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How to calm facial redness and inflammation

  • 4 min read

There are plenty of things you can do to combat facial redness. Some of what you do will depend on why your face is battling the beet colour. Before we come on to how to calm a red face, let’s first take a look at what causes it. Sometimes, prevention is the simplest solution!

What causes facial redness?


There are many different reasons why you may experience facial redness. Mostly it’s due to inflammation, caused by different reasons such as spot and acne breakouts, sun and wind burn, or a reaction to skincare products. In addition, facial redness can be caused by allergies, alcohol, dryness, spicy food and over-exfoliation.

Then there’s your natural skin tone. Facial redness can be more obvious, and more prevalent, on those with a pale complexion. Redness will simply show up more easily.

There are also some skin conditions which make someone prone to a red face. Eczema is one. The other one which is most prevalent is rosacea. Rosacea is quite common, affecting around 1 in 10 people in the UK. It causes redness of the face, as well as burst blood vessels and sometimes small red spots and bumps. Rosacea can be triggered, and individuals benefit from identifying their own triggers. Common culprits for triggering rosacea include sunshine, stress, heat, spicy food and alcohol.

If you know what’s causing your redness, then you can take steps to avoid it.

How to calm red skin on face


Sometimes the most effective solution, in the moment of redness, is to simply cool things down. Gentle cooling – such as a cool shower, bath or compress – can help to tame the redness. 

This is because the coolness acts as a soothing anti-inflammatory, calming the inflammation that is causing the redness. For this reason, those who are prone to redness will probably want to avoid using particularly hot water when washing their face.

Using something cooling will instantly help to reduce the redness. In addition, if you’re prone to redness, take a look at your skincare regime and make some changes that are anti-red-friendly!

Anti-redness skincare


With redness-prone skin, it’s an act of TLC to spend some time refining your skincare regime. Being extra kind to your skin will help to minimise any inflammation you experience, and help to prevent it on a daily basis. Taking the right approach will also help to calm any redness that does appear.

A successful approach to anti-redness skincare combines gentle products with fantastic hydration and plenty of antioxidants. You can experience red skin whatever your skin type. So it’s worth choosing products which are suitable for all skin types, but which are designed for anti-redness.

How to calm red skin through face washing


Let’s start with how you wash your face. Those with redness may avoid regular washing in an effort to calm the red skin on their face. However, this can cause other issues. While you want to avoid too much exfoliation, not washing your face will lead to a build-up of make-up, oil, skin and grime that can clog pores and actually exacerbate redness.

So choose a really kind and gentle cleanser, like the UpCircle Cleansing Face Balm. It can actually be used to remove eye makeup, as well as for regular cleansing. Made using discarded apricot stones rich in vitamin E, it cleans, soothes and hydrates your skin, whilst removing dirt, pollution and impurities which can all contribute to redness. Also in this wonderful balm is blackcurrant seed, a marvel for calming the skin.

Some who are particularly prone to redness may want to leave the cleansing there. However, whilst you were once advised to avoid bar soaps if you have redness prone skin, we’ve come up with a solution. The organic cinnamon and ginger chai soap bar will continue with a gentle cleanse, and its pink clay composition is intentionally included to reduce redness, irritation and spots.

How to calm red skin on your face with moisturising


If your redness tends to present with spots and blocked pores, it may be tempting to avoid moisturiser. Again, consider it an act of self-care to incorporate moisturising into your skincare regime. With the right moisturiser, you can help to tackle the redness.

Our Moisturiser, suitable for daily use and for all skin types, will transform your experience of using moisturiser with red skin. While being deeply hydrating, it’s also absorbed quickly, rich in vitamin E from its argan oil ingredient, and contains the soothing properties of cocoa butter, Aloe Vera and blood orange. The result is that it brings out your natural brightness, while alleviating the redness.

Another moisturising option is the Organic Face Oil with Coffee Extract. The important anti-redness antioxidant here is vitamin C, drawn from the rosehip and sea buckthorn oils. Gratifyingly hydrating, it helps to boost collagen which keeps your skin firm, rather than inflamed.

Can you pamper your face if it’s prone to redness?


We’re often asked if facials and pampering are out of the question when it comes to red-prone skin. It’s true - you probably do want to avoid mainstream facials that use a concoction of chemical ingredients and harsh exfoliation.

However, there’s nothing to stop you including some facial pampering in your own at-home facials and relaxation sessions. For some facial indulgence, which not only combats redness, but helps to prevent it, we recommend the Clarifying Face Mask.

This face mask ensures some pampering with only an outcome of gorgeous glow, rather than ruby redness. Detoxifying, and made from ground-up olive stones, this mask offers a deep cleanse without an abrasive feel. The white kaolin clay base is naturally calming.

How to calm rosacea redness


Knowing how to calm rosacea redness also follows the approach above. Those with rosacea are advised to use gentle skincare products for sensitive skin, and that’s exactly what the products listed here are.

Say hello to a gorgeous glow and goodbye to redness


Now you know how to calm red skin on the face, and how to keep it under control, you can feel positive and enthusiastic about your skin once more. If you’d like to make some savings in the process, take advantage of our Redness Reducer Bundle which contains most of the products listed above.