Ways to Care for Rosacea

Rosacea is a type of skin rash that occurs on the face, and typically appears as red dots and bumps, although some may look like whiteheads. It typically appears on the cheeks, and can spread to the nose and the rest of the face. There are a number of reasons as to why rosacea can appear, and you can do your best to care for it yourself at home, or you can go see a dermatologist and maybe get some medication for it. As far as we know rosacea never fully goes away, but you can treat the signs and symptoms and get rid of the underlying causes.

How to determine if you have rosacea

You may have rosacea if:

• You have red dots and bumps on your cheeks that look like acne but that don’t go away with a regular skincare routine
• The skin on the affected area on your face is tough or a little scaly (but not typically flaky)
• Your face flushes easily under the affected area

Dietary factors

Diet can play a big role in rosacea. Any types of allergies or irritants can trigger and perpetuate rosacea, even allergies you may not know you have, or ones that may not manifest in the way you think they might. Chemicals and vague ingredients like “natural flavors” in food and drinks can also potentially make rosacea worse.

Environmental factors

Environmental factors also play a role! If you live in a cold and/or dry climate, rosacea can get worse. Keeping your face moisturized in these climates will help. Another factor is makeup -- if you are constantly covering your face with foundations and cover up and not allowing it to breathe, your signs and symptoms can get worse. Choosing the right kind of light, clean makeup is better than heavier, chemical-filled makeup, but in order to really manage rosacea no makeup is better.

Stay hydrated

Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of filtered water can help decrease the chance of your rosacea getting worse. Rosacea needs healthy moisture both inside and out. If you are drinking seltzer or using flavor-enhancers in your water, make sure they don’t contain “natural flavors”, since this term is very vague and can actually be a multitude of different chemicals that could irritate your rosacea.

Oil cleanse

Since skin affected by rosacea needs to stay nice and moisturized, oil cleansing can be a great option for someone who has rosacea. Cleaning with oil may seem completely counterintuitive since we’ve been told our whole lives that oil is the enemy of our face, but in reality dirt, toxins, and lack of moisture are the enemy; the correct oil can do wonders. If you don’t know how to oil cleanse, here’s a basic rundown:

• Find an oil product that is great for facial skin (NOT coconut oil. Good options might be Neem oil, or our EmBeba Don’t Be Rash balm, which is specially formulated for sensitive skin to help moisturize skin and reduce redness).
• As part of your bedtime routine, rub the oil all over your face and leave on for about 10-15 minutes to help clean out any dirt, sweat, and toxins from the pores. OR, make an easy DIY face mask from bentonite clay or honey and cover your face with the mixture on top of the oil, and leave all of it on for 10-15 minutes.
• Rinse well, pat dry and add a thin layer of a healthy (meaning clean-ingredient and toxin-free) moisturizer.
• In the morning, rinse your face with water, pat dry, and add a tiny, thin layer of our EmBeba Don’t Be Rash balm all around your face.

Products to use products to avoid

Rosacea can worsen with use of the wrong products, like products that contain alcohol, witch hazel, or other astringent, drying ingredients. Avoid makeup and cleansing products that contain any kind of drying ingredients (like products that are formulated and marketed for acne), “fragrance”, or other ingredients that are likely chemicals you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce. Instead, use products with all-natural ingredients that are formulated to moisturize and calm the skin, with ingredients you’d find in a garden.

It can be hard to know whether or not you have rosacea, but using the guide at the beginning of this article may be helpful. What do you do to manage your rosacea?