We’re so excited you’ve brought calming and replenishing products that will take your skin from raw and rosy to beautifully balanced! Stick your new redness skincare routine on your bathroom mirror and follow along daily from Monday through Sunday to kiss your face flushing goodbye!

But first, let’s take a deep dive into why your skin might be prone to blushing and what products could complement your skincare ritual. 

What Is Facial Redness?

Facial redness is anything from flushing flare-ups to persistent, blotchy redness on your cheeks, nose and forehead. Having persistently high colour means you might naturally have red undertones or inflammation from rosacea, dermatitis, psoriasis or itchy eczema.

Dealing with chronic redness is a form of inflammation that causes small blood vessels to expand and push against the skin. When blood flow increases, the enlarged blood vessels try to fight off irritants and encourage healing which leads to a flushed complexion and a feeling of warmth. Add to this a weakened and damaged skin barrier; broken capillaries become more noticeable under skin that may appear thin and almost translucent. 

What Causes Redness Of The Skin?

As sensitive red skin is less resilient, it can be triggered by any number of things such as allergic reactions to irritants like fragrances and alcohol in skincare. Redness can be genetic so it doesn’t take long for hormones to flare existing conditions like rosacea, definitely not as rosy as it sounds. If your skin is prone to breakouts, the redness might also be inflammation in your skin from acne flare-ups.

Lifestyle choices like drinking alcohol, smoking, excessive exercising and eating spicy foods may also dilate blood vessels due to their heat-generating abilities which increases the flow of blood to the face. That means skipping the chilli margaritas, sigh. 

Along with stress and extreme temperatures, sun exposure is one of the most common causes of skin redness. Without your SPF BFF, UV rays can cause sunburn that sends more blood to the exposed skin to repair the damage meaning, you guessed it, more red skin. To pause premature aging and protect against red rays, you should be applying SPF every day, rain or shine! Isopropyl alcohol and chemical sunscreens are common irritants so reach for mineral sun protection that’s less reactive for sensitive skin types. Applying an enriching sunscreen also helps lock in moisture by creating a physical barrier on top of the skin. Our silky Skin Shield SPF 30 Sunscreen is perfect for layering under makeup with a non-greasy formula that includes hydrating hyaluronic acid and cucumber extract.

How Can You Reduce Redness On Your Face? 

Let’s start by talking about how hot your showers are, we know they can have you feeling like you’re escaping after a long day but they actually strip your skin of its natural moisture barrier. It also causes blood vessels near the skin’s surface to dilate, which can leave your skin red and flushed, especially if you’ve got rosacea. Why not bathe in lukewarm water instead, your beautiful skin will thank you for it and you might not run out of hot water so quickly.  

Less is often more when it comes to sensitive and inflamed skin so as a general rule, the fewer ingredients the more suitable a product may be. It’s best to start with a simple routine before slowly adding more products as the skin adjusts and builds up a tolerance. By taking it slow, you also minimise the risk of overstimulating the skin. It’s important to make sure you’re having rest nights during the week to let your skin recover and reset, which means not using retinol or exfoliating! 

If you’re cautious when it comes to trying new skin products, our skin specialists recommend testing a patch on your skin first. Use a small amount on your inner arm the first day and see what happens, if you don’t spot any irritation after a week then try it on the side of your face or neck. Be thoughtful when it comes to your skin and avoid trying multiple new products at once, that way you’ll know exactly what the culprit is if you do notice sensitivity or irritation.

Skip any harsh cleansers and scrubs that leave your skin feeling tight, shiny, or dried out.

To avoid irritation, choose a gentle cleanser like our Probiotic Skin Mylck Cleanser. It strengthens hyper-sensitive skin by replenishing your skin’s moisture with the Australian Made probiotic Lysates, scientifically proven to create an ideal environment for your skin to thrive while supporting its natural defences. Follow your new weekly skincare routine and stick to once in the morning and double cleansing at night. 

