We all know that feeling of heat rising to our faces, complete with an unmistakable redness illuminating our cheeks. For some, it can happen after exercising. For others, it's down to the sheer stress of being embarrassed. In these cases, a cool breeze or laughing off an awkward situation may suffice for the face to return to its usual tone. However, when the crimson hue is more skin-irritation than adrenaline, the way how to reduce facial redness isn't so simple. Luckily, whatever the cause, a flushed complexion can be calmed with the help of the right skincare.
Here's Ameliorate's guide on how to reduce facial redness.
What causes red skin?
Let's begin with the many causes of red skin. There are the usual culprits such as heat, exercise, spicy foods, and alcohol. When the face begins to flush with any of these factors involved, it is usually down to the blood vessels widening. This allows for more blood to flow towards the face, especially the cheeks. Once everything has cooled down, the blood vessels constrict again and the blood flow to the face returns to its normal amount.
However, sometimes the causes of a flushed complexion are not linked to the blood vessels at all. In these cases, the best way how to reduce facial redness is to assess your skin-care regimen. Are you over-exfoliating or using ingredients that are simply too harsh for your delicate complexion? You may not realize it, but you could be self-inflicting your angry-looking complexion before the day has even begun. In the same way that certain foods can trigger the skin from the inside, certain ingredients in skincare can trigger it on its surface level, resulting in dryness, irritation, and a red hue on the skin.
What helps with redness on the face
So let's take a look at what does help redness on the face. When it comes to those warm, flushed cheeks, the first thing to do is to cool and soothe the area. Run a clean washcloth under cold water, rinse out the excess and pat it onto the affected area. This will allow the blood vessels to constrict and decrease the blood flow to the face.
Next up, try cleansing with a non-stripping cleanser that contains niacinamide and lactic acid to soothe the skin with hydration and support its natural moisture barrier, which in turn will help with redness on the face. Opt for a gentle, rebalancing cleanser, especially if you are cleansing in the morning.
Following the cleanse, massage two pumps of Ameliorate's Transforming Clarity Facial Serum onto your face before moisturizing. With ingredients such as Vitamin C to brighten the complexion and Willow Bark Extract to support skin cell renewal, this serum has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of facial redness.
Finally, apply a layer of Balancing Facial Moisturiser with color correcting pigments to the face. This lightweight, refreshing green tint moisturizer is supercharged with a combination of oil absorbing and balancing ingredients to help reduce facial redness and neutralize the complexion.
How to reduce red spots
Finally, let's take a look at how to reduce red spots. When the flush has been cooled and the irritation calmed, there will always be a blemish to come along and add a spot of redness to the face.
No matter how tempting it may be, to reduce red spots the best piece of advice is to do your best to avoid picking at it at all costs. Instead, place an ice cube inside a clean, thin cloth. Hold it against the blemish for up to three minutes. Take a break, and after five minutes repeat the process again. The ice will work to instantly but temporarily reduce the swelling and redness before heading out for the day.
In the evening, apply Ameliorate's Blemish Overnight Clearing Therapy to a cleansed face directly onto the red spots with clean fingers. Allow it to dry and leave on overnight. This clearing therapy contains Willow Bark Extract which is a natural source of salicylic acid, a peeling agent that according to Healthline, has "anti-inflammatory (and anti-redness), antimicrobial, and antifungal properties when applied at percentages ranging from 0.5 to 5 percent."
Whether it be from flushing, irritation, or a sporadic blemish, we've all experienced a form of facial redness at some point. As much of a hindrance it may be, knowing the cause behind it is already the first step in tackling it. So firstly establish, is your skin regime suited to your skin-type? Is your complexion craving some hydrating and soothing ingredients? To learn more about the impact that gentle, balancing products can have on your complexion, take a look at our guide on What is Your Skin Microbiome and How to Balance It.
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