You use the metro gel during the day? My derm. told me to use it at night...I use differin gel during the day under make-up.

Anyways, I have used Revlon Colorstay for the last 10 years. It's the only make-up that I have found which doesnt add more oiliness to my already oily face. Anytime I tried to switch to something new my face would break out.
Have you tried Maybelline's H20? It's supposed to be 99% water based. It's one of the only other make-ups that doesnt aggravate my face as well,but the coverage isnt that great.

You have my sympathy. I know how difficult it can be to find makeup that works with rosacea and all that it entails. Sometimes what works one day doesn't work another. Sometimes I use Meryl Norman Lasting Foundation. It works pretty well on most days. It's oil free, contains zinc oxide and lasts all day. Meryl Norman also has a powder foundation for oily skin I use over it or sometimes alone. Also, have you tried mineral makeup? I use MN mineral makeup powder and sometimes Everyday Mineral Foundation. The minerals cover the redness pretty well. It's challenging, I know. I can't wear makeup that has chemical sunscreen due to the burning and irritation they cause. Also Bare Minerals and anything that has Bismuth Oxychloride causes irritation with some people with rosacea. I now tend to use more yellow toned foundation to neutralize the red and I've learned to wear brownish blush, even though I have cool undertones. Do you like the Clinique oil free? That's recommended by a local Dermatologist.

I tried Bare minerals and my face itched like crazy.I wish I could use those powder foundations but it feels as though they slide right off my oily face.Plus,many of them have mica in them which adds shininess,on my oily skin that is definitely not something extra I want.
Olivercat,does the MN minerals have mica in it too?

Yes, Merle Norman mineral foundation lists mica, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and iron oxide as ingredients. MEOW minerals has a formula that does not have any mica or the sometimes irritating bismuth oxychloride in it. If you need a makeup with really good coverage you may be interested in Estee Lauder's Double Wear. It is similiar to Merle Norman's Lasting and Revlon's Colorstay. Estee Lauder also has a Double Wear long lasting powder foundation.

Revlon Colorstay looks to be in the price range I'd like to spend. What actual products do you recommend from their line? Their foundation or powder?

after metrogel for years with no improvement, a new doctor put me on Finacea--- amazing results. NO flareups at all. I also take Doryx (low dose antibiotic) and use bare minerals wheni wear makeup.

Lynda Sy makes a zinc oxide sunblock w a slight tint that disappears on the skin and is very soothing.

Laser treatment w a V-Beam have been amazing. Not cheap but I have far less redness. I also went to a cool copper red color for my hair that REALLY compliments the pinkness in my skin( naturally I am ash blonde)

I use the foundation,nike. I have tried to steer away from powders as cornstarch and talc are often in them and can make acne or roseacea worse.

Thanks!

I went and checked the line out the other day at Longs. I saw that they came out with a newer foundation in a tube rather than the traditional glass bottle. I think it was for active lifestyles? Well something to that matter. I went and bought one and will try that with my MAC powder.

So I noticed that you mentioned not using any powders. So you just rub the foundation on and don't apply anything else over it? I guess I always thought that you were supposed to apply loose or pressed powder over it to finish everything up.

I developed rosacea in my first pegnancy. No person or book that i read ever told me to stay out of the sun when your pregnant. So listen up girls.... Stay out of the sun when your pregnant! I Did get the IPL laser treatment. It was about $2000. It has helped however this is a life long condition we now have. I was told that rosacea is what your skin wants to do. So i need to go for maintence treatments. As far as make up, i use bare minerals. I love it! I was at the Mall of America where they have a store and you can just walk in and get it applied for free. Try before you buy. Why not! It covers the rosacea well. However it doesnt have the stay power a liquid may have. My skin if very sensitive. Yes, you can even sleep in it. Look on line and see where there is a store near you. You could try it out for the day.

My dermatologist told me not to use mineral make-up. I asked him if it would be better because it is natural. He said and I quote,
"S**T is natural too,but you wouldnt put that on your face would you?"
I almost died laughing when he said that. He may be wrong,and people love/swear by mineral make up,but he is the only one who got my face clear so I'm listening to him.

