How to Temporarily Hide Visible Redness, A Step-By-Step Guide

Being caught red-handed isn’t exactly desirable, but neither is being found looking red in the face. While the occasional rosy flush caused by embarrassment or falling in love (otherwise known as blushing) may be considered cute, the same can’t be said when your skin is just plain red all of the time. Whether you blush easily or the source of your redness is a breakout, we certainly understand that there’s nothing “cute” about it. There’s no reason you should have to hide your face, though, just learn some clever techniques to help reduce and disguise the look of redness. We know that’s easier said than done, which is why we’re sharing our step-by-step guide.

Step #1: Protect with Sunscreen 

No skin care routine is complete without broad-spectrum sunscreen, regardless of whether you’re dealing with redness. But this step can be especially crucial for helping to prevent visible redness. “Using daily sunscreen and antioxidants can really help reduce or mitigate redness,” says ethnic skin expert, and Skincare.com consultant, Dr. William Kwan. By protecting your skin with sunscreen, you can help prevent sun damage and sunburn which can make your skin appear red.

Need a sunscreen rec? We share some of our favorite sunscreens, here!

Step #2: Prime Your Face

Primer isn’t just an extra step to tack onto your beauty routine, it’s actually a must for getting your makeup look right. Kickstart your makeup routine with Dermablend’s Insta-Grip Jelly Makeup Primer. This silicone-free jelly primer can help extend the life of your makeup wear for all-day staying power, attract moisture to the skin, and prep your canvas for what’s to come. It’s also a great multitasking product as it works as a three-fold: a makeup-gripping primer, an instant moisturizer, and a tightening mask. Use (clean!) fingers to apply a thin layer to your face and gently massage it onto your skin before moving on to the next step.

Step #3: Use Color Corrector

To begin masking the look of redness, reach for a color corrector with a green hue. Think back to your fifth-grade education, and somewhere deep in the recesses of your brain is likely a bit of knowledge about color theory. Just in case you missed that class, here’s a refresher: Since red and green sit on opposite sides of the color spectrum, they can be used to cancel one another out. If your face looked green, a red concealer would help minimize the appearance of it, and vice versa. Don’t let the color scare you off, you’ll be covering it later.

If you’re looking for a corrector that goes beyond simply covering redness, we present you with Dermablend’s Quick Fix Color Correcting Powder Pigments. While the pigments come in four colors, the one you’ll want to grab is green. This powerful pigment not only neutralizes the look of redness and discoloration but also smooths the skin. Infused with B3 and optical diffusers, this powder-to-cream formula will blend seamlessly, the perfect step to start masking the look of redness. Sensitive skin types need not be wary, this color-correcting pigment is fragrance-free and suitable for use on all skin types. 

After applying your color corrector, blend out with a makeup blending sponge and enjoy your witch-like skin tone for just a moment. It isn’t every day you get to be green. Don’t worry, we promise it’ll be gone soon.

Step #4: Cover Up the Corrector

Unless you’ve grown partial to your green tone, it’s time to cover up the color. Using your favorite concealer in a shade that matches your skin tone, place product over top of the areas you used a color corrector, then blend out. Dermablend’s Quick-Fix Concealer Stick can do the trick.

Step #5: Apply Foundation

When it comes to temporarily disguising skin imperfections, foundation is a must. To even everything out and give your makeup a more seamless look, add a layer of foundation. To camouflage any remaining visible redness, stick with a high coverage foundation. Our pick? Dermablend’s Cover Crème Full Coverage Foundation. It boasts high-performance pigments that blend seamlessly for a natural, flawless-looking finish. Layer it on until the redness is virtually unnoticeable.

Step #6: Opt for Cool Blush and Lipstick

You aren’t in the clear just yet. Your next step could make or break all your camouflaging efforts and whether or not your visible redness can stay out of sight. Pairing a warm-toned blush or lip color with skin that’s naturally rosy can emphasize visible redness and ruin all of your concealing efforts. Play it safe by sticking with colors that are on the cool side.

Step #7: Set with a Spray

Finishing a makeup look with a dusting of face powder is a tried-and-true method for staving off shine and making your look last, but it isn’t the right one in this case. Swirling a brush packed with powder across your skin can cause the rest of your makeup to shift, and could result in revealing visible redness, and emphasizing any potential texture problems. Put the powder down and grab a setting spray to lock your makeup in place. A few spritzes of Dermablend’s Power-Setter 2-in-1 Makeup Setting Spray and you’ll be good to go. Formulated with aloe, this lightweight setting spray is perfect for all-day wear. You can reapply the spray throughout the day to give your makeup a freshly-applied look and feel. 

Editor’s Note: If your redness seems to be excessive and persistent, there may be a larger issue at hand. “Facial redness can also be a sign of a medical condition called rosacea,” says Dr. Kwan. “If the redness persists or worsens, contact a dermatologist for evaluation.” To learn more about rosacea, check out our FAQs here!