Rosacea and redness: how to calm and manage it

Flushing that won’t settle, cheeks that turn pink at the slightest provocation, skin that stings when you try a new product. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Redness is a common skin concern, and it can be frustrating to manage.

The good news is that a gentle, consistent approach can make a real difference to how your skin looks and feels. Here’s what we suggest.

First, get the right diagnosis

Rosacea is a skin condition, and redness can have several different causes. If you think you might have rosacea, or your redness is persistent, worsening, painful or accompanied by bumps, please see your GP or a dermatologist. They can diagnose what’s going on and discuss medical treatment options with you.

Our role is to support your skin with gentle professional treatments, sensible skincare and practical advice, alongside any care from your doctor. If you’re under medical treatment, let your therapist know so your plan can work around it.

Common triggers to watch for

Everyone’s skin is different, but these are some of the triggers people with redness-prone skin commonly report:

• Heat, including hot showers, saunas and very warm rooms.
• Sun exposure, which is hard to avoid in Brisbane.
• Spicy food.
• Alcohol.
• Harsh skincare, such as rough scrubs, strong fragrances or too many active ingredients at once.

It can help to keep a simple diary for a few weeks, noting what you ate, what you did and what you put on your skin when flare-ups happen. Patterns often become clearer over time, and you can share them with your GP or therapist.

A gentle routine for redness-prone skin

When your skin is reactive, less is often more. Focus on a short routine you can stick to:

• Cleanse gently with lukewarm, not hot, water. Pat skin dry rather than rubbing.
• Skip harsh scrubs. Grainy physical scrubs can aggravate already sensitive skin. If you want to exfoliate, ask your therapist what’s appropriate.
• Support your skin barrier. The Barrier Hydration Complex ($99), known as “the skin reset serum”, is designed to support hydration. The Daily Remedy (from $59) is made to relieve, repair and restore.
• Protect from the sun with SPF 50+ every day.
• Introduce new products one at a time, so you can tell what your skin is reacting to.

If you like to soften the look of redness with makeup, the Australian Skin Institute mineral range includes the Mineral BB Cream with SPF15 ($69) and Liquid Mineral Foundation with SPF15 ($69). Try any new product on a small area first, and keep wearing SPF 50+ underneath, as an SPF15 foundation on its own isn’t enough for everyday sun protection in Queensland.

Browse the full Australian Skin Institute range, or ask your therapist to recommend what suits your skin.

Calming in-clinic treatments

When it comes to redness, we choose treatments that soothe rather than stress the skin. Your therapist will assess your skin on the day and adapt your treatment to how it’s behaving.

• LED with red light ($180, 40 min). Red light helps calm inflammation. It’s painless with no downtime. It isn’t suitable if you take photosensitising medication such as isotretinoin, so tell your therapist about any medications.
• Hydro Jelly ($180, 40 min). These algae-based Esthemax Hydrojelly® masks are designed for hydration, redness and dullness.
• Sensitive Peel, as part of a Peel Skin Treatment ($180, 40 min). This gentle 10% lactic acid peel may be an option, but only if your therapist agrees your skin is calm enough and suitable. Learn more in professional peels explained.

We’ll steer you away from anything too abrasive while your skin is reactive. Visit our redness, rosacea and broken capillaries page for more on this concern. If you’d like to talk it through first, book a free 20-minute Advanced Skin Consultation.

Personalised skincare from Tugun Compounding Pharmacy

Sometimes off-the-shelf products aren’t quite the right fit for sensitive or problem skin. Our partner brand, Tugun Compounding Pharmacy, compounds personalised skincare scripted by their pharmacists. You can request an order form, and a pharmacist will contact you to talk about your skin. Read more in our guide to personalised compounded skincare and supplements.

Ongoing support: Barrier & Hydration Program or Radiance Club

Redness responds best to consistency, so regular care is where memberships really help.

The Barrier & Hydration Program is $800 (valued at $1,000, so you save $200). Over 6 months you’ll have 2 x LED, 2 x Micro and 1 x Hydro Jelly treatment, plus the Barrier Hydration Complex to use at home. Your therapist will check each treatment suits your skin on the day before going ahead.

If you’d prefer flexible monthly care, Radiance Club is $135 a month (regular value $180, so you save $45 a month, or 25%) for one Radiance Skin Treatment every month. Your therapist chooses the modality, such as LED or a Hydro Jelly mask, based on how your skin is behaving. Members get 20% off Australian Skin Institute and Tugun Compounding Pharmacy retail, plus a Welcome Pack and a one-time Bring-a-Friend voucher. There’s a 6-month minimum term, then it’s month to month.

Not ready to commit? The Radiance Package gives you 3 x Radiance Skin Treatments for $460 (valued at $540, save $80), with no ongoing commitment and 6 months to use them. See all the options on our memberships page, or read our guide to choosing a Skin Club, Beauty Pass or package.

Ready to book? Book a calming skin treatment online or visit one of our six Brisbane clinics.