating rosacea creams. “Skin that is prone to rosacea flares needs to be careful when shopping for face creams. The creams need to be gentle and made for sensitive skin. Flares can result from several different triggers and can last several days to weeks. Choose a cream that is calming for your skin,” she says.
Don’t Skimp on Sunscreen
Greenfield also stresses the importance of wearing sunscreen. Studies show sun exposure causes rosacea flare-ups, so applying a gentle mineral sunscreen that sits on top of your skin will help guard you against redness associated with rosacea and prevent aging and sunburns due to UV ray exposure. Also, consider throwing on a sunhat and sporting UPF clothing for broader sun protection.
Now that you have the lowdown on everything there is to know about rosacea, take a look at some of our experts’ top-recommended rosacea creams and serums to soothe any flare-ups — plus a few of our favorites.
Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Best Products with over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like high-frequency wands and microcurrent devices, into easy-to-understand guides. She takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, — such as hairdryers and foundations — on our site, and spotlights her all-time seasonal favorites in her quarterly column Best New Beauty. And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for our Beauty Awards package.
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