My Rosacea Story
When I was 12 my skin was so perfect. Ever since then it has been a total nightmare. It started with the teenaged zits that started around my 13th birthday, and raced off into full blown pizza face. My face was red, sensitive and very, very pimply.
In my 20s I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. It includes an irregular cycle, acne, hairiness (not in my case but it is common) and weight gain.
Every pregnancy saw my face break out more. Then after I’d finished my family, my monthly breakouts ranged from a few zits around my mouth to cysts everywhere.
This was around the same time that I started doing a LOT of TV in my mid to late 30s. The poor makeup artists would be having to hide these monsters on my chin. The way to do that was by caking on heavy pancake foundation. It felt horrible. My face felt heavy and tight and dry until I took it off. And I’d have to completely scrub it off at night. Forget the double cleanse. That amount of pancake makeup took at least triple cleansing and scrubbing.
So, when my cheeks started getting red and sensitive, and I started getting little pimples around my cheeks, I missed what was happening- the start of rosacea. I just assumed it was all to do with my acne, or the crazy amount of cleansing I was doing. I was still using soap because I didn’t know any better. In medical school we were told that all you needed for perfect skin was soap and water and a basic moisturizer. The lecturers were derisive of women who spent money on Lancombe or La Prairie. But the whole concept of skin pH and cosmeceutical ingredients was still in kindergarten.
But at this stage I was not even tolerating sunscreen. A dermatologist confirmed that I had seamlessly flowed into rosacea.
So now I had;
Sensitive skin
Rosacea
Acne
Lots of TV makeup.
NOT A GOOD combination.
What would anyone in my situation do? Of course I went elbow deep into skin research ploughing through every peer reviewed published journal article I could find, downloading and then spreadsheeting them. That’s how Auroracare, our first cosmeceutical skincare company was born. It was also driven by all the questions coming in from Sunrise viewers.
I ended up working out that both my soap and my chemical sunscreen were not being my friends. I ditched them and haven’t gone back. I added niacinamide to my skincare regime and Retinal. I love our Zinc Shade sunscreen. Over the years I’m totally addicted to Gentle Glow Serum. And sadly my genetic pigmentation has meant I have to use Enlighten twice daily.
Nowadays my rosacea is super well controlled. My skin barrier is so good now. I only get flares if I get too much sun. I am lucky- sunburn is my only trigger. And these days getting too much sun is so rare. Not only do I avoid the midday sun and slather on lots of Zinc Shade every day, but I have the world’s dorkiest wide brimmed hat. This is because if my rosacea gets triggered, it can take a week to settle it down. That’s a week where my skin is red, inflamed, burning and sensitive to makeup!
Zinc Shade is a lightweight matte day cream and primer. Its non-greasy, matte finish allows for smooth application and works well under makeup. We spent countless iterations perfecting this lightweight, non-greasy formula to avoid the typical white cast and thick feel of zinc products. The results? A matte finish that works beautifully under makeup. With well tolerated matte finish, it's also well suited to irritable and blemish and bump prone skin. With SPF 15 it also provides broad-spectrum sun protection against UVA and UVB rays. Key features: Lightweight, matte formula suitable for daily use Smooth application with minimal white cast Broad-spectrum UV protection Tested SPF 15 with enhanced UVA coverage Usage: Apply evenly to all exposed areas of skin before sun exposure. Reapply as needed throughout the day.
Zinc Shade
Settling down a rosacea flare for me involves stripping skincare back to a bare minimum. That means;
Cleansing once a day only with Calming Cleanse
Our Calming Cleanser is a non-foaming, coconut sugar-based formula with a gentle pH of 4.5-5, making it ideal for sensitive skin types, including those with eczema and rosacea. This creamy cleanser effectively removes impurities while preserving the skin’s natural hydration and pH balance. Its non-soap formula minimises irritation and dryness, providing a soothing cleanse without disrupting the skin barrier. Designed for sensitive skin, Calming Cleanser avoids harsh ingredients like astringents, camphor, and menthol, which can trigger irritation. Gentle yet thorough, it supports a healthy microbiome and barrier, leaving skin calm, soft, and ready for the next step in your routine. Featuring; A creamy soap-free cleanser for skin that needs a gentle, silky wash.
