I have very little eyebrows. For some reason they fell out over time (mostly due to seb derm I think) and I often experiment with black charcoal. Normal mascara or eyeliner or any sort of make up usually makes my facial skin more red, but the charcoal is less of a problem. I also tried blueberry juice for lipstick and it looks fairly hideous I think.. Sickly, like I suffer from the plague or rubella. On me at least. Literally like I ate too many blueberries and smeared them all over my lips. I am not the only one who uses charcoal, this beauty blogger does it too.
I still use the fan when needed and flush maybe a few hours a day and for the rest am just rosy and warm. The redness is a lot less than in the winter, but I can't go out in the warm wind or I'm bright red and swollen in my face. The pictures were taken with the lovely even skin tone filter. It still shows some redness but makes it all smooth out a bit (skin can look rough at times although not at this moment, but I will take normal pictures in the future again anyway, as this might not be too useful for a rosacea blog actually, I'm thinking now..). My hands have eczema spots and some of the skin is peeling off in red rash like structures. I keep it moisturized with Vaseline.
Here is a MakeupAlley review on this product. And here on amazon.com.
Ingredients of the lip stick
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Coconut Stearic Acid, Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Rosehip Oil, May contain all or some of the following fruit pigments : Cherry, Cocoa, Strawberry, Plum, Blueberry, Blackberry, Peach, Apricot, Tomato, Pomegranate, Acai, Raspberry, Chokeberry and Cranberry, Rice Strach Powder.
Ingredients of the mascaraCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (Organic Green Tea), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Cera Alba (Honey Beeswax), Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract (Blackberry Extract), Ribes Nigrum Fruit Extract (Blackcurrant Extract), Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract (Raspberry Extract), Hydrolyzed Oat Protein (Oat Protein), Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein (Wheat Protein), Pantothenic Acid (Pro-vitamin B5), Fucus Vesiculosus Extract (Seaweed Powder), Coconut Stearic Acid (Coconut Acid), Mica, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter (Cocoa Butter), Pearl Powder, Oryza Sativa Germ Powder (Rice Powder), Theobroma Cacao Extract (Cocoa Powder), Coffea Arabica Seed Extract (Powdered Coffee Beans), Mel (Lavender Honey), Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract (Oregano Extract), Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract (Thyme Extract), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract (Rosemary Extract), Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract (Lavender Extract), Hydrastis Canadensis Extract (Goldenseal Extract)
And the eyeliner Ingredients: Black Tea, Dark Cacao Pigment, Aloe Vera Gel, Rose Hydrosol, Candelilla Wax, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Red Wine Resveratrol, Extracts of Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender, Goji Berry, Acai Berry and Goldenseal, Peptides of Snow Pea, Black Rice and Hibiscus, Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Rice Starch, Mica, Japanese Honeysuckle Extract.
I also found a foundation my skin tolerates. It is called Toleriane teint mineral, from the brand La Roche Posay. It doesn't contain perfume and is developed for hyper-sensitive skin. It covers severe redness and you can apply it as thick or thin as you want, although it is not a lightweight fluid type of moisturizer. It's a mineral cream base. The only problem I have with it, is that it is not easy to remove off your face at the end of the day. I need a skin cleanser to get it all off, and it acts like a scrub more or less, which makes my skin red and sensitive for a few weeks (!) afterwards, just like a regular scrub does. Therefore I have only been using this foundation on a handful of occasions. Pictures of me wearing the foundation (I don't have a smartphone and don't use filters of any sort). See this blog post about my trip to York and Newcastle in England, and when I was wearing this make-up (and when these photos were taken :) Blog post London - York - Newcastle + dermatologist.jpg)
Product description
Sand beige compact corrective foundation with La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Teint Compact Corrective Foundation Sand Beige is a velvety cream that corrects severe imperfections without overloading your skin. It contains 30% coated pigments which unify your complexion. The foundation is suitable for sensitive skin and for those prone to breakouts. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Teint Corrective Compact Corrective Foundations gives you a semi-matt powder finish.
- SPF 25.
- Fragrance free.
- Preservative free.
- Ultra-fine texture.
- Waterproof.
- Anti-friction sponge included.
Under-eye circles.
Redness.
Acne.
Vitiligo.
Angloma
Scars.
Burns.
- Directions for Use: After applying day cream, pick up a small amount of the product using the sponge and spread it from the centre of the face outward
Results: Severe imperfections are concealed, skin is left looking even and natural.
