Trying to do your makeup when you have rosacea or any other natural redness on your face is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, I don’t really have to worry about blush. On the other, trying to get my face looking “even” is an endless battle. Or it was — until I went on a hunt for a colour-correcting product that actually worked for me.
I tried every green stick of concealer in the drug store, but they always went on too thick and made me feel like I was drawing on my cheeks with crayon. I tried all kinds of things that claimed to reduce redness or otherwise calm the redness on my face to no avail. And, of course, I tried to just slather on thick foundation, which only led to acne and greasiness.
Eventually I tried a colour-correcting primer from Dr. Jart (already a beauty editor favorite), the Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment, £12. It goes on a pale green, but transforms into a beige that melts and blends into my skin tone. It also contains mineral sunscreen (SPF 30) and centella asiatica, an herbal ingredient that’s purported to calm and protect sensitive skin while the primer covers up the redness.
Although it feels thick at first, a little bit goes a long way—I managed to make the smaller jar (£12) last for about three months and I can go about four or five with the full-size — so it doesn’t feel heavy under other makeup. But I find that it evens out my skin tone so much that I often only need a little bit of concealer under my eyes and I’m good to go. On days that I want an even lighter look, I’ll use the thinner Cicapair Tiger Grass Camo Drops, £79.99 instead (this version doesn’t contain sunscreen so I make extra sure to use a moisturiser with SPF underneath).
Plus, I have noticed that in the past year or so that I’ve been using the primer consistently, my rosacea has gotten considerably better. Part of that might be due to the simple fact that I feel more confident in the way my skin looks and, without that added stress (which can itself exacerbate rosacea), my skin may have actually calmed down.
Of course, I’ve also doubled down on efforts to manage my other triggers (cutting down on alcohol and always wiping my face clean immediately after workouts, for instance) and switch to non-irritating skin-care and makeup, but I’d like to think this little pot of green goop helped out as well.
Buy it: £12 for 15ml, Selfridges
