Nothing screams beauty mishap like a red, blotchy complexion. “Red,
inflamed skin can signify many things and can be from many different
causes; the most common being an allergic reaction to chemicals or when
the skin comes into contact with an irritant,” explains Cecilia Wong,
founder of Cecilia Wong Skincare. No matter how much makeup you use to cover it up, you need to tackle the root of the problem to get your skin back to normal. [Source: NewBeauty.com]
What It’s From
A bad sunburn or windburn
How It Happens
Any
time the skin’s barrier function (the skin’s ability to protect itself)
is compromised by an environmental element or ingredient, the skin goes
into defense mode and tries to safeguard itself. “Essentially, the skin
has experienced trauma to the superficial layer and some of the
ceramides have been lost, so the skin can’t protect itself as well,”
says New York dermatologist Hooman Khorasani, MD. “It becomes dehydrated and exposed to allergens and pathogens, causing an inflammatory response, which leads to redness.”
How To Fix It
Skin
that’s out of balance needs to be fed with the right nutrients, oils
and vitamins. Red, inflamed skin must be treated gently and with care
because
of its fragile state.
Treat It With
At-Home
Remedies
Keep it basic: Wash—don’t scrub—with a simple, creamy
cleanser (avoid hot water), use a medium-weight moisturizer to hydrate
and apply an aloe-based gel or cooling lotion to alleviate any
discomfort. “Oils, like chamomile, calendula and carrot, help heal the
skin, and give instant relief,” says Wong, who also suggests taking
chlorophyll pills to help decrease the inflammation.
Follow your
normal skin-care routine, but skip anything with vitamin A or C in it as
well as retinoids because your skin may not be able to tolerate the
harshness.
Once your skin starts to return to normal, you can slowly start to work your regular products back into your routine.
Doctor’s Orders
“Apply
whole-milk compresses to the skin followed by a drop of
over-the-counter cortisone. Together, the two take down inflammation and
redness,” says New York dermatologist Gervaise Gerstner, MD.
Product Pick
Enriched with aloe, oats and an anti-irritant derived from chamomile to soothe skin, Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream provides intense hydration to skin that’s been compromised by extreme weather—both hot and cold. $65, skyniceland.com
Did You Know?
If
harsh anti-aging or acne products cause a burning sensation after you
have applied moisturizer, it’s because your skin is overprocessed,
overexfoliated and the barrier has been compromised, which can cause
ingredients that get absorbed to create the stinging sensation.