Ingredients: DIMETHICONE, ISONONYL ISONONANOATE, PTFE, HYDROGENATED JOJOBA OIL, POLYMETHYLSILSEQUIOXANE, POLYBOTUANE, POLYETHYLENE, DISODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE, ALUMINIUM HYDROXIDE, MAY CONTAIN, C1 77891/TITANIUM DIOXIDE, CI 77499, CI 77492/IRON OXIDES, CI 77947/ZINC OXIDE.
Reviews-Skinni Peach wrote: Another corrective foundation, another surprise and a saviour during the winter months. As with all La Roche Posay products, this is geared towards sensitive souls but this time with more emphasis on dry, sensitive souls. Never before have I used a foundation that doesn't cling for dear life on to dry patches. Instead this creamy bit of magic happens to smooth over, yet sink in at the same time. The sponge that's included and lives under the compact in its own little compartment is the only drawback. I hate using sponges. Filthy. But a few washes here and there and it does the job well. The colour I was sent is a little on the dark side for me (no. 13 Beige Sand), but I use it very lightly on my skin and the results are yet again, flawless."
-Fresh Look Beauty Blog wrote: "La Roche-Posay's Toleriane Teint Compact Foundation (RRP £14.50-18.50 for 9g) is a cream formula for hyper-sensitive skin types who need coverage for anything from acne to scarring or under-eye circles. This would also appeal to anyone who just wants a break from their normal foundation, thanks to its minimal ingredients list! [..]
The Longevity
I was really impressed with the staying power of this foundation - I've previously reviewed the Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation which has the same sort of aim as La Roche-Posay, but found my skin became very oily by the end of the day. With this product, I wasn't worrying about slippage and found that for your standard 8-hour day this holds up really well.
The Coverage
This foundation boasts 30% coated pigments, which means that a little goes a long way and allows you to keep a natural finish. It also layers fairly well on concentrated areas, so you may well be able to ditch the concealer. When I opened the compact, I was sure this would run out within 2 weeks. I used it everyday for over month, plus a few times a week for a further month (that's the beauty blogger in me getting bored), and I still have half the product left!
The Sensitive Skin Criteria
Fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free, SPF 25-35 depending on how much you use... tick tick tick! If you're worried about breakouts or reacting to your foundation, this has to be one of the safest bets after mineral make-up.
Update, week after wearing foundation on my skin
There are two possible culprits I think, given that I normally never get these paps, not even when when hormones are at its worst during the month. So either it is the (eye) make up, or it could be the one other thing I changed this week, being the daily yogurt I eat and the smoothies I now make with organic milk instead of water or rice milk. So either dairy/yogurt or the make up. I remember painting my nails a long time ago, about 7 years at least and I did that with some cheap, overly chemical one. Day 2 and I woke up with bad acne, and it increased the next days until I started to wonder if the nail polish could have been causing it. I actually made a picture of the rashes at the time, will see if I can find it back. (Ok, found it. I sulk very badly in it and look like a blue Sesame Street character, apologies). Will add some close ups of the current paps too. Its not a real acne outbreak or anything but I had zero paps before. Hmmm, please don´t let this be the make up :( I can´t even think what ingredient could have caused this, perhaps the mica.. I will stop eating yogurt and milk for the next week and then once things are calm again use the make up once more. But remove it every night before sleeping and see how things go then. The natural eye make-up gives me no problem when I put it on and take it off the same day. Once I leave it on for days and nights on end, it gives me acne/p&p's. The ones in the last picture of the make up thread subsided within a few days of not wearing the make up anymore, all by itself.Update
I have been wearing the eye make up for 2 days and nights now and so far my skin is definitely not reacting. I'm pretty unflushed and don't feel any burning or stinging either (apart from the obvious triggers which I try to avoid). So, I'm really happy :) :) I have hardly any eye lashes and the ones I do have are short and in small numbers but this mascara makes them longer and more distinct. Its not a super lash duplicator who makes you look like you wear fake eyelashes but for an all natural, fruit pigment product I think it looks very good actually. The lip creme thing doesn't seem to stir anything up either. I actually think the eye make up looks about as good as the regular more expensive brands I used in the past (Lancome, Chanel etc). Its all made from fruit pigments and natural oils and ingredients but it actually looks like normal make up to me.I actually want to try their 100% pure foundation too now.. (reviews here). Despite really liking the one I posted about in my last post. Here is some info about regular, supposedly toxic mascara's. And an article in the Daily Mail about the "toxins" in make-up here. Some of the baddies that are mentioned in the article are:*Ingredients such as Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, and Propylparaben can cause allergic reactions for some people and have been linked to skin rashes such as contact dermatitis. In addition, parabens are known as endocrine disruptors because they resemble human estrogen and can easily penetrate the skin, our largest organ. These chemicals are absorbed directly into the body via the tiny pores around the eyes and enter into the bloodstream where they mingle with your hormones and can cause problems. *Furthermore, synthetic colours are often used. These are usually labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number (e.g. FD&C Red No. 6, D&C Green No. 6). These are believed to be carcinogenic, although more research is taking place. The article goes on explaining the good alternatives in the form of natural make up like 100% Pure:
Good News: There are healthy alternatives that work great. Hooray!
