Ace your base with these top skin-enhancing foundations and tips & tricks from industry experts
Finding the best foundation for rosacea or sensitive skin prone to redness shouldn’t be stressful. In fact, quite the opposite – it should be a joy! The key? Seeking out nourishing formulas that work to minimise the look of redness, while being gentle on the skin.
But first, back to the basics. What is rosacea?
"Rosacea is a long-term skin condition mainly affecting the central face," explains Dr Sonia Khorana, a GP with a special interest in dermatology. "It’s often characterised by redness, particularly of the cheeks, chin and nose."
If you suffer from redness, or rosacea in particular, then you may have a few questions about make-up. Although it’s by no means a treatment, foundation can be a helpful way to temporarily enhance the appearance of your skin and help cover any unwanted redness, if you so wish.
Enter our industry experts, who are here to share with us everything we’ve ever wanted to know about redness and rosacea, from the ingredients that help soothe to application tips and tricks. Plus, we round-up seven of the best foundations for rosacea and redness-prone skin available at Boots.com.
If you need some tailored support or if your rosacea is particularly severe, visit your GP or check out the Boots Online Doctor Rosacea service*. After completing an online consultation, a clinician will review your answers and provide advice and prescribe treatment if appropriate – all within as little as 24 hours.
What type of foundation is best for rosacea & sensitive skin prone to redness?
If you’re wondering whether those with rosacea and redness-prone skin can wear foundation, you’ll be glad to find out that the answer is yes. But with so many products on the market, it can be tricky to make an informed choice.
"Foundation suited to rosacea should provide coverage and neutralise redness, while containing calming ingredients," says Lauren Montgomery, a celebrity make-up artist.
"Look for soothing and moisturising ingredients," Dr Khorana adds. "Anything infused with hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica, niacinamide or ceramideswill calm and help the foundation to feel comfortable on the skin."
Which ingredients should those with rosacea & redness-prone skin try to avoid?
When choosing foundations, it’s helpful to avoid irritants.
"Avoid alcohol, which can be drying and irritating," says Dr Hayley Leeman, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic.
Other ingredients that could act as potential triggers?
Dr Khorana suggests keeping an eye out for menthol, as well as being mindful of formulations containing retinoids and high percentages of exfoliating acids. "Triggers are of course specific to individuals, but in general, these ingredients can be treated with caution," she says.
Everyone’s different, so take a look at a product’s ingredients label to spot any culprits that have caused problems in the past. Retinol, retinly palmitate, retinyl acetate and retinyl lioleate on the label indicate retinols, while AHAs and BHAs are good indicators of exfoliating acids. The higher up in the list it is, the greater the potency.
How can you reduce the risk of a reaction?
A patch test is always a good idea if you’ve got any type of sensitive skin.
"In rosacea patients, it’s important to test the facial skin as it’s often more sensitive," says Dr Leeman. "Clean and dry the area, then apply your chosen foundation to a small section of the skin, leaving it on for at least 24 hours."
This should give a good indication as to whether you might react, but if you need some extra reassurance, "leave the foundation on for four days if possible", says Dr Leeman. "Occasionally, people develop a delayed hypersensitivity reaction."
And don’t forget you can pop into your local Boots store to try some samples. Ask an adviser to help you find your perfect match – they’re happy to help!
How to apply foundation on rosacea or redness-prone skin
Rosacea and sensitive skin prone to redness can be hot to the touch, which can affect your foundation’s staying power. Here are some application tips to help give it extra longevity…
1. Keep your cool
As rosacea can make the skin feel hot, keeping your products and tools in a cool place may be helpful. "If your products and tools are cold to the touch, this can have a cooling effect on your skin," says Dr Leeman.
2. Protect & prime
A perfectly primed base could work wonders when it comes to enhancing the longevity of your make-up and overall skin health. A good place to start? Finding a great day cream. Check out seven of the best moisturisers for rosacea and redness-prone skin in our guide for some add-to-cart inspo.
"If you have rosacea, it’s particularly important you apply SPF regularly," says Dr Leeman. "I’d advise applying a high-quality sunscreen prior to foundation for an extra layer of protection."
After this, go in with a primer.
"Choose a primer with (sun) protection and redness-reducing properties," says make-up artist Lauren. "This will create the perfect base before applying foundation."
3. Don’t be afraid to colour correct
Another useful consideration? Colour correction. While reaching for green-toned make-up might feel a little intimidating, it definitely shouldn’t be.
"Green colour correctors neutralise red tones," says Lauren. "Avoid anything too pigmented – mint hues correct without cancelling all colour in the skin. I find a little goes a long way, so apply sparsely with a sponge or clean fingers, focusing only on areas of redness. They can be used with or without foundation over the top, making the application versatile, depending on your desired look."
One colour corrector trending on TikTok? Dr.Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment – a green-to-beige cream that’s developed a cult following thanks to its abilities to even skin tone, minimise the appearance of redness and moisturise at the same time.
For more tips and tricks, check out our guide to colour correcting, which is jam-packed with expertise from a leading make-up artist.
4. Press, don’t rub!
We know it’s important to be gentle with our skin, and those of us more prone to redness often have to take extra care.
"If you rub your skin repeatedly during make-up application, you can definitely make your skin redder," says Dr Khorana.
Rose Gallagher, make-up artist and beauty content creator, agrees. "Instead, you should press foundation onto your skin rather than rubbing it in," she says. "Using too much pressure will do two things – reduce the amount of coverage you’re able to build and potentially further exacerbate the redness. By gently pressing the foundation using your hands, a sponge or domed, buffing foundation brush, you can create a lasting, flawless finish without aggravating your skin."
5. Top up as you go
We’ve all been guilty of applying a thick layer of foundation in the hope it’ll last all day.
"Instead, bring a small compact mirror with you and top up as you go," says Rose. "It’s much more effective, and means you can wear a hydrating, comfortable foundation rather than a heavy duty one that will take a lot of rubbing and scrubbing to remove."
"Less is definitely more," adds Lauren. "Often, trying to mask something with foundation entirely can highlight it further."
7 of the best foundations for rosacea & redness-prone skin
From skincare-infused formulas to high-coverage heroes, here are sevenof our top foundation picks for rosacea and redness-prone skin, suited to all budgets.
Shop more great foundations for rosacea and sensitive skin prone to redness in our full range.
