[Ed. Note: Rosacea is a medical condition, and, as with any skin condition, should be diagnosed and treated only by a board-certified dermatologist. If you think you may have rosacea, only a physician should determine your course of treatment.]
Rosacea is a skin condition affecting an estimated 16 million people in the U.S. “It’s a condition where the skin is extra sensitive and reactive to the environment,” says board certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD.
Rosacea is characterized by easily flushed skin, redness, and often small, red, pus-filled bumps on the face, and its cause is uncertain by the medical community. There are, however, known factors that trigger the condition, including sun exposure, cold and dry weather, hot showers, irritating skincare products, stress and anxiety, alcohol consumption, and certain medications.
Sometimes rosacea is mistaken for acne and eczema, so people end up addressing it in all the wrong ways. To weigh in on rosacea best practices, we tapped Dr. Zeichner and celebrity facialist Sonia Dakar, who has decades of experience recognizing and addressing the condition among her clients.
Meet the Expert
- Dr. Joshua Zeichner, MD is a dermatologist, as well as the Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
- Sonia Dakar is a renowned celebrity facialist with over 30 years of professional experience. Her eponymous skincare brand and clinic are based in Beverly Hills, CA.
Dr. Zeichner explains that the goal of treating rosacea is “to keep the skin barrier in as good shape as possible and to calm inflammation in the skin,” and says this looks like a routine composed of a gentle cleanser (he recommends the Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar to his patients with sensitive skin), moisturizers that contain soothing botanicals, and a mineral-based sunscreens that can help block UV light exposure (his pick is Solara Suncare Time Traveler Sunscreen, which he describes as an all-natural mineral formula that also contains barrier-strengthening squalane and ceramides).
Sonya Dakar once told me she’d “healed” one of her celebrity client’s chronic rosacea with five vegan, cruelty-free, and plant-derived products. Ahead, is that coveted routine with expert input from Dr. Zeichner.
Gentle Cleanser
Sonya Dakar
Nutrasphere Nano Mask
$88.00
This might not be for everyday use, but once or twice a week, Dakar recommends doing this soothing, moisturizing mask to keep your rosacea in check. “It offers intense hydration and delivers vital nutrients, plant stem cells, and antioxidants to the skin to hydrate and strengthen it,” she says.
Make sure to wear sunscreen every day, of course, and within about a month of following this simple routine, you should notice significant improvements in your rosacea.
The Final Takeaway
The goal of treating rosacea is to maintain the skin barrier and calm inflammation. To do this, Dr. Zeichner recommends a gentle cleanser, simple moisturizers swirled with botanicals, and mineral-based SPFs. Facialist Sonia Dakar recommends five vegan, plant-based products that calm irritated skin.
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