Why you should be using minimal ingredients in your skincare

There are thousands of brands out there trying to sell you products. The skincare industry in 2022 is worth a whopping estimated 163.5 billion US dollars. In this sea of products it’s difficult to know exactly what’s safe, effective and kind to rosacea prone skin. 

According to Jennifer Chwalek, MD, a board-certified dermatolgist "the more ingredients a product has, the greater likelihood that you may develop irritation or allergic contact dermatitis to one of the ingredients in the product".

Rosacea is well known for being a tricky condition to get under control. What works for one person won't work for another. It's very individual. In my mid twenties, I was diagnosed with rosacea for the first time and I spent years trying to find what worked for me. When I started doing my own research, I realised that minimal ingredients were best for my sensitive rosacea skin.  When you use minimal ingredients, it is easy to find what your skin likes or what it reacts to. 

Simple is safe

You hear a lot about people simplifying their skincare routine, which is a good thing. Trimming the unnecessary products from your daily routine can be freeing. Going back to basics when it comes to rosacea skincare is a safe bet. As long as you have a good cleanser, moisturiser, toner, serum and SPF you are good to go. You don’t need much more than that, other than your makeup. 

While it’s good to simplify your products list, an even better move is to simplify your ingredients list. Using the minimum amount of ingredients in each product you use is equally important. The rule of thumb is: the less ingredients, the better. This applies to both dry and oily skin sensitivities. 

The most effective ingredients for rosacea skin

If you are a rosacea sufferer, it is recommended by US dermatologist Dr. Parks to use minimal ingredient products when your rosacea is having a flare up. 

There are a lot of good ingredients out there to watch for if you’ve got rosacea. I’ve put together a list of a few ingredients that are actually good for rosacea prone skin. This is absolutely not a comprehensive list, but just a sample of some of the good ones. As I mentioned before, the less ingredients the better. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid has a whole host of benefits for the skin. From moisturising to protecting, to strengthening to defending against ageing.

Here’s a quick list of the top 7 benefits for the skin:

• It attracts and retains moisture
• It helps to prevent breakouts
• It’s ability to heal and repair wounds
• It defends against free radicals 
• It enhances the skin's natural barrier
• It promotes anti-aging against fine lines and wrinkles
• It evens out skin tone and reduces pigmentation

We've covered hyaluronic acid and it's benefits for rosacea skin here. 

Rosehip

The pressed seed oil from the rosehip plant has been valued for hundreds of years for its healing properties. It’s now widely known for its hydrating and counter aging properties, but at its core it's a super effective moisturiser.

Rosehip has a lot of essential fatty acids including omega 3 and 6. This helps with softening skin and protecting the skin barrier. You might think oils aren’t for you if you suffer from an oily skin condition. It sounds counterproductive, right? Rosehip oil can actually be used on all skin types, dry, oily or combination. Due to the fatty acids it can be helpful for even those suffering from acne and rosacea prone skin. The linoleic acid found in the oil can also be effective against hyperpigmentation.

We have also covered the benefits of rosehip oil on rosacea skin.

Licorice Root

Licorice root is a plant extract that has skin-soothing properties. In addition, licorice root may be effective in improving the look of an uneven skin tone. One of its components, known as glabridin, is a potent antioxidant and skin-soothing ingredient, which is why licorice often shows up in products meant for sensitive, reddened skin. 

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is a natural anti-inflammatory that soothes skin. It’s used for a whole host of skin irritations and burns. The gel from the inner leaf of the aloe vera plant is a renowned moisturiser. There are many moisturisers, gels and after-suns which contain aloe vera. If you like, you can also harvest the plant yourself and use the gel directly from there. As with most things, it’s possible to be allergic to aloe vera so always do a patch test on your neck or elbow.

Anti-oxidants

• Green Tea Oil which contains polyphenols (helps to fight infections and free radical damage)
• Raspberry Seed Oil. This is full of essential fatty acids and contains high levels of tocopherols (vit E) which produce antioxidant effects

Zinc/titanium oxide

Zinc oxide and titanium oxide are types of physical sunscreen. This means that they sit on top of the skin, unlike chemical sunscreens which penetrate the skin and may cause irritation and sensitivity. Physical sunscreens are recommended by dermatologists for people with sensitive skin, including rosacea. 

The majority of sunscreens on the market today have at least 25 ingredients, such a long list increases the chances of skin irritation. Our Tinted SPF 30+ has only 7 ingredients, if you are looking for something that is kind to skin!

Be mindful of marketing

Finca Skin Organics and minimal ingredients 

When I created the first Finca Skin Organics product, which was Calming Serum 1 I aimed to keep the list of ingredients as short as I possibly could. It's two main ingredients are hyaluronic acid and rose-hip oil. This is to rehydrate the skin as subtype 1 rosacea is mainly dry.  Read more on subtype 1 rosacea here. 

The ingredient list was kept short based on the fact that dermatologists agree that skincare for sensitive skin issues including rosacea should have a short ingredient list. Dr. Baxt says go for fragrance free ingredient lists and focus on finding very plain products.

From my research, I learned that plant-based ingredients are the best solution, combined with gentle preservatives. I am not a dermatologist or a medical doctor, just someone who wants to help others as best I can by sharing my experience and by allowing other rosacea sufferers to tell their stories.

All Finca Skin Organics products have one thing in common. They are all made using a minimal, plant-based ingredients list and formulated by me, a rosacea sufferer. The Finca Skin Organics range has undergone a Harley Street clinical study. After using our products, 87% felt the appearance of their skin significantly improved. 

View the entire range of Finca products here or find out what subtype your skin is.

When in doubt, always refer to your doctor or dermatologist as the condition differs for everyone. It’s always best to talk to your dermatologist first and work out your treatment plan together.

If you have any queries regarding your rosacea or how to use our products get in contact with us, we'd love to hear from you.

With love from Ireland,

Finola

*Clinical evaluation by Harley St. dermatologists on 23 subjects after 8 weeks of use.