How to Deal with a Ruddy Complexion

Does your skin look red even when you haven’t been out in the sun? A ruddy complexion can have a variety of causes – the most common being a skin disorder called rosacea. This is a condition where the blood vessels in the face dilate easily causing the skin to appear redder than normal. A ruddy complexion that appears out of nowhere should be checked out by a doctor since certain medical conditions can cause the density of blood cells in the blood stream to rise causing the skin to appear red and flushed. Some people just naturally have redder skin than others and want to reduce that redness. Here are some tips on how to deal with a ruddy complexion.

Choose the right foundation

Choosing the right foundation can make an enormous difference when it comes to how a ruddy complexion looks. When makeup shopping choose a base makeup or foundation that has yellow undertones to offset some of the redness. A cream foundation usually gives better coverage than a liquid one. You can also use a green tinted concealer to mask the redness in areas that need additional coverage. Follow up with a dusting of pressed powder with yellow tones to give additional coverage and reduce shine. A bare mineral powder works well for this purpose and gives a light, pretty finish.

Go light on the blush and lipstick

To cover a ruddy complexion, choose a powder blush that has golden undertones and apply it lightly. You already have enough red in your skin, so there’s no point in going heavy on the cheek color Another option is to skip the blush entirely and use a light dusting of bronzer on your cheeks instead. Choose a shade of lipstick that has gold or copper undertones rather than reds or pinks which will only accentuate the ruddiness.

Draw attention to your eyes.

Take the focus off of skin that’s too red by accentuating your eyes. The best eye shadow shades for a ruddy complexion are in the gold and copper family. Browns and beiges also work well. Further accentuate eyes by applying a brown liner and a layer of mascara.

If you have rosacea

If your skin is ruddy because you have rosacea, avoid triggers that can make skin redder such as alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeinated beverages. When you cleanse your face don’t exfoliate or scrub too aggressively or use products that increase redness such as alpha-hydroxy-acids or retinoic acids.

It can be a challenge having a ruddy complexion, but the right foundation and makeup colors can make all the difference. Choose them wisely.