Top Five Tips for Reducing Skin Redness
Written for Walgreens.com
Blushing isn’t the only thing that can make you red in the face. Unfortunately, there are many possible culprits out there: rosacea, acne, sunburn, dryness, or irritation. Regardless of the root cause, they all result in the same thing: a red face for all to see. But never fear. We’ve compiled a list of our tip five tips for reducing skin redness.
1. Get to the root cause of your redness
One of the most powerful things you can do in your battle against skin redness is to consult your doctor about the root cause of it. For some people, chronic redness might be the result of a food or chemical allergy, or even the side-effect of medication for high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Another root-cause might be rosacea, a skin condition that results in red, inflamed skin and acne. Once you know the root cause of your redness, you can treat it and the redness much more effectively. This could mean switching a current medication or adding a new one into the mix.
2. Tweak your diet
Once you start treating the root cause of your redness, it can also be helpful to tweak your diet to incorporate foods that help reduce skin redness. Carrots, sweet potatoes, and broccoli are all great for that purpose. They contain high levels of antioxidants that help protect skin against environmental damage that can irritate it. Spicy foods can trigger inflammation, so it can help to avoid “hot” spices like white and black pepper, paprika, red pepper, and cayenne pepper. Instead, opt for seasonings such as thyme, ginger, and turmeric to add flavor to your food.
3. Soothe irritated skin
If your skin is red due to irritation or dryness, one of the best things you can do to reduce redness is to soothe your skin. Find a good moisturizer and apply it often. Shea butter, olive oil, and almond oil all boost the skin’s natural barrier and seal in moisture, so they are great choices. For even more soothing power, put your moisturizer in the fridge and let it cool before you apply it to your skin. The cold will feel amazing on inflamed skin and can also reduce the appearance of blood vessels. Other products that can help soothe irritated skin include hydrocortisone cream and OTC anti-inflammatory lotions that contains licorice extract.
4. Make friends with green-tinted products
If your skin still shows some redness, it’s now time to make friends with green-tinted products such as moisturizers and primers. The green in these products will even out the red tone of your skin immediately and will look great under makeup.
5. Love redness-reducing makeup
To further reduce skin redness, learn to love redness-reducing makeup. This includes a wide variety of products, from foundation, to concealer, to powder. Look for “redness reducing” on the label. Many of these products contain more soothing ingredients, more coverage, and more green tones than regular makeup. They can be your best friend in creating a beautiful finished look. Before you know it, redness will be a thing of the past.