Cold, Winter weather can play havoc with those prone to facial redness. Dry cold air is harsh on skin and often triggers flare-ups and flushing. Cold weather and dry central heating can also make skin tight and itchy.

How can I protect my skin?

Your skin barrier is your body’s frontline defence against everything the environment can throw at it, so keeping it healthy is imperative. A healthy skin barrier seals in moisture to keep skin soft, smooth and hydrated. When the skin barrier is damaged, distressing skin symptoms can appear such as dry, scaly, itchy skin, which can all lead to nasty infections.

What makes a healthy skin barrier?

Ceramides are the glue which keep our skin cells together to form a healthy skin barrier. These waxy lipids make up to 50% of the skin composition to form the natural skin barrier, the body’s outermost layer. A healthy skin barrier seals in moisture to keep skin soft, smooth and hydrated.

The Manuka Doctor Ceramide skincare range features 3 essential ceramides plus moisturising Manuka honey to keep your skin barrier healthy and protected. The range has been developed to support sensitive skin in time of need, keeping it simple with a gentle cleanser, a protective face lotion and an ultra-moisturising cream for dry to very dry skin, for use on face and body. Enriched with three essential Ceramides, Hyaluronic acid and Manuka honey. This rich, non-greasy and fast absorbing cream, effectively hydrates skin and reinforces skin’s protective barrier.

“I have sensitive skin and use all Manuka Doctor products, these products make my skin soft and hydrated” Diane

“This product is delightful, it really moisturises and skin feels so hydrated. Love it” Virginia

How else can I avoid facial redness?

Rosacea triggers redness in the nose, cheeks and forehead, and tends to affect women more than men. Apart from flushed, red skin, other symptoms include spots, a burning or stinging sensation, thread veins, and dry, rough or scaly skin.

Scientists don’t know exactly what causes rosacea but your genes, spicy food, alcohol, and microscopic skin mites could all be responsible. There’s also a theory that bacteria on your skin or in the gut could lead to rosacea.

Tips to avoiding facial redness include covering up your face when outdoors to protect your complexion from the cold. Wearing layers so you can remove one by one as you feel warmer, as rosacea or reddened skin is often triggered by feeling hot. Your doctor can prescribe medicated creams or lotions to soothe red, irritated skin. Antibiotics may be helpful, but you should also avoid triggers, like caffeine or curry, that can set off an episode of flushing. Avoid boiling hot drinks and wear a sunscreen even in the Winter, as UV rays are a major trigger for rosacea and can also damage the skin causing more facial redness.

The Manuka Doctor Ceramide Moisturising Lotion with SPF30 protection is enriched with three essential Ceramides, Hyaluronic acid and Manuka honey. It effectively hydrates and moisturises skin whilst protecting from harmful UV rays, keeping the skin barrier moisturised and healthy. Suitable for all skin types, especially dry, irritated skin.

Since finding out about the benefits of the Manuka Doctor Ceramide Moisturising Lotion SPF30 our customers can’t speak highly enough of the product for their reddened skin.

“Great product, very good for Mum’s rosacia, no reaction to it at all and great under make up too” Fleur

“The cream was very soothing for my itchy skin” Ann

Why am I prone to sensitive skin?

Skin sensitivity is something we have all experienced at some point or another, a reaction to a food, a skincare product, a particularly stressful period in our lives can spark off a longer standing sensitive skin, along with more of a genetic predisposition to certain skin conditions such as rosacea and eczema prone skins. Whatever the reason selecting skincare that won’t flare things up further is key.  Stop using anything that could be causing a reaction, like skincare with heavy fragrance. A weak or damaged skin barrier could be triggering sensitivity, so look for products that help repair your skin and retain moisture.

Tip – avoid using water that is too hot, sensitive skins don't like extremes of temperature

A sensitized skin needs delicate cleansing, it still requires daily cleansing but nothing that's going to strip or further irritate. The Manuka Doctor Ceramide Smoothing Cleanser actually helps to rebalance and restore the skin’s surface. This gentle gel cleanser is enriched with three essential Ceramides, Salicylic acid, Hyaluronic acid and Manuka honey, to gently cleanse and smooth skin.

