I love summer more than anything, but my skin? She feels otherwise. Heat and too much sun exposure are enemy number one—and the biggest triggers for my rosacea. Without the right cocktail of over-the-counter skincare and prescriptions (shoutout to my incredible derm Dr. Marisa Garshick), my face rebels with the fiery anger of a papulopustular flare (it looks like a bunch of red and inflamed acne on my cheeks, chin, and nose) and affects not just my skin tone but the texture as well.
Learning how to get my redness and rosacea under control has been an exercise in patience and experimentation. Treatments don’t work overnight (no matter how much I manifest), and there’s no one-size-fits-all routine. But over the past five years, I’ve found a mix of cleansers, treatments, and moisturizers that keep my skin calm and—literally—cool. Not to jinx it, but I haven’t had one flare this summer (knock on wood). Ahead, shop my seven favorite formulas to help soothe redness and keep rosacea at bay in the warmer months.
The Best Products to Soothe Skin Redness and Rosacea
- Best Sulfur Face Wash for Rosacea: Kate Sommerville Eradikate™ 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser + Acne Treatment
- Best Ice Roller for Rosacea: The Skinney Confidential Hot Mess Ice Roller
- The Best Cooling Product for Rosacea: Theraface The Depuffing Wand
- The Best Azelaic Acid Serum for Rosacea: Shani Darden The Rescue Serum
- The Best Daytime Moisturizer for Rosacea: Dr. Barbara Sturm The Glow Cream
- The Best Redness-Reducing Cream for Rosacea: Avené Expert Soothing Concentrate Cream
- The Best Mineral Sunscreen for Rosacea: Elta MD UV Skin Recovery Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Best Sulfur Face Wash for Rosacea
The TLDR on rosacea: it’s caused by an overgrowth of demodex mites (yes, little, living organisms) on the skin. I hope I didn’t gross anyone out—it’s the truth! Sulfur, a popular skincare ingredient that smells, unfortunately, a bit like rotten eggs, has been proven to reduce mites on the face, and therefore, calm a flare. Not the sexiest, but it works. This is my go-to.
Review: "It's a bit harsher on the skin than some other options, but I’d recommend this to anyone who is dealing with acne in addition to rosacea or is a bit more oily. This guy will help absorb excess oil and unclog pores, while simultaneously targeting those little demodex mites." — Samantha Holender
Best Ice Roller for Rosacea
My most irritating flares would happen during a day at the beach. Reason being: my skin would get overheated. Now, I throw one of my favorite cryotherapy tools into the cooler and whip it out every hour or two. (A regular ice cube works just as well, for what it’s worth.) While it may look a little over the top to strangers on their beach walk, I quite frankly couldn't care less. The things I’ll do for good skin!
Review: "My ice roller has seen the world—she comes with me on every single vacation. The titanium roller stays cooler longer than any other option on the market. A nice 10-minute roll a few times a day truly keeps my flares under control." — Samantha Holender
Best Cooling Product for Rosacea
If the heavier ice roller isn’t in the cards (or you’re looking to splurge on a fun, new device), I highly recommend this. Stay away from the heat option and stick to cryo. Just make sure you wipe down the metal tip with rubbing alcohol to keep it clean.
Review: "This is nice and compact, so it's always easy to keep on hand. I try and do it at least once in the morning and once at night, and I've noticed a big difference; my skin gets far less irritated when I'm exposed to short bursts of sun exposure. It's also a nice bonus that it depuffs my under-eyes." — Samantha Holender
Best Azelaic Acid Serum for Rosacea
Azelaic acid is a superpower ingredient as is—it tackles texture, acne, pores—but it’s extra incredible at addressing the redness associated with rosacea. I’m on a 15 percent azelaic acid cream prescribed by Dr. Garshick, but I’d recommend this alternative in a heartbeat. It's as close to 10 percent (what’s legally allowed over-the-counter) as possible.
Review: "In addition to 10 percent azelaic acid, this serum includes oat kernal extract to help calm redness even further. A little product goes such a long way, the texture is silky, and the dry down is velvety." — Samantha Holender
Best Daytime Moisturizer for Rosacea
Most people dealing with rosacea are going to be dealing with dry skin and potential burning (especially during a flare), and a compromised skin barrier. I swear by this calming, nourishing moisturizer, which avoids fragrance, essential oils, and acids. Frill-free is your best bet.
Review: "If I could only use one product for the rest of my life: it’s this. It gives glow and hydration—plus, I swear that anti-inflammatory purslane is a magical ingredient for redness reduction." — Samantha Holender
Best Redness-Reducing Cream for Rosacea
A French pharmacy staple, this rich cream reduces redness and cools the skin on application. Keep it in the fridge for an extra soothing treat—you won't regret it.
Review: "I'm always amazed by how quickly this makes a visible difference. It's clinically proven to reduce visible redness by 48 percent (!!), so when I layer this under a tinted SPF or green color corrector, you'd never even know I'm dealing with redness." — Samantha Holender
Best Mineral Sunscreen for Rosacea
Physical sunscreens, which reflect the sun’s UV rays as opposed to absorbing them like chemical sunscreens, are the gold standard for rosacea. They’re the gentlest and least likely to cause irritation. I never, ever leave the house without a thick layer and reapply, like clockwork, every 80 minutes during a beach day.
Review: "There's a reason every dermatologist I've ever met tells me to use this sunscreen. It's truly the best. There's no pilling. It doesn't irritate my skin—or my eyes. And feels cooling upon application." — Samantha Holender
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