The Best Soothing Ingredients For Redness

Dealing with damaged and inflamed red skin on the face is an uncomfortable experience but with the right skincare and lifestyle changes, it’s very treatable. Look for strengthening ingredients that keep your complexion calm and balanced so your skin can naturally retain oils and moisture. 

Any emollient ingredients increase hydration and prevent transepidermal water loss which causes dryness, irritation, and redness. They will also help with skin barrier function, leading to an overall improvement in skin texture and appearance so you can actually say you woke up like this.

The Benefits Of Peppermint Oil For Skin

With superior purifying antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, peppermint oil naturally soothes redness and unclogs pores. The cooling and calming effects of peppermint relieve burns, skin rashes and dry skin while promoting circulation and stimulating the skin for that youthful glow you’ve always wanted. 

The Benefits Of Arnica For Skin

Arnica's anti-inflammatory powers increase white blood cell activity to help combat irritation while calming the redness and inflammation that comes with rosacea. It’s also perfect for decreasing puffiness around the face so you’re left with a refreshed and moisturised complexion. 

The Benefits Of Allantoin For Skin

Non-irritating allantoin acts as an emollient to soothe and protect your skin, keeping you moisturised and putting the stop sign on dryness and irritation. It also can help heal and stimulate the growth of new tissues while being as calming as your Sunday morning yoga class. 

What Products To Avoid With Redness?

It’s best to avoid serums with ingredients that are known to irritate your skin, this means there might be some trial and error involved before finding the perfect products. Our skin specialists recommend skipping anything with synthetic acids, fragrances and colourants, fillers and preservatives. Put away products that also contain sulphates, glycolic and salicylic acids, beta-hydroxy acids, abrasive scrubs and mechanical exfoliants like microbeads and walnut shell powders until the redness is well controlled.

Alcohol is used in a lot of skincare products, even though it dries out the skin and can damage its protective barrier, look for irritating denatured alcohol or alcohol denat before applying a new product. If alcohol is found towards the end of an ingredients list, there might not be enough of it in the product to bother your skin.

We recommend booking a consultation or starting a live chat with our qualified skin consultants to receive a personalised routine or product recommendation. 

What Skin Products Reduce Redness? 

This is where we come in, say hello to your new anti-inflammatory esmi skin treats and start your daily ritual off with these naturally caring products for a cool and calm complexion! 

Minty & Mild Mask

Our Anti-Inflammation Mint Gel Mask instantly cools the discomfort of red, irritated skin while shutting down inflammation and breakouts with powerful natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains aloe vera extract to reduce itchiness and promote the regeneration of new skin. It’s suitable for all skin types, although can be especially healing for acne-inflamed or damaged skin. This makes it the perfect soothing formula for post-laser, IPL or diathermy treatment to provide immediate cooling relief for visibly red skin.

Buff The Bad

For a brighter complexion, our gentle Fresh Sea & Salty Sand Gentle Exfoliant with exotic Polynesian sand removes pore-clogging debris and fights congestion to keep oily skin clear and fresh. Tropical papaya enzymes have antibacterial properties that promote a smooth complexion while luxurious 24K gold flakes boost skin elasticity, stimulate collagen production, and improve blood circulation.

Refreshing & Resurfacing Retinol

We know retinol might sound scary but our milky Encapsulated Retinol 0.25% Level 1 is perfect if you’re new to it or just have sensitive skin. This product is formulated with 100% encapsulated retinol to increase skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen synthesis for a fresher, firmer complexion. Encapsulated retinol has enhanced bioavailability and stability which means the retinol is enclosed in tiny capsules which allows the active ingredients to penetrate deeper into the skin layer before being activated. Packed full of carrot seed oil, sunflower oil and tomato extract this is our idea of keeping calm and carrying on! 

Be patient with your new ritual as your skin’s barrier is going to need time to heal. If you’re just getting started on your skincare journey, glow up with our Sensitive Skin Solution Bundle to restore your skin health and inner confidence.