Calming Cleanse
Using Repair Plus twice daily. For me B Quenched works so well as well. Theoretically Repair + should work 100 x better than B Quenched but either is a treat for me. And the natural hemp seed oil in B Quenched smells amazing to me!
Repair + is a moisturiser formulated to support skin hydration and barrier function. Its combination of niacinamide, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides is designed to help maintain skin moisture, strengthen the barrier function of the skin, reduce the appearance of redness, and support overall skin texture. Key Features:
Repair +
Zinc Shade in the morning.
I’m careful with my foundation. I switch to a powder foundation from Bare Minerals, which comes off easily in a single cleanse. It’s not quite made for TV but it’s what I need when everything else burns!!
Once the flair is over I go straight back to using my fave products which are:
Our Hydraboost Hyaluronic Acid Serum is designed to provide deep, lasting hydration with a blend of high, medium, and low molecular weight hyaluronic acids (HA). High molecular weight HA sits on the skin’s surface, creating a protective hydration layer that feels smooth and instantly refreshing. Meanwhile, low and medium molecular weight HA molecules sink deeper, boosting hydration within the skin barrier. Studies suggest that low molecular weight HA can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Lightweight and versatile, Hydraboost is perfect for daily use as the first step in your routine for plump, hydrated skin.
Hydraboost HA Serum
Featuring
- Enhanced daily skin hydration
- Plumper, healthier feeling skin
C Forte Morning Serum is packed with 16% L-ascorbic acid, the purest form of Vitamin C, combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid for maximum results. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is an anti-oxidant helping neutralise free radicals (associated with exposure to the sun). The result? A brighter, firmer, plumper looking skin with fewer fine lines apparent and a more even skin tone. Formulated at the ideal pH (2.5-3.5) and housed in airless, opaque packaging, C Forte ensures stability and effectiveness, delivering radiant skin with every use.
C Forte
Featuring;
- Evidence based ingredients and formulations for superior efficacy.
- Potent skin brightening ingredients
- A plumper, more hydrated and even toned skin.
Note: C Forte can exacerbate acne and may be too strong for irritable skin.
Smooth Serum is a night treatment formulated with 3% Glycolic acid, 1% Lactic acid, and 1% Gluconolactone. This gentle AHA blend supports the appearance of skin texture and surface renewal, helping maintain the look of even skin tone. Caution: Not recommended for very sensitive skin or skin prone to rosacea.
Smooth Serum
Key features:
Introducing our breakthrough skincare solution, the Gentle Glow PHA Serum, designed specifically for those with irritable, red or dry skin! - Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and the apparent size of pores. - Helps tackle blemishes and is appropriate for irritable and red skin.
Gentle Glow PHA Serum
Harnessing the power of Polyhydroxy Acids (PHAs), which gently exfoliate and smooth the skin's surface, act as antioxidants and hydrate the skin. Unlike most exfoliation agents, PHAs are very gentle and are not only tolerated on irritable skin, but may also reduce potential irritation from other products in your skincare regimen!
Embrace the journey to a luminous, glowing complexion with the Gentle Glow PHA Serum.
- Smooths, hydrates and plumps the skin.
Ultimate A Night Cream contains 0.06% Retinal, the most gentle and effective form of Vitamin A, paired with Niacinamide to help maintain skin barrier function and support brighter, firmer and more even looking skin tone and texture. Well suited even for the most irritable skin. Usage: Apply at night after cleansing (and serum if being used) as part of your evening skincare routine.
Ultimate A
Key features:
Enlighten is specifically designed to help reduce the appearance of pigmentation. This lightweight cream helps to gently create a more even skin tone and hydrate and improve the barrier function of the skin. While rarely used, 4-n-butylresorcinol (4nB) has some of the best evidence in this arena. Enlighten combines 4nB and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) to create a rare combination of gentle yet effective ingredients. Enlighten helps tackle a mottled or uneven skin tone and is suitable for long term daily use
Enlighten
Featuring:
My last flare was almost a year ago now. My maintenance routine ensures my skin barrier is really good, my skin isn’t red and I have no pustules at all. #winning!