Dressing for Rosacea: Colors to Avoid

It’s quite likely that you avoid certain colors because of your hair, most women do. Have you stopped to consider that the colors you wear affect how red your face looks? The colors you wear can make your redness stand out. Many people with rosacea can tone down the redness by choosing appropriate clothing colors. There are a few things you should know. Your hair color and skin tone matter. What works for me may not be as helpful to you. I have very pale skin and natural blonde hair. My blonde hair was white-blonde as a kid and darkened up. As I went through a pregnancy, I picked up weird red tones. Now it is doing what my grandmother's hair did as she aged. It's intermixed with silver now, so it is going back to the white blonde. It's so white-blonde that I struggle to find colors I like. Your natural skin tone will dictate a lot of what you can wear. My skin has always been very pale with pink tones. I burn easily and freckles were unavoidable. I've used green concealers for years to tone the pink on days that I can't avoid wearing makeup. It's very rare that I'll put makeup on, but when I do I prefer mineral-based concealers. Bellapierre has a full kit with the different colors you need to conceal the redness and other imperfections.

Go for Cool Colors

People with rosacea benefit from cool colors that can tone down red skin. Many men and women with rosacea find cool colors like green and blue can help make their red face less noticeable. Green and pale yellows are especially notable as they are the same hue put into many cosmetics designed to tone redness in rosacea sufferers. Another benefit of these colors is that they tend to be suitable for any hair color. Cool colors include:
  • Blue and green tinted grays
  • Shades of blue
  • Shades of green
  • Shades of bluish purples
I lean towards blue a lot. Any time I wear royal blue, I get people telling me how great I look in that shade of blue. When my new mail delivery person said it last week, I knew I was onto something. I'm stocking up on that blue now.

Be Careful With Warm Colors

Experts do recommend that people who are prone to having bright red skin from rosacea avoid warm colors with strong red hues – such as orange and red. These colors can draw attention to an already red face and make it appear even redder. I find that red is okay, but it has to be a deeper red with blue notes, like burgundy. Yellow and orange are horrible with my blonde hair and pale skin tone. If you had olive tones and darker hair, you might find it easier to get away with warm colors.

Black and White Are Not Always Good Choices

For those with a red complexion, especially when the skin is pale, white and black are not rosacea-friendly colors. White and black can really make the red stand out. White is especially bad as it will make your red really stand out. I don't find black to be as bad, but with a really bad flare-up, I do try to avoid black, too. Rosacea is not a one-size-fits-all skin condition, so you will want to hold different colors up to your face and see how they look before you purchase them. Trying them out in bright lighting can really help as that’s when the redness tends to be most prominent.

Consider the Material

One more thing to consider when you’re shopping for clothing to lessen the red face rosacea causes, consider the material. Some materials like angora or wool may make your neck or face itchy as you pull it over your head. Angora will trigger a flare-up with me. It makes my skin itch like crazy, so I avoid it completely. Many experts say materials like cotton and silk are better for people with rosacea. I have yet to find a reason why experts pick those two materials. What I do know is that cotton keeps me cooler than other materials, and staying cool tends to lessen my redness. Unfortunately, finding the best color clothing for rosacea involves a lot of trial and error. Rosacea isn't the same for every person, and finding the best colors for rosacea is equally challenging. The easiest way to dress for rosacea is by learning to be okay with your skin. There is no cure, so it's often best to embrace it. If people ask why you're so red, turn it into the opportunity to educate them into a condition they've probably never heard of.
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