"Natural mascaras are slowly surfacing in the market and are starting to make way in the beauty industry. In fact, they have come a long way in recent years. The ingredients found in natural mascara are not only natural; they also provide a whole host of antioxidants and other health promoting elements. They are filled with rich ingredients derived from fruit and vegetable pigments as well as lash stimulating oils that allow for the same beautifying effect as regular commercial brand mascara, minus hazardous ingredients. The colors are derived from the pigment of nutrient dense fruits and vegetables. Some of the fruits that are commonly used include blackberries, blueberries, acai berries, boysenberries, pomegranate, grape skin, blackcurrant, raspberries, etc. All of which are packed with antioxidants and help to provide a variety of colour options for your peeps. Not only do the mascaras made with these ingredients smell like dessert, they are smudge proof, they nourish your lashes by preventing them from falling out and they don’t cause harm to your body. Awesome!
The protein component of natural mascara is often derived from oats, wheat, and seaweed powder. These nutrient dense proteins perform an excellent job at giving you fantastic, sexy, flirty, long lashes, as well as helping to strengthen hair. Shine and extra moisturizing nourishment is often delivered by Vitamin E, green tea, coconut and mica. Some natural mascaras may also have even more added helpful ingredients such as the extracts of lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano and goldenseal. These natural herbs help to stimulate hair growth and help with capillary growth. That’s right ladies, you won’t need to purchase costly eyelash growing mascara any longer because the natural mascara does the trick for you!Suggestions for Natural Mascara
There are a number of natural mascaras on the market. Some are better than others. My personal favorite is called “100% Pure” and I love the Blueberry version which smells like blueberry pie! Another option that many people like is Pure Anada. This one has a slightly lower price point, is natural, but isn’t quite as food based as the first option. In summary, many commercial mascaras are toxic and harmful. Natural mascara on the other hand, is healthy and provides the same aesthetic benefits of longer, flirty, shiny lashes. Va-va-voom!"
There are a number of natural mascaras on the market. Some are better than others. My personal favorite is called “100% Pure” and I love the Blueberry version which smells like blueberry pie! Another option that many people like is Pure Anada. This one has a slightly lower price point, is natural, but isn’t quite as food based as the first option. In summary, many commercial mascaras are toxic and harmful. Natural mascara on the other hand, is healthy and provides the same aesthetic benefits of longer, flirty, shiny lashes. Va-va-voom!"
It has been extremely warm and humid so far these last weeks. I had periods in the past where I absolutely didn't seem to sweat. There were some posts on the rosacea forum about the flushing issues some think this might create. Also check this blog post if you like about rosacea and the inability to sweat. Well, I have been sweating like mad now suddenly. On the bike to town; sweat all over my back, chest and even the upper lip. Never been so happy with this in my life :) Taking cold showers which are great. I also cut most carbs from my diet, apart from a little bit of whole grain ones or some potatoes in the evening. I only crave frozen yogurt or smoothies nowadays, I'm sure many people don't feel like eating in this heat. I make my own smoothies by buying frozen fruits when I can find them, blending them with milk or rice milk or soy milk for those who don't want to take dairy, and I like a thick substance so you need to stir the mix with a spoon a lot in between blending. Tastes great and if I don't overdo it I don't have much flushing problems with it.
There are tv series which
we watch and its really one of the great moments of escapism to watch them at
night. Things we follow(ed) are Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, The
Tudors, The Borgias, The White Queen, Breaking Bad, The Village and last year
we watched a very old fashioned British series called Upstairs Downstairs. I'm mad for everything
about both the First and Second World War. The Second was so heavily covered at
school that I never realized until much later how incredibly heroic, tragic and
insane the First World War actually was. Again, the Germans were at the root of it,
but the trench war and the massive scale in which men and boys were slaughtered
there really gave it a special type of tragedy. Upstairs Downstairs was
interesting and is situated in these years. It starts with the Titanic disaster
and ends somewhere in the 30’s if I remember correctly.