Nike,I really try not to use powder,but if I have a little pimple I will use a touch to set my make up over it.
I'm a huge fan of those oil-absorbing sheets that take shine from your face. I find using those I really dont need a powder on top.

coolmama,

I noticed that a couple of my Revlon Colorstay liquid foundations turn to this awful smell after so many uses. I don't know if the strong Hawaii heat has anything to do with it. I had to throw away a couple of new bottles (one a glass bottle and the other in the tube) after a few uses because of the change in smell of the product. Have you ever had this problem? I'm thinking about contacting Revlon about it.

I used Metro-gel for 5 years and finally gave up on it, it did not help any with the redness and left my cheeks dry. About six months ago I finally gave in and tried Cetaphil cleanser. Because my T-zone is very oily and prone to breakouts I was afraid to try it. Well, since I started using it, my redness has mostly cleared up (without medication) and my skin is not breaking out anymore. My T-zone are less oily too. I can't believe it! I thought it would be too rich for my skin. I also use Olay Daily Facial Cloths for sensitive skin one time per week to gently exfoliate. For make-up, about 8 months ago I switched to mineral makeup. I started using Bare Escentuals then switched to Pur Minerals. My skin looks better than it has in years, since before I started having problems with rosacea actually. In fact, my skin has cleared up so well that in the past month I have started using the Pure Minerals blush because my skin was actually looking pale without the ruddiness (my skin was very, very fair before the rosacea)! All you ladies with the same problem probably understand that needing a bit of blush is very exciting. Hopefully things will continue to go well as we move into the next season, those cold winter winds generally cause flare-ups for me.

May I suggest you contact a Mary Kay Independant Beauty Consultant and try some samples of Timewise Medium Foundation in a color that will go with you skin tone and also a product called Oil-free moisturizer Gel. I use both these products and My sister who has rosacea does as well. very good coverage and make sure you do not use any kind of abrazive cleanser or soap. Good luck and I hope you find something that makes life easier

I think the smell in the colorstay is from the spf that's in it. It smells kind of metallic to me sometimes.

I'm really finding H20 pure make up to be much better.It doesnt have SPF (which has been known to cause break outs,not all of us would like it in our foundation) and is very light.Because it's 50% water based it doesnt clog pores,

I sympathize with your plight, as I have been scouring the web for information about rosacea, as my daughter has it.

I've been looking for some more natural skin products, with few irritating ingredients, and came across this site.

Not all makeup companies are listed, but it has been enormously helpful in listing products which are safer for sensitive, irritated skin.

Just search for a product or ingredient and then hit the hazard score button to sort it by the least harmful product. Hope it helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cosmetic Safety Database

Hello from a fellow Rosacean!

My dermatologist prescribed metrolotion for me. I use it in the morning and at night. He also prescribed a sulphur-based cleanser. I use Bare Escentuals makeup and Bare Minerals skin products, and have not had any bad reactions to them. I also use Neutrogena Dri-touch sunblock as a moisturizer. But then, my skin has never been very sensitive or easily irritated - I just have a red nose all the time! And I've found that the things that trigger redness for me are cold and wind. (I guess I shouldn't take up skiing.) For some people, hot baths, spicy foods, or alcohol cause rosacea flare-ups.

I have tried the Neutrogena Dri-touch sunblock on my face (and my body), but it ended up burning my face and making my rosacea act up. I do love the soft smell and feel of that sunblock though and do wish that I could find something that I could wear on my face at the beach and out in the sun. UNFORTUNATELY I live in Hawaii where it's VERY SUNNY. =O

I don't wear much makup so won't be any help with that. But I use rosacea ltd for my rosacea and it helped when metrocream had lost its effectiveness. The company offers a money back guarantee if it does not work and honors that.

I do not have any affiliation with the company but just wanted to let folks know about the product.

cocooner

Does anyone else have severe allergies/ rhinitis with rosacea?

I just read that some nasal sprays could have actually caused the spider veins around my nose & eyes, and may be related to the inflamtion & itchiness of my skin & eyes.

