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Courtesy of Rose Gallagher
From a girl with rosacea who has tried them all
31 March 2023
I have always had quite a rosy complexion, but five years ago, aged 28, I was officially diagnosed with rosacea. Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes redness and texture in the skin, and now one of my most asked questions is: “You don’t look like you have rosacea – how do you cover it up?”
The symptoms of rosacea can be managed well using the right skincare, and you can reduce your redness with a consistent routine. Equally, sometimes you want those quick fixes in your makeup bag so that you can completely cover redness in an instant.
Read more on finding the perfect base…
- How I fell back in love with blusher as someone who suffers from rosacea
- How to wear the matte makeup trend if you usually prefer a glow
- How to use powder foundation like a pro, by a makeup artist
The best foundations for rosacea
The first product that really did it for me was the original IT Cosmetics CC Cream, £36.50, Boots. This is a skincare, makeup and SPF hybrid, but it offers a completely full coverage that still looks glowy. This genuinely revolutionised my makeup routine because I was able to achieve a full glam that didn’t look or feel heavy, and in fact felt very comfortable. I became so hooked on this that I even landed my dream gig as the brand’s UK and Ireland ambassador, and have been with them for the last five years!
For far and wide use, something that sits consistently in my makeup kit now is the RCMA Cream Foundation. Again, this is creamy in texture but with a deceivingly full coverage. It gives less of a glowing finish than the aforementioned CC Cream, but is great if you like more of a skin-like coverage. In the UK, I get mine from Guru Makeup Emporium, which is home to lots of pro-makeup artist coveted foundations like this one.
Then there are specialised foundations like the one from Oxygenetix. I’ll be honest with you, the finish of this foundation isn’t quite for me. What I will tell you, however, is that it is great on paper, and many a dermatologist will recommend this for a rosacea patient with no qualms at all. If a trustworthy INCI list is your main concern, this is one to investigate. A warning however: it’s an investment.
£48
Oxygenetix
Oxygenating Foundation
On the high street, there are some brilliant affordable options. Recent full coverage powders like the L’Oreal Paris Infalliable 24H Fresh Wear Foundation in a Powder, £12.99, Sephora, and Maybelline SuperStay 24H Hybrid Powder Foundation, £11.99, Boots, are fantastic if you want something portable that you can use on-the-go.
The velvety finish of these is ideal if you find that your base tends to separate or melt away, but if your redness presents with lots of dryness, you’ll want to prep with a rich moisturiser before (like the Mac one below) using either of these.
powder
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It would be remiss not to mention the ultimate final word in coverage, Estee Lauder’s Double Wear, £37.50, Look Fantastic. I can all but guarantee this will cover any high colour whatsoever, but I can also guarantee it needs a hell of a cleanser to remove it.
One of the most important steps in a rosacea routine is a very gentle cleanse, so you need to keep in mind that your cleanser needs to break this down without exacerbating the redness. If I had to recommend a perfect partner, I’d direct you to the Elemis Pro Collagen Naked Cleansing Balm, £46, Boots, which is fragrance free.
One of the crucial things to keep in mind when you have rosacea is that it is hot to the touch. So, once you’ve found the perfect formula for you, the next thing to be mindful of is maintaining your coverage.
As April is Rosacea Awareness Month, I’m going to make a part two to this column next time. Now that we’ve found your perfect base, let’s explore the primers, powders, touch-ups and techniques that will lock it into place for as long as possible (and get clear on how long that realistically is).
Is there something about your redness you can’t get a handle on? Let me know on our @Eliza.co.uk Instagram page and I’ll touch on it in the next column.
