As the holidays approach, people with rosacea may worry about holiday rosacea triggers.
Holiday stress, rich foods, and cold weather can all come together to increase rosacea flare-ups, making it difficult to keep redness and irritation at bay.
We have some simple strategies you can use to keep your skin calm and glowing all season long.
11 common holiday rosacea triggers and how to avoid them
Learning about your triggers is crucial to keeping your skin free of rosacea.
It’s also important to use high-quality, fragrance-free skin care that won’t worsen your symptoms. CV Skinlabs products are specifically designed to help skin conditions such as rosacea. All our formulas are clinically proven to reduce redness, irritation, inflammation and itching.
Try applying our Rescue & Relief Spray followed by Calming Moisture to soothe skin and reduce redness, irritation and small bumps that are a telltale sign of rosacea. You will see a noticeable transformation in your skin!
1. Holiday stress
The excitement and stress of planning holiday gatherings, shopping, traveling, meeting with family and more can trigger rosacea symptoms. Stress is one of the biggest triggers of rosacea, leading to increased redness and flare-ups.
Tips to help:
Incorporate some stress-relieving activity into your daily routine. Try a few minutes of deep breathing, 5-10 minutes of meditation, exercise and a daily walk, music and art therapy, or anything else that helps you relax. (I’ve done sound baths to reduce stress!)
Set aside “me time” sometime during the week to keep stress levels in check. The more you can distribute your stress, the better your skin will be.
2. Rich, spicy foods
Holiday foods are often rich and spicy. Unfortunately, spicy foods often trigger rosacea flare-ups because they can cause blood vessels to dilate and worsen redness.
Tips to help:
Identify and try to avoid foods that you know affect you. Spicy foods, tomatoes and chocolate are some common foods for people with rosacea. If you’re at a party, try smaller portions if you’re unsure. Combine spicy dishes with cooling cucumbers and salads to minimize their effects.
3. Alcohol
Alcohol, and especially red wine, is a known trigger for rosacea. It can dilate blood vessels and lead to flare-ups, making the redness worse.
Tips to help:
Usually choose non-alcoholic drinks. Instead, opt for sparkling water or mocktails. If you do indulge, opt for a lighter alcohol option, such as white wine or a light cocktail, and drink water in between to stay hydrated.
4. Hot drinks
Hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate and other warm drinks are all comforting in cold weather. Unfortunately, that heat can cause a flare-up. The heat of the drink warms your face and can cause redness.
Tips to help:
Let your drink cool down a bit before drinking it.
5. Cold weather and wind
Cold air, especially if accompanied by wind, irritates sensitive skin prone to rosacea. Cold temperatures also suck moisture from the skin, while wind leads to further irritation and redness.
Tips to help:
Protect your skin from the elements by wearing a scarf and hat outdoors, covering as much of your face as possible. Apply our Calming Moisture before heading out as it will act as a healthy, protective barrier and keep the skin calm.
6. Overheated indoor areas
Moving from the cold outdoors to a heated indoor space can cause the blood vessels to expand, which can lead to facial flushing.
Tips to help:
Try to keep your indoor climate at a moderate temperature. If you are visiting someone else’s home or a public building and feel like you are overheating, step outside for a few minutes of fresh air. Staying hydrated and avoiding hot drinks can also help.
7. Heavy holiday makeup
It’s fun to get all dressed up for a party, but heavy foundations and blushes can irritate sensitive skin. Certain makeup products may also contain fragrances and harsh chemicals that can worsen rosacea.
Tips to help:
Choose makeup products that are fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and designed for sensitive skin. Mineral-based makeup can be a good option because it tends to be gentler. Use our Rescue & Relief Spray as a toner and then apply our Calming Moisture before makeup. It can serve as a barrier between your skin and your makeup, protecting the skin and keeping it hydrated.
Make sure you always cleanse your face before going to bed, removing all make-up with a mild cleanser and possibly a soft cleansing brush.
8. Holiday desserts and sweet treats
Diets high in sugar have been linked to inflammation, which worsens the symptoms of rosacea. Even if you don’t normally eat a lot of sugar, it’s hard to avoid it during the holidays when there are so many tempting treats.
Tips to help:
Enjoy sweets in moderation. Whenever possible, choose desserts with less sugar. Better options include fruit, dark chocolate, gingerbread, figs, bread pudding, baked apples and other low-sugar recipes.
9. Lack of sleep
During the holidays it is often more difficult to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. A lack of sleep can weaken the skin barrier, increase inflammation and worsen the symptoms of rosacea.
Tips to help:
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time, even on weekends. Create a soothing bedtime routine that helps you relax after a stressful day. Turn off the lights at least an hour before bedtime and make sure you don’t bring any technology (including your phone, tablet and television) into your bedroom. The light can disrupt your sleep hormones. Make sure your bedroom is cool and dark, and if noise disrupts your sleep, try a white noise machine or fan.
10. Travel and climate changes
Traveling to another area where the climate is different can shock your sensitive skin. Maybe you’re going from a typically humid area to a dry area. Without any extra care, your skin may become red and inflamed.
Tips to help:
Do everything you can to prepare your skin for the change. Start moisturizing with our Calming Moisture before you leave. Take our travel size Rescue + Relief Spray with you and spray it on your skin as soon as it starts to feel dry. Then do your best to follow your normal skin care routine in your new destination.
11. Scented Christmas candles and air fresheners
Fragrance products can help create a holiday atmosphere in a room, but many products contain chemicals that can irritate rosacea-prone skin, especially if you get too close to the source.
Tips to help:
If you’re hosting, opt for fragrance-free or lightly scented candles, or use essential oil diffusers with soothing oils like chamomile and lavender. When visiting others, try to sit further away from strong-smelling candles or sprays to reduce possible irritation.
Do you suffer from holiday rosacea triggers?
Featured image by Kaboompics.com via Pexels.
