Redness: the soothing routine.

Facial redness, also referred to as facial erythema when temporary or erythrosis when it becomes permanent, is particularly noticeable on fair skin. Redness is caused by a significant blood flow, when the capillaries that supply the skin excessively dilate in the dermis. Numerous internal and external factors can trigger this phenomenon, such as heat, stress, or even UV rays. Most often, redness indicates skin hypersensitivity and an alteration of the skin barrier. It can be either diffuse or localised to specific areas of the face. In the latter case, it often affects the cheeks, an area with a high vascular richness.

Certain inflammatory dermatoses such as acne, eczema or even rosacea can also cause redness. In this case, only a dermatologist will be able to treat them effectively.

Even if you have sensitive skin prone to redness, it is crucial to cleanse your face every evening. Indeed, this action is essential to remove sebum, sweat, impurities, and pollution particles accumulated throughout the day. If these are not properly removed, they are likely toirritate the skin and cause further redness, potentially accompanied by blemishes. The choice of cleanser is important and should be based on your skin type: if you are prone to redness, we recommend avoiding products containing alcohol derivatives, essential oils, or perfumes, compounds poorly tolerated by sensitive skin and which can exacerbate redness.

If you wear makeup or sun cream, don't forget to use a makeup remover beforehand. Again, it is preferable to turn to products free of sensitising ingredients. For instance, consider our 7-ingredient makeup removing oil, whose minimalist and fragrance-free formula makes it suitable for sensitive skin. Enriched with sweet almond oil, it has soothing virtues for the skin and calms tightness.

To combat redness, we recommend incorporating soothing active ingredients into your skincare routine, such as beta-glucan. This natural polysaccharide possesses anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin hypersensitivity and accelerate its repair process while hydrating it. You can find this active ingredient in our soothing serum. To be applied before the moisturising cream, this serum suitable for sensitive skin hydrates and soothes the skin while reducing redness. Among the soothing active ingredients, we also recommend niacinamide, allantoin, bisabolol or even cornflower hydrosol.

The reduction of redness also involves the reconstruction of the skin barrier. For this, it is beneficial to use certain vegetable oils (hemp oil, argan oil, avocado oil...) and other lipid-replenishing ingredients such as squalane. Having an excellent affinity with the skin, this active ingredient combats skin dryness, strengthens the hydrolipidic film and helps to reduce feelings of tightness and redness. Non-greasy, squalane easily penetrates the epidermis and softens its touch. You can find this active ingredient in our nourishing serum, composed of 100% squalane.

Practising one to two exfoliations per week is an integral part of a skincare routine. Sometimes considered too harsh for the skin, this habit can deter people with sensitive skin or those prone to redness. However, the regular removal of dead cells has numerous benefits for skin health: reduction of blemishes, aiding the penetration of active ingredients... In order to enjoy the virtues of exfoliation without sensitising the skin, the key is to choose a product that is suitable for your skin type.

If your skin is sensitive and frequently exhibits redness, we recommend our radiance facial scrub. Suitable for sensitive skin, this melting gel with micro grains of apricot kernels acts gently to promote cellular renewal and achieve a more even and luminous complexion. It helps to reduce pigmentation irregularities and leaves the skin soft and regenerated.

Both morning and evening, it is crucial to adequately hydrate the skin using a moisturising cream or balm. This simple act helps to strengthen the skin barrier, the weakening of which is often the cause of redness. Specifically designed for this purpose, our anti-redness cream reduces feelings of heat and softens the skin day after day. It is enriched with active ingredients targeting redness and notably contains azelaic acid, known for its anti-inflammatory effects, niacinamide, which promotes the production of ceramides and soothes redness, green algae extract, targeting vascular imperfections, and safflower oil, contributing to the maintenance and integrity of the epidermis.

Whether it's summer or winter, UV rays can reach and damage the skin. In addition to causing premature ageing, they can weaken the hydrolipidic film and the horny layer, making the skin more susceptible to external aggressions and, consequently, to redness. That's why we advise you to apply a daily sun care product suitable for your phototype as the final step in your morning routine. It's worth noting that, even if you have dark skin, an SPF30 provides a minimum level of protection. Today, there is a multitude of galenic forms for sun care products (creams, milks, sprays, sticks..) allowing each skin type to find the product that suits them.

• MAIBACH H. & al. Sensitive skin: an overview. International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2012).

• STANDER S. & et al. Sensitive skin. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (2016).