I take allegra & singular also, and have had a septoplasty & turbinate reduction in my nose to make my airways bigger & more functional. My allergies suck & I am hoping to start on shots soon. I always have a gritty feeling in my eyes & are usually bloodshot by the end of the day. I have always been told its from allergies & wearing contacts, however I think its from rosacea also since I feel this way EVERY DAY.

akoekkoek: I have both facial and ocular rosacea. I do not have allergies, but my nose is always running.

After many visits to dermatologists and ophthalmologists, it was finally an opthal. who diagnosed my eye problems as ocular rosacea. I have constant dry, gritty, red eyes, and occasional blepharitis and chalazions (sp?). I use eye drops all the time for the dry eyes, but the relief is very temporary.

I recently read about a new drug being used for ocular rosacea called Periostat, and I will discuss this with my opthal. at my next appointment. However, it is a low dose antibiotic taken every day, which I hesitate to do for all the obvious reasons.

I never got any relief for my facial rosacea with Metrogel or Metrocream. Make-up has not worked for covering the redness and acne, plus most make my eyes burn and/or I can't tolerate the smell.

Recently, I am having success for my red nose and acne (spots here and there on face and forehead) with Maybelline Cover Stick - no smell and it blends in nicely.

I am a consultant for BeautiControl spa & skincare and have a couple of clients with rosacea condition and are doing incredibly well with our M.R.P. program (maintain, repair and prevent).Skinlogis Sensitive is amazing.
You can look up my webpage for further info:
www.beautipage.com/clv_spadiva

I have the same problem I think but have not been diagnosed. My skin is very red, oily, itchy and I break out in hives a lot. The ONLY thing that has helped me is staying away from products with chemicals. That's pretty funny what that girl's dermatologist said about s**t being natural but think about it...people want to sell products and the FDA doesn't regulate what goes into them. The more toxins and chemicals you put on your skin the worse you will get. Sorry, but not even Mary Kay or Neutrogena are chemical free!
Drink LOTS of pure water, stay out of the sun (but don't use sunblock unless you are going to be out for hours, and then use a natural one), and use natural skin care products. I know they are more expensive but it's a good investment. I gave up some other things I knew I didn't need so I could buy better food and healthcare products. I absolutely LOVE Dr. Hauschka products. They are wonderful and work like a charm. They have great rosacea products. My favorite item is the Normalizing Day Oil. I couldn't believe the clerk told me to PUT oil on my face, but it actually made me less oily, red, and sensitive. They have great make-up too, and items for hypersensitive skin. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Hauschka's Roseaca line

I have had Rosacea for about 20 years now. I also have super sensitive skin. It seems anything that I put on other than my "usual" causes breakouts, sometimes extreme. I have been using Cover Girl Clean Liquid Foundation and Press Powder as well as the same make blush for many many years. I tried the new one with Olay in it and that was a major mistake (un-believeable reaction). I have always used the creamy natural shade but because of the reddness of my face, especially in the summer months I do have to try another shade. Any suggestions? In any case, the only sun screen that I can use on my face is Bain de Soleil Orange Glee. I buy it online bc I cannot find it in stores. It is a little expensive and oily but since I only use it on my face not bad. Love it!!! Have tried all the other sunscreens mentioned and always have had big problems. Hope this helps someone else out there with the same problem.

I know it's expensive, but I like Clinique's "Even Better" foundation. It's $27 a bottle, but I use it very sparingly. I don't use heavy foundation anyway, but I got a really good match, and I apply it very sparingly with a sponge only where needed and blend thoroughly--you can even add a little water to thin it out around the edges. One bottle has lasted me more than a year. I've tried the mineral foundations, but I tend to have dry/combination skin and they irritate and dry my skin. I have seen some improvement with this foundation, and I don't even wear it every day.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clinique Even Better Foundation

I have had Rosacea for years and was on Metrogel, which didn't work. I now wash my face with Dove Unscented soap, use Finacea Gel twice a day, and Cerave Day Time Facial Moisturizer, my skin has never looked better. As for makeup, the foundation that works for me is Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation, which I found out about on a Rosacea website. I'm still looking for the perfect blush, any suggestions?