Whatever the cause, unwanted, blotchy redness on your face can be distracting (if not genuinely uncomfortable). Luckily, the best color correctors for redness won’t just address your flush in the moment—they can also help prevent it from flaring up again later on. These products come in the form of creams, lotions, masks, and gels, and usually have a greenish pigment. “The green tint plays an important role because it masks the appearance of redness, while [other] soothing ingredients [in the product] work to reduce it over time,” Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medicine, tells SELF.
If you deal with redness on a regular basis, a good color corrector can help present and future you—plus, it’s easy to add into your morning skin care routine. Here, we spoke to dermatologists about what makes these products so effective, how to use them, and which ones are worth a try for all skin tones.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: Peach Slices Redness Relief Color Correcting Moisturizer
- Runner-Up: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
- Best Budget: Meebak Cica Redness Solution Cream
- Best Lightweight Formula: SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel
- Best Shade Range: L.A. Girl HD Pro Corrector Concealer
- Best Night Cream: Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask
- Best Splurge: Colorescience All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector
FAQs about redness and color correctors
Redness can be triggered by cold weather, inflammatory conditions like acne, or irritation, Brendan Camp, MD, FAAD, a double board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York, tells SELF. He adds that it can look pink or red in lighter skin tones, and usually appears purple, brown, or muted red in darker skin tones. As SELF has previously reported, these patches can also flare up as the result of an allergic reaction or consuming alcohol and spicy foods. (When these factors cause you to flush, you can safely assume it’ll be temporary.)
But some people just have a naturally redder complexion or reddish undertones, Dr. Garshick says. If you deal with redness regularly, she recommends avoiding strong chemical and harsh physical exfoliants, as well as products made with fragrances, dyes, or drying ingredients like alcohol. They can potentially irritate your skin and make the redness worse.
Dr. Garshick notes that red skin can also be a sign of the chronic skin condition rosacea. But if that’s the case, it’ll come along with other symptoms, like inflamed papules and pustules; an itching, stinging, or burning sensation; and very sensitive skin. Your redness will be persistent and the blood vessels in your face will likely be visible as well, Dr. Garshick says.
Rosacea has some of the same triggers as general redness, like spicy foods and weather, but it also tends to flare up in response to stress and exercise. If you think you may have rosacea, talk to a dermatologist, who can provide a diagnosis and help identify your triggers. Depending on the severity of your rosacea, they may prescribe topical or oral anti-inflammatory treatments or recommend laser treatments that can reduce the appearance of the blood vessels in your skin.
What to look for in a color corrector for redness
As we mentioned earlier, a good color corrector has two key components: a neutralizing (usually green) pigment and soothing active ingredients. If you’re put off by the idea of slathering on green face cream, you don’t have to worry about looking like Shrek, all thanks to color theory: Red is opposite green on the color wheel, so green-tinted skin care products can help balance out a reddish skin tone, Dr. Garshick says.
Green color correctors can help address redness in all skin tones, Dr. Camp says—but if your redness has purple undertones, you can also try products with a yellowish tint (since yellow opposes purple on the color wheel). Dr. Garshick adds that people with darker skin tones can also try products with a darker green or orange tint. If you’re not sure which is right for you, “consult the color wheel and choose the opposite color [of your redness] to conceal the discoloration,” Dr. Camp says.
To keep your skin calm and less likely to flush, Dr. Camp recommends looking for products made with anti-inflammatory ingredients like allantoin, aloe vera, ceramides (which strengthen your skin barrier and keep irritants out), chamomile, licorice root, green tea, and niacinamide. Centella asiatica, a plant also known as gotu kola, is another common ingredient in redness correctors (it’s often called “cica” on product labels). As SELF has previously reported, it may help with inflammation, collagen production, and hydration, although the research on its effectiveness is limited.
How to use redness-correcting products
Redness correctors come in a range of formulations, so the consistency of your product will determine the best way to use it, Dr. Camp says. For example, lightweight moisturizers are best applied at the end of your morning routine (and can potentially replace your foundation), while thick creams should cap off your bedtime skin care ritual. Color-correcting serums and gels can be layered under your regular moisturizer or primer.
A little rosy flush is one thing, but if redness ranks as a major skin concern for you, these products can help. Check out our favorite color correctors below, including SELF Healthy Beauty Award winners, editor faves, and expert-recommended beauty products.