Its about a London household, both the upstairs rich family and the downstairs
employees are depicted and followed. Downton Abbey is a bit of a poor
contemporary rip off. It looks very dated and old fashioned initially but after
some time it did captivate me, the dialogues and character development is great
and I do like a bit of the old fashioned, calm style. It covers some of the
terrors these young soldiers were going through and how anyone trying to run
off was executed as a deserter by their own commanders. The second world war is
just fascinating and grizzly, you always wonder what you would have done yourself
in that given situation. A good Dutch writer called Willem Frederik Hermans
wrote a very special, thriller like novel about the war time in Holland, called
The Dark room of Damocles. My grandparents were active
in the resistance, they never really talked much about it apart from showing me
as a kid where they had been hiding Jewish people in the cellar. They dug a
hidden tunnel from it to the church across the street and hide them in the
attic there. Gran biked around with illegal papers etc and at some point my
granddad had to go into hiding himself as he was sought by the Germans and I
only recently heard that he successfully hid at a farm, but had to hear how the
farmer had his tongue nailed to the table by the Nazi's and his family had to watch him bleed
to death as they refused to given away his hiding place. I long thought my
granddad was a boring old man, always sitting in his chair, smoking and
drinking, but after his death and these stories that view changed.
Despite not always actively
participating in all aspects of life, I still find that reading about every day
life in newspapers and about history is fascinating and it gives you a much
bigger understanding of the way people are, the errors they made, the behavior
they are likely to show in the future and I am very romantic in the sense that
I like to look back at the past and imagine what it would have been like to
live back then (and of course I imagine myself then rosacea free as well). You can escape the real world when you read or watch history
and especially when its packed in a good story/ movie / series. People are curious
by nature, well some more than others of course, and I always found it
fascinating to wonder what life was like before I was born. There is so much we
missed out on in historic terms, its mind boggling sometimes. When you read a
good book, from the past, you are transported back in time as well, it has
something magical. I like art as well that works with these aspects; times
fading, images being erased etc. They had a nice article some time ago in the
Daily Mail, Ill see if I can find it back, where artists had made a collage of
old pictures taken at a specific spot in London and they mixed it with a current
picture taken at the same spot, and molded them together. That can
really touch me 
for some reason. I tend to watch such series late at night in bed with a laptop and ear plugs in and really allow myself to be sucked up by that world. I started with The White Queen last week and the first episode was very mushy and overly romantic, but further episodes improved. It deals about Elizabeth Woodville, the great grandmother of Henry VIII of England and it depicts the very complex 15th century; a complex era, full of intrigues and power struggles. Shakespeare's 'Richard III' was based on it, such fascinating times (although most people had a short and grim life back then).
http://www.boredpanda.com/stunning-before-and-after-makeup-photos-vadim-andreev/
This is an interesting blog by a girl who has (had) rosacea and who uses only natural make up and cosmetics now. She writes about her current beauty regime:
"What I’m doing now that has drastically changed my skin:
Perfume: None. My natural smell is great since I eat well and take care of my body. Every once in a while I will use a vanilla essential oil, but usually I just don’t fuss with it. My 13 year old cousin Paige even told me recently that if she hugged a bunch of people with her eyes closed she would know which one was me because of my smell, and she said that was a compliment. Adorable.
Deodorant: Primal Life Organics Pit Stick in Lavender. The ingredients for this are coconut oil, baking soda, lavender essential oil, and beeswax (not in that order). I absolutely love this deodorant. It lasts for months, smells wonderful, and is just what I need to smell fresh all day long.
Body wash/body lotion/sunscreen: In the shower I either use some sort of lard or tallow soap (I love Grandma’s Lye Soap made with lard), or I will use Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap or unscented bar. I also use Dr. Bronners liquid soap to shave my legs and underarms. For body lotion I use coconut oil. You will smell like “a tropical traditions egg” as Bill will call me when I lather up in coconut oil. Shea butter is also great for moisturizing. For sun protection, I use Badger sunscreen (can be found at Whole Foods), clothing, or hats. Dr. Mercola also makes sunscreen that is non-toxic that I have tried, and I believe Epicuren makes a pure Zinc suncreen (don’t quote me on that). Your best bet is to get out of the sun when it is the strongest, or when you feel like you are burning. Nobody needs to be a hero with the sun, vitamin D is super important, and having a glowing tan is nice, but cooking yourself in the sun all day long isn’t cute.
