Facial redness: causes and skincare

Having some form of redness on the face has probably happened to us all at one point or another. It’s pretty normal to experience some blushing every now and then. Rosiness on your cheeks or face can happen for lots of different reasons. Heat, intense workouts, embarrassment, menopausal hot flashes or sunburn can cause anyone’s skin to go a bit red and that’s totally normal!

We have all been there. It’s when this is happening a lot or is painful that you might want to start doing some digging to figure out the underlying cause. If you’re worried that redness is too persistent or is causing you pain/stress/embarrassment, that’s when it’s time to see a doctor or dermatologist.

What is flushed skin?

Facial redness happens when lots of the tiny blood vessels under the skin widen. When these blood vessels enlarge and expand they quickly fill up with more blood. This is what gives the skin that pink or red tint when you blush. It’s most noticeable in the areas where the vessels are close to the skin, such as your cheeks and chest. This flushing can be harmless and short lived but you should monitor any other symptoms that happen alongside this redness. 

Flushed skin doesn’t always require treatment and can sometimes be easily controlled. For example, wiping the area with a cool, damp cloth or putting on a calming face mask can often do the trick. If you’re noticing this is happening a lot or if it feels sore, this is the time to check with a professional. Finding a suitable treatment can only happen once you’ve identified the cause.

Common causes of redness

As we said, redness happens to everyone occasionally. There can be many reasons this happens which are considered normal. Genetically you can also have skin which is more prone to blushing than others. Some of the most common reasons for occasional blushing or redness include:

• General sensitive skin

• Menopause

• Being hot

• Sun or wind burn

• Strong emotions (stress, anger, embarrassment and anxiety for example)

• Over exfoliation

• Having a pale complexion

If you find your face is blushing consistently or you’re noticing redness more than what is normal for you, there could be many underlying causes. Persistent redness definitely justifies a trip to the doctor and based on other symptoms or by doing tests they should be able to determine the cause. Some of the most common causes for persistent redness include:

• Seborrheic or atopic dermatitis (eczema)

• Rosacea

• Allergies or skin irritation

• Psoriasis

• Spider veins

• Shingles

• Lupus

If it turns out that rosacea is the underlying cause of your redness, take a look at our blog about rosacea triggers.

Skincare for redness

Figuring out which skincare and treatments you should use for your redness can be tough as it isn’t cut and dry. Redness is a wide term for many different causes which all require their own treatment. If you have inherited redness genetically and it’s not linked to a medical condition, there’s not too much to be done other than taking care of your skin and not angering it.

If you have a compromised skin barrier which you have damaged or has been damaged due to a medical condition, your aim will be to feed and fix the barrier as much as possible. There are a few ingredients and skincare products that tend to work for redness associated with a number of conditions. 

Prebiotics and probiotics

Before understanding how probiotics and prebiotics work, it’s important to understand the microbiome. The microbiome is the group of living things (eg. bacteria, viruses etc) that make up and thrive in our body. This is connected to every area of our health. Probiotics are usually taken orally and look like vitamins. They contain a combination of yeast and good bacteria to help balance out any bad bacterias and improve overall gut health. If you didn’t know already, there is a strong connection between our skin and gut health! Probiotics are great for balancing the bacteria to keep your skin cool, calm and protected.

Prebiotics come from special plant fibres and are what feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut. They come in the form of carbohydrates that your body doesn’t digest, and goes straight to the lower digestive tract. Prebiotics can be bought as supplements but are also found in many foods, which you can see here. Prebiotics can be really helpful in reducing inflammation and redness.

Soothing plant extracts 

There’s good reason why people have been turning to plants for thousands of years for their healing properties! There are so many different plant extracts out there known for healing, soothing, reducing inflammation and other positive things, that you could spend your life reading about it. Some good ingredients for soothing redness and inflammation include licorice root, green tea, oregano and cucumber oils and extracts. 

Plant-based ingredients are the basis of all of our products and can be found carefully formulated in our Calming Serum 1, Calming Serum 2 and Moisturising Balm. 

Vitamins 

There are many good vitamins which can help the skin in different ways. Vitamins A, B, C, D and E (no, we’re not just rattling off the alphabet!) are said to be the best for your skin, according to Medical News Today. If you’re looking to target redness specifically, vitamins A, C and D are good for targeting inflammation and giving the skin the antioxidants it needs.

SPF

​​Skincare experts recommend wearing sunscreen on exposed areas every day you plan on spending any time outdoors, especially if you suffer from any sensitivities or facial redness. Wearing an SPF of at least factor 30+ sun, rain or snow is one of the best things you can do for your skin. 

Knowing what’s what when it comes to sunscreen is another good trick to have up your sleeve. Chemical vs physical. Chemical sunscreens soak up and absorb the rays from the sun, whereas a physical sunscreen deflects the rays from your skin. Chemical SPF is the most common sunscreens and are easier to come by.

Physical sunscreens are a better option for those who suffer with redness or sensitive skin. They provide better year-round protection and broad-spectrum UVA and UVB coverage. Our physical Finca Skin Organics Tinted Sunscreen has SPF 30+ and uses the active ingredient Zinc Oxide, the only sunscreen ingredient FDA-approved for children under 6 months. It also contains just seven edible-grade 86%-certified organic ingredients and is completely petrochemical free.

Green tints

So this last one to top off the list is a non-preventative measure that we thought deserved an honourable mention. Green is the opposite of red on the colour chart and is known to correct redness and even out the tone of your skin. This can usually be found in the form of a concealer or primer and as mentioned on the NRS website, a green tinted primer serves as a good base when applying makeup. Green works really well to neutralise redness on the days where you just need a quick fix.

At Finca we formulated a green tinted primer with minimal ingredients to suit sensitive skin including rosacea. In our short ingredients list, you’ll find zinc oxide in there to reduce redness and prevent further irritation from UVs. Licorice root extract and cucumber seed oil have been added to soothe the skin. You’ll also find green tea for its active plant polyphenols and cooling effect and of course, we added in a good dose of iron oxide which acts as the green tint. 

As mentioned at the top, if your redness is persistent or painful please see your doctor or dermatologist to determine the root cause. At Finca we are not medical professionals, just individuals who suffer from rosacea with a passion for clean skincare. We always advise first seeking your doctors advice for proper diagnosis and prescribed medication if applicable. We have put together a non-exhaustive list of some of the possible conditions if you find that your skin is often red and/or sore.

All Finca Skin Organics products are made using a minimal, plant-based ingredients list and formulated by me, a rosacea sufferer.

The Finca Skin Organics range has undergone a Harley Street clinical study. After using our products, 87% felt the appearance of their skin significantly improved. 

View the entire range of Finca products here or find out what subtype your skin is.

When in doubt, always refer to your doctor or dermatologist as the condition differs for everyone. It’s always best to talk to your dermatologist first and work out your treatment plan together.

If you have any queries regarding your rosacea or how to use our products get in contact with us, we'd love to hear from you.

With love from Ireland,
Finola

*Clinical evaluation by Harley St. dermatologists on 23 subjects after 8 weeks of use.