Manuka honey is naturally antibacterial, melting away impurities when removed with warm water, perfect for cleansing delicate skins, the ideal first step in a sensitive skin routine. Being a natural prebiotic, Manuka honey also helps to re-balance the skin to promote a healthier looking complexion. The MGO found in Manuka honey gives it greater antimicrobial properties than other honeys, which means it’s better able to fight skin conditions like acne and rosacea. Being anti-inflammatory, it can also help soothe red, irritated skin.

Manuka Doctor skincare products are made with sustainable and genuine Manuka honey, certified by the New Zealand Government to an incredibly high standard providing you with the most pure and reliable natural ingredients all the way from our hives to your home.

As well as what we put into our products, it’s also important to consider what we’ve left out – SLS, SLES, Parabens, Phthalates, Mineral Oil, Siloxanes, Aluminium, DEA, MEA. All of these ingredients can flare up sensitive skins, leading to dry, itchy, sore skin.

For more information on our Ceramide skincare products, you can find out more here.

Why rosacea = redness

Rosacea triggers redness in the nose, cheeks and forehead, and tends to affect women more than men. Apart from flushed, red skin, other symptoms include spots, a burning or stinging sensation, thread veins, and dry, rough or scaly skin.¹

Scientists don’t know exactly what causes rosacea but your genes, spicy food, alcohol, and microscopic skin mites could all be responsible. There’s also a theory that bacteria on your skin or in the gut could lead to rosacea.²

How to tackle rosacea

Your doctor can prescribe medicated creams or lotions to soothe red, irritated skin. Antibiotics may be helpful, but you should also avoid triggers, like caffeine or curry, that can set off an episode of flushing.³

Always use a sunscreen – UV light can trigger rosacea – and check that your skincare products contain anti-inflammatory ingredients like allantoin, a natural anti-inflammatory known to relieve skin redness and cracking.⁴

Soothe sensitive skin

Sensitive skin isn’t a condition as such, but can be a symptom of others – hello, eczema – or an allergic reaction to certain foods, beauty products, temperature changes or even stress. Your skin can become red, dry, itchy, or break out in hives, technically called uticaria.

How to tackle sensitive skin

Stop using anything that could be causing a reaction, like a new washing powder, and take anti-histamines if needed. A weak or damaged skin barrier could be triggering sensitivity, so look for products that help repair your skin and retain moisture. Research shows beeswax can improve the skin’s barrier and boost recovery.⁵

Too much sunlight?

We know overdoing the sunshine is bad news. Apart from the risk of skin cancer, it can lead to rosacea, premature ageing, hyperpigmentation, and even an allergy to sunlight itself. And despite regularly applying sunscreen with at least SPF 15, occasionally we might end up with a red nose or pink shoulders.

How to tackle too much sun?

Get out of the sun and cool your skin with a damp flannel or cold shower. Then apply a soothing after-sun like aloe vera.⁶ Studies have found that aloe vera contains a compound called glucomannan, which boosts production of collagen and new skin cells.⁷

Could it be contact dermatitis?

Contact dermatitis is a type of eczema caused by an irritant or allergen, such as soap, washing-up liquid or chemicals like hair dye. These strip the skin – most often on the hands and face – of its natural oils, leaving it red, dry and itchy.⁸

How to tackle contact dermatitis

Stop using the irritant straight away, but if you can’t – you’re a hairdresser, for example – wear gloves to protect your skin. And after you wash your hands or face, use a moisturiser to help replenish the skin. French dermatologists discovered that blackcurrant seed oil can restore oils in the skin’s top layer, improving your skin barrier.⁹

Still not sure what’s causing your skin redness? See your GP who can arrange an allergy test, or prescribe any medication if necessary.