April is Rosacea Awareness Month, and it’s a subject close to my heart because I have this skin condition myself. Rosacea is thought to affect up to one in 10 people and causes inflammation of the skin. The persistent redness that defines rosacea can wreak havoc on your makeup, and often people come to me with the same frustrations and problems.
Here are the concerns I hear most often when it comes to working with red skin, and how you can easily get around them.
The problem: “Nothing seems to last on me”
The solution: change your skincare and/or primer
If you’re finding you’ve tried foundation after foundation and nothing is lasting, the problem isn’t all of these foundations, it’s your skin prep.
For skin that looks dry and leaves your foundation looking patchy, prepare it with something rich like CeraVe’s Facial Moisturising Lotion, £15.50, Boots. This is rich in ceramides, which will help to restore the skin barrier and comfort irritated skin.
If you’d prefer something equally hydrating but slightly more lightweight in texture, Sali Hughes’ Gel Quench, £9.80, Revolution, is softer under makeup.
For skin that looks oily or for makeup that has melted away due to hot skin, a mattifying primer will help to retain your makeup. Murad’s Oil and Pore Control Mattifier, £43.50, Sephora is the very best at this, and something that I always have in my kit.
Swipe and shop: Skin prep for rosacea
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The problem: “My redness shows through as the day goes on”
The solution: maintain the problem area throughout the day
One of the biggest misconceptions about makeup is the idea that something is wrong if it hasn’t lasted immaculately. Our skin is hot to the touch, which means makeup is naturally going to melt and move. What we want to do is prolong the time in which it takes to do this, and then react quickly when it does!
Pack a small foundation in your handbag that comes with a brush applicator. Urban Decay’s Stay Naked Quickie Stick, £28, LookFantastic, fits the bill and offers luminosity, whereas the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation Stick, £29.50, Boots, does the same but with more of a velvety finish.
Do a quick touch up of persistently red areas whenever you take a trip to the bathroom; this small gesture will keep your makeup flawless for the whole day.
The problem: “I don’t get the same level of coverage as you when I follow your videos”
The solution: the amount of pressure you use when you apply your makeup
The single biggest game changer in achieving more coverage is adjusting the pressure of your touch. Sponge, brush, hands… I don’t care about your tool. Rather than rubbing quickly when you apply your makeup, take the speed down a touch, and try to gently press makeup on rather than rubbing it in.
Of all the tips I have shared online over the years, this is one of the things I get the most messages about. “It sounded so obvious, but I gave that a try and it made a big difference.” Trust me on this one. Remove some pressure and your oldest, most disappointing makeup will suddenly have new life injected into it.
Whether your desire for coverage is because of redness or anything at all, I hope these tips prove helpful for you. If you’d like some suggestions of the best foundations to cover redness and feel comfortable on irritated skin, take a look at my previous column.
There are so many exciting new makeup launches this spring – let me know on our Instagram pages @Eliza.co.uk or @RoseGallagher what you’d like to learn more about next time!
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