Written by Roisin O'Reilly - Beauty and Wellness Advisor at JUNI & CO
Roisin has 16 years of retail experience in the beauty industry, with training in herbal medicine, women's health and massage.
Does your skin feel angry, sore and inflamed? It could be rosacea - a skin condition that affects 5% of the population. Despite this, it is still misunderstood and under-studied.
Keep reading to learn more about what rosacea is, how it's connected to gut health and your skin barrier, and a simple skincare routine to help treat it.
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What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a skin condition that mainly shows on the face and is characterised by redness, flushing and breakouts on the cheeks and T-zone. In severe cases, the eyes may be affected causing swelling and crusting.
There is no official test for diagnosis so rosacea may go under diagnosed. What's more, the redness can be more difficult to detect on darker skin tones, which also impacts diagnosis.
Rosacea-prone skin can be very sensitive and react to triggers - most commonly alcohol, dietary choices and direct sunlight. Stress can also exacerbate the condition.
Rosacea and the skin barrier
Our skin is the bodies first line of defence - it keeps us waterproof and prevents bacteria from causing us harm. However, retaining and protecting our skin barrier can be difficult.
Harsh environmental factors such as cold, wet weather or extreme heat, along with skincare routines that strip too much moisture, can leave our skin dehydrated, dry, inflamed and irritated.
Rosacea-prone skin is particularly at risk of this. Treating our skin barrier gently, kindly and replacing those essential fats (ceramides) can go a long way in repairing and soothing the irritation.
Rosacea and the gut microbiome
Antibiotics are often given as a treatment for rosacea. Although they can be effective at killing harmful bacteria, they can also kill the good bacteria. Current evidence shows a strong link between rosacea and gut health, so it's important to nurture our guts and use pre and probiotics to keep them happy, especially after a course of antibiotics.
To find out more about the gut-skin axis, read our Journal post 'Gut health and how it affects your skin'.
How to treat rosacea with skincare products
Rosacea is often treated with very harsh products instead of the gentle and consistent approach that is necessary. A typical treatment plan may include a topical cream, gel or an internal antibiotic. If GP treatments are not working, then a dermatology referral may be offered.
Although there is no cure for rosacea, there are products and techniques that can be used to reduce inflammation, calm redness and moisturise the skin.
A simple, consistent skincare routine is vital - too many active ingredients can irritate rosacea. Below are a few simple tips that can be followed at home to manage symptoms along with some of our most trusted product recommendations:
Avoid |
Focus on |
Harsh exfoliants, acids and other active ingredients |
Gentle, hydrating and calming products |
Products that contain fragrance and essential oils |
A simple yet consistent routine both morning and evening |
Very hot or very cold water when cleansing and bathing |
Protecting your skin from external stressors |
The Pestle & Mortar Essentials Facial Cleanser is a light, non-greasy formula that combines gentle cleansing with skin barrier support. It is fragrance-free, non-irritating, and doesn't clog pores, making it ideal for dry and itchy skin conditions, breakout-prone skin and sensitive skin.
It easily melts make-up - even mascara - and can be gently removed with a soft, warm flannel.
The Hydrating Accelerator by Josh Rosebrook is an instant 'drink of water' for the skin. A base of soothing phytonutrient-rich aloe vera, infused with an antioxidant-complete herbal profile, works hard to satisfy skin thirst and relieve the appearance of redness.
Due to its unique formula, the Hydrating Accelerator will enhance the performance of any serums, oils, balms and creams applied after.
It can also be spritzed throughout the day to relieve the feeling of tightness.
Pai's Instant Kalmer Serum is one of our all-time best selling products, and for good reason; in a four week consumer trial of 51 women with sensitive skin, it was proven to calm, soothe and relieve skin from discomfort.
This lightweight serum is packed full of ceramides that naturally occur in the skin, forming a protective layer to keep moisture in. It helps to both calm visible flare-ups and protect against future ones.
This 99% natural moisturiser is formulated with avocado, green tea, and rosehip fruit oil.
Designed to hydrate, heal and soothe the skin, it effectively treats sensitive skin complaints without being thick or greasy.
This feather-light and fragrance-free face oil calms, smooths and strengthens stressed skin.
The fast-absorbing formula helps to reduce the signs of visible irritation and tension, while high-performance ceramides build long-term resilience against future flare-ups.
It's important to note that layering hydrating, lightweight mists and serums under richer moisturisers and oils is the best way to effectively hydrate and moisturise the skin.
Read our Journal post 'Hydrating vs. moisturising your skin: what's the difference?' to find our more.
As mentioned above, harsh environmental factors and direct sunlight can negatively affect rosacea. Even if you don't suffer from rosacea, it's very important to protect your skin from harmful UV rays with a good quality, broad spectrum UVA and UVB sun protection.
The Bagliora Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 is an ultra-light face fluid that glides on the skin and gives a fantastic glow, whilst being waterproof and fragrance-free.
Could make-up be making your rosacea worse?
As well as addressing your skincare routine, diet and other lifestyle factors, it's worth thinking about the make-up you use.
A lot of us wear make-up all day everyday, meaning it's often sitting on our skin for 12+ hours. Many face products like foundation contain fragrance and other ingredients that could be exasperating rosacea.
et al. have created an incredible range of make-up that's not only designed to cover problem skin, but treat it. Each formula is non-comedogenic and allows the skin to breathe and function normally. They easily cover redness and help to reduce inflammation. In addition to routine testing on skin sensitivity and allergies, they've gone the extra mile and tested for comedogenicity as well as dermatologist testing to ensure that the products are completely safe.
Get bespoke advice with a Skincare Masterclass
If you feel you have tried everything to no avail, you may benefit from an in-depth masterclass.
At JUNI & CO, we believe it's the little things you do everyday that help to achieve great skin. If you are struggling with building a step-by-step routine or knowing how to use your product effectively, we offer a masterclass in our private studio space.
The masterclass is a relaxing way to learn how to utilise your products without triggering or sensitising your skin.
