Redness on Face

Redness on Face

If you’re dealing with skin redness, understanding its causes is crucial to knowing how to care for it. We’ll walk you through common culprits, plus reveal Paula’s Choice skin redness treatments for red spots on the face, red cheeks or an overall red face.

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Skin Redness Causes

For some people, skin redness is simply a result of having sensitive skin. Using the right products to relieve redness and soothe skin can make a world of difference (see our list of skin redness treatments below).

If you struggle with a persistently red face, especially red cheeks, this could be a sign of a skin disorder, which your physician can diagnose. Following your doctor’s orders and putting together a gentle skin care routine is imperative.

A sneakier (and preventable) cause of skin redness is unknowingly using irritating skin care products. Being gentle to skin is essential for finally getting a red face back to normal.

Skin Redness Solutions

Hand holding the Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and Essential Glow Moisturizer in front of a beige backgroundHere’s a step-by-step guide of the best products to care for skin redness.

1. Ditch your drying, perfumed face wash and switch to a fragrance-free, skin-softening, water-soluble cleanser.

2. Immediately replenish skin after cleansing with a toner that delivers skin-strengthening ingredients like antioxidants and ceramides, plus calming agents to sooth face redness.

3. Trade abrasive scrubs for a leave-on exfoliant containing salicylic acid (also known as BHA) to gently remove built-up layers of dead skin and reveal the healthy-looking complexion hiding beneath. BHA also has natural soothing properties to calm skin redness while smoothing dry, flaky areas and rough, bumpy skin.

4. Broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 30 or greater is a must during the day. Seek out mineral sunscreen actives titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide, which are known to be ultra-gentle for skin prone to redness.

5. In the evening, soothe skin redness with a calming serum and hydrator formulated for your skin type.

Our comprehensive CALM line makes following these steps easy and is specifically formulated to address skin redness and sensitivity and is even suitable for those prone to rosacea.

How to Reduce Redness on Your Face

Liquid droplet swatches on white backgroundIn addition to following the routine above, make sure you aren’t using any other skin care products that could be triggering your red face.

• Toss out astringents or any skin care products that contain high concentrations of drying alcohol (listed as SD alcohol or alcohol denatured) or witch hazel.

• Get rid of treatments that contain irritating natural fragrant plant oils or extracts, such as lavender, grapefruit, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and rose. This includes essential oils—they contain volatile compounds research has shown aggravate skin.

• Stop applying products that contain synthetic fragrances, too (these may simply be listed as parfum or fragrance on the ingredient list). Fragrance is the #1 trigger of a red face and other signs of sensitivity.

What Are The Red Spots On My Face And What Can I Do About Them?

Red spots on the face can come from numerous sources, but by far the most common are post-breakouts marks. On fair skin, these blemishes appear as pink-to-red spots; on deeper skin tones, they’re typically tan or dark brown and they’re stubborn but eventually fade. You can hasten this process by following the tips in this article.

Of course, acne itself is often red and there are other skin disorders that can result in short- or long-term red spots. If your red spots don’t respond to over-the-counter skin care (including acne treatments if necessary), it’s imperative you see a dermatologist to have your red spots examined and discuss medical solutions.

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