The 15 Best Products for Redness and Rosacea, According to a Dermatologist, Esthetician and Editors

Struggling with sensitive skin that’s prone to redness and rosacea? You’re not alone. According to the National Rosacea Society (NRS), it’s a common skin condition that’s often undiagnosed. And though rosacea is a chronic disorder, meaning there’s no cure, you can alleviate the symptoms with a simplified skincare routine. Because as much as color corrector and foundation can work wonders, you want to treat, not just conceal, the condition. Below, I spoke with NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Ryan Turner and Los Angeles-based esthetician Kelly Viavattine about the best over-the-counter products to calm flare-ups, as well as ingredients you should avoid. (And I even got the scoop on The Ordinary’s viral azelaic acid.) From CeraVe to Neutrogena and Stratia, here are the 15 best products for redness and rosacea that won’t rock the boat when it comes to your sensitive skin.

Want more beauty tips sent right to your inbox? Subscribe here.

• Dr. Ryan Turner is the founder of TRNR Skin and a board-certified, New York City-based dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology, general dermatology, surgical dermatology and laser surgery. He is an Assistant Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the former Director of Dermatologic and Laser Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Turner received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School.
• Kelly Viavattine is an esthetician at Kate Somerville, a Los Angeles-based medical esthetic skin clinic and beauty brand.

I spoke with Dr. Turner and Viavattine about the best treatments for rosacea and redness, key ingredients that would help calm inflammation, products they like and things you should avoid. These criteria guided my search as I researched different brands and over-the-counter treatments. As someone who used to have a fair amount of redness on my forehead and nose, I looked at my own vanity to see which products have been working for me. I also consulted PureWow Senior Food Editor, Katherine Gillen, and Senior Editor, Dana Dickey, about the products they swear by as people with rosacea.

Want more beauty tips sent right to your inbox? Subscribe here.

If you struggle with redness and think you may have rosacea, Dr. Turner’s chief advice is to get yourself an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist. He explains that prescription treatments (like azelaic acid, metronidazole, doxycycline and topical ivermectin) may be most effective in treating the condition.

Over the counter, Viavattine notes that some beneficial ingredients for calming irritated skin include sulfur, peptides, aloe, allantoin, niacinamide (5 percent max), azelaic acid, oats and mineral SPF with zinc oxide. Dr. Turner calls out azelaic acid as particularly effective, along with niacinamide.

“Niacinamide is great to calm the skin, soothe redness and restore of the skin barrier. Anytime we’re supporting the skin barrier and microbiome, that helps calm skin and treat inflammation.” Ceramides, glycerin and hyaluronic acid are beneficial in repairing the skin barrier as well.

However, before you go stock up on new products, know that the best skincare routine for redness and rosacea is a simplified one. That means skipping ingredients that may irritate like AHAs, BHAs and retinol. Viavattine also cautions against astringents, physical exfoliants, alcohol, witch hazel, menthol, peppermint and eucalyptus oil.