Shampoo/Hair products/Hair color: I love, love, love Primal Life Organics Dirty Poo, and shampoo bar. Dr. Bronners is okay for shampoo as well–Bill likes to use that. I also love using baking soda for shampoo, and rinsing with apple cider vinegar. The smell from that isn’t the best, but ACV is super great for your hair and scalp, it really has helped with my itchy scalp. Currently I have been trying out the 100% Pure healthy scalp shampoo which I like. All the ingredients are clean, and it is gluten free (not all of their shampoo is gluten free so make sure you read ingredients if using it). I rarely put product in my hair anymore. For straightening my hair I will do some Holistix brand lite oil (this is argan oil, but has some non-ideal ingredients), but I’m going to try the Kinky-Curly brand hair oil. I love the tropical traditions hair oil for deep conditioning overnight, and I like the Kinky-Curly hair spritz for when I leave my hair natural, which is curly. I only use henna for color now. I absolutely love it. It is a bit of a pain to apply and wash out, but it’s worth it. It gives my hair beautiful rich color that still looks natural, and it fades evenly. I use Lush brand Caca Noir henna for a deep brown color.
Make-up: I have been using Jane Iredale mineral makeup for almost 10 years. I use it on all of my brides and for all photoshoots. It photographs beautifully, lasts all day long, and doesn’t feel like you are wearing any makeup. It is meant to act as a barrier on your skin to protect it from airborne pollutants, and still allows your skin to breathe while you are wearing it. 100% Pure and Caren Minerals have some better ingredients than Iredale, but I haven’t tried those brands yet. I do not wear makeup everyday, and often not even every week (perk of working from home). I also NEVER recommend sleeping in your makeup. It doesn’t matter if your makeup is the most magical mineral makeup ever, it will congest your skin if you sleep in it. Always go to sleep with a clean face so your skin can recover and rejuvenate during sleeping hours.
Teeth: I mentioned on Facebook that I just went to the dentist the other day and the hygienist told me my teeth were beautifully white. She said “keep doing what you are doing!” What I am doing is using PLO Toothpowder and Gum Serum. We tried the orange toothpowder before and really loved it, but found that the peppermint one really made our mouths feel fresh, just like toothpaste. I often will rinse with peroxide to kill bacteria as well (a trick my grandpa told me to do to prevent cavities and whiten teeth), and also will brush with baking soda for extra polish. My daily routine is to floss with organic floss, and brush with PLO toothpowder and gum serum. I also brush my tongue, and/or gargle with the gum serum mixed with water, or OraWellness mixed with water. Both of those products are great for killing bacteria in the mouth.
My current evening skin routine:
- If I have makeup on I will do the typical oil cleansing method to remove my makeup. This means I massage coconut oil into my skin to lift all of the makeup, including my eye makeup (people with contacts, make sure you take them out before doing this).
- I then run a wash cloth under warm water, wring it out, and place it over my face. I then press the warm cloth into my skin lightly to steam my face, and then wipe away all of the makeup.
- After that I will then cleanse with Primal Life Organics Earth cleanser, sometimes using my clarisonic machine to remove any residual makeup, and to exfoliate and polish my skin lightly.
- After cleansing I use the Primal Life Organics Infiniti Toner (this is extremely refreshing and can be used to freshen your skin in the afternoon after a long day).
- After toner I apply either the beyond moisturizer or serum. Every now and then I will also use Fire and Ice, which I love. It really makes your skin glow! Often I will use Green Pastures Beauty Balm before bed and apply Beyond for daytime. If I have a slight breakout I will apply Neem Oil to my skin, which is great for breakouts, and a bug repellant (you will know why when you smell it).
- If I have not worn makeup all day then I just go through the Primal Life Organics routine without the makeup removal step of course.
My own toothpaste of choice:
I like to share a wonderful toothpaste I use. I was tipped off by a rosacea forum member, antwantsclear, who wrote me a year and a half ago "I saw your problems with toothpaste on your blog. I thought you may be interested in the toothpaste I get from mouthulcers. I started buying it to stop mouth ulcers but then realized it helps with the rosacea as well. It's called Squiggle toothbuilder." Thanks again Ants, I love this product! So mild, and it has a ton of xylitol. I use the fluoride free green one during the day and the fluoride version before bedtime. No flushing or skin reactions from these toothpastes and I haven't had a cavity or tooth problem since using it (neither much before either I must add but my fluoride-free trials did result in some cavities with all the problems that posed for my rosacea, so I am definitely back to fluoride now!!). Update February 2015
I made a trip to London, York and Newcastle, and also applied foundation one day. Below you can see photos of my skin as it looked all throughout the trip and then with La Roche Posay Toleriane foundation make-up on. You can read more on the day where I did this make-up experiment in this blog post. You can also read my blog post Skin care and foundation for hyper sensitive rosacea skin and Make up experiment.
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