5 tricks that’ll help you cover redness

how to cover redness

Insider secrets to ensure a flawless base

Beauty Crew Editor / July 31 2017

It’s all well and good that trends like ‘no makeup’ makeup and minimal coverage are in – embracing and enhancing your natural beauty is an amazing thing – but how do you embrace your skin and opt for fewer makeup layers when things like redness, rosacea and blemishes make you want to cover up even more? 

We asked Benjamin Ruiz, Director of Global Makeup Artistry at Laura Mercier for his dos and don’ts for creating a natural and flawless base when you suffer from redness or rosacea (or even temporary sunburn).

1

Avoid wearing red

As much as a bold red lipstick can add instant glamour to any makeup look, it could be your downfall if you suffer from facial redness. The rouge tones in your go-to lippie can actually bring out and further enhance the unwanted colour on your face, so proceed with caution when picking your next bold lip colour.

2

Don’t massage products into your skin

When applying anything on your face – be it moisturiser, primer or foundation – Ruiz suggests you avoid rubbing or massaging the product in. “It will create over activity,” he says, which can lead to further redness. Instead, Ruiz advises pressing in and warming products into the skin with your palms and fingertips. If you prefer using a tool, Ruiz recommends a sponge to pat in the product.

3

Try a green concealer or primer

Don’t be put off by mint green concealers and primers. Rather than leaving you looking alien-like, the colour actually works to counteract any facial redness, and can help even out your skin tone for a more flawless makeup finish. For spot treatment of red areas, use a concealing stick formulation like Dior Backstage Pros Fix It Colour in 400 Green, and for overall redness try Dermalogica Redness Relief Primer SPF 15.

Just remember to pat or dab (with a sponge or your fingers) to blend instead of rubbing or buffing in!

green concealer for redness
TOP TIP: Use your colour correcting concealer or primer before your foundation.

4

Avoid going too heavy on the foundation

Instead of caking on your foundation to cover your redness, Ruiz suggests a different tact, especially if your skin has become rough in texture. “Apply the foundation very sheer with either your fingertips or a sponge, and where you need extra coverage for redness, come back with your fingertip and press Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage just over the area until it disappears,” he says.

5

Set with a powder that won’t intensify texture

Sometimes a case of redness or rosacea comes hand-in-hand with a raised texture on your skin. If that’s the case for you, set your base with a powder that doesn’t cling to and enhance raised areas. Ruiz recommends a light dusting of Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder as it’ll give your makeup longevity and gives skin a smooth finish.

laura mercier invisible setting powder

Surprise pimples ruining your otherwise flawless base? Here's how to expertly conceal your pimples.

Do you have any tried-and-tested tricks for concealing redness? Please share them in the comments section below!

Image credit: @bellahadid

Carli was BEAUTYcrew’s Editor from launch in 2016 until May 2020. You can find her words right here on BEAUTYcrew, and previously on beautyheaven.