Reduce redness with gentle products

By Al Varela

A reader wants to know: I have been to my dermatologist because of the redness in my face. He told me it was my natural skin tone and not caused by any skin disorder. When I put on my makeup it seems to make the redness appear more intense. What can I do to cover the red and get a more natural look?

Redness of the skin is actually a frequent makeup problem and unless you are called upon to help Santa navigate his sleigh, can be quite frustrating. Many cosmetic companies have addressed the problem and solutions are available.

I have found that women who have a lot of natural redness usually have a very sensitive skin type. Many times these women unknowingly make the condition worse by incorrectly cleansing their skin. Use a gentle type of cleanser to wash your face and never use very hot water on the skin as this can also exacerbate the condition.

Before applying your makeup be sure to use an anti-redness moisturizer. I highly recommend the Soothing Anti Redness Treatment from Decleor. It is made with plant extracts and essential oils and was specifically formulated for this problem.

The foundation you are currently using is probably not the correct shade and is causing your skin tone to appear redder. This is caused by the color base of the foundation having too much red or pink base tones. All foundations will mix with your natural skin tone and as you wear the foundation it will continue to deepen your natural color.

Have a professional makeup expert find a color that has more of a yellow base. Match the foundation to a section of your skin that has the least amount of red. This is usually found around the jaw line.

When testing foundation colors, always use as much natural day light as possible. Some fluorescent lights have a variety of colors that can effect the appearance of the color of the foundation.

Using pan stick foundations which are a little thicker than normal foundations can also be effective in concealing redness. Some makeup lines also carry base colors that are worn underneath the normal foundation. Only use shades of yellow or green and avoid the blues, purples and pinks.

The finishing touch to your foundation is the powder. This again comes in a variety of colors and shades. Pick one that does not have a pink or red base. Instead, use a translucent yellow base powder to dust over the foundation.

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