Best Overall: Peach Slices Redness Relief Color Correcting Moisturizer
Peach Slices
Redness Relief Color Correcting Moisturizer
Pros
- Blends in easily
- Lightweight
- Dewy finish
- Under $25
Cons
- Next to none—practically perfect
The Redness Relief Color Correcting Moisturizer from Peach Slices won a Healthy Beauty Award in 2023, earning rapturous praise from our senior commerce writer: “This moisturizer left me breathless—it was like I was wearing full-coverage concealer,” she said at the time. “I’ve never, ever, EVER had a moisturizer resolve my redness the way this one did.” She says it’s still her go-to redness corrector one year later, noting that it blends in after a little massaging, feels lightweight and dewy, and has basically replaced all her face makeup products: “My skin is beyond sensitive and flushes really easily, but you wouldn’t know it when I use this stuff.”
This moisturizer contains soothing hero ingredients like aloe and allantoin, and comes out of the bottle pale green. Our writer has very dry skin, so she layers it over her moisturizer, but if your skin is on the oilier side, it might be all you need.
Other notable ingredients
Centella asiatica, hydrating glycerin
Runner-Up: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
Dr. Jart+
Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
Pros
- Excellent coverage
- Contains mineral sunscreen
Cons
- May feel a little thick for some
Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment isn’t just an internet darling—it has fans among experts and SELF editors too. Dr. Garshick recommends it for its versatility: “[It] can be used alone as a color corrector or applied underneath makeup. I love that it also incorporates SPF coverage,” she says.
Our senior commerce writer uses this cream (which contains brightening niacinamide and reliable moisturizers like glycerin) all over her face on especially blotchy days, but says it also works as a buildable spot treatment. “This product goes on thick, so it’s great for the extra-red patches I tend to get in smaller areas of my face, like around my nose,” she says, adding that it makes it look like those red patches were never even there. “When I do use it on my whole face, I make sure to go slow and take my time blending it in—otherwise, it can end up looking a little pasty.”
Other notable ingredients
Best Budget: Meebak Cica Redness Solution Cream
Meebak
Cica Redness Solution Cream
Pros
- Under $30
- Blends in easily
- Smooth, matte finish
Cons
- Some Amazon reviewers with dry skin noticed patchiness after the product set
Fans of the makeup-as-skin-care trend (and drugstore prices), this one’s for you. “The real beauty of this color corrector is how easy it is to blend in,” SELF’s senior commerce editor says, adding that it doesn’t separate on the oilier areas of her face. “After I warm it up on my fingers, it only takes a few seconds to match my skin tone. Some days, I wear it instead of foundation and concealer.”
On top of its immediate redness-neutralizing effects, Meebak’s Cica Redness Solution Cream uses a blend of botanical ingredients, including centella asiatica and calendula flower extract, to address inflammation in the skin.
Other notable ingredients
Best Lightweight Formula: SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel
SkinCeuticals
Phyto Corrective Gel
Pros
- Cooling, lightweight formula
- Good for oily skin
Cons
- Pricey
Made with the all-star hydrator hyaluronic acid, this SkinCeuticals gel is surprisingly moisturizing, given its ultra-light formula. That’s one of the main reasons why Dr. Garshick recommends it, but she also likes that it contains calming ingredients like cucumber extract. Plus, it’s made to have a cooling effect upon application, which can give inflamed skin a little extra relief.
If you prefer a cream to a gel, Dr. Camp recommends the brand’s Redness Neutralizer, which contains nourishing shea butter and leaves behind a similar cooling sensation.
Other notable ingredients
Eucalyptus oil, which has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties
Best Shade Range: L.A. Girl HD Pro Corrector Concealer
L.A. Girl
HD Pro Corrector Concealer
Pros
- Lots of specific pigment options
- Under $6
Cons
- Doesn’t offer as many long-term benefits as other options on our list
Like we said earlier, green color correctors work with most skin tones and are a great place to start. But if you try some and they don’t do the trick, consider looking into products with other tints, like L.A. Girl’s HD Pro Corrector Concealer. It comes in 11 different colors intended to help neutralize the undertones in your skin, including mint, yellow, light yellow, peach, blue, and, yes, good old green. The brand recommends its mint and green shades for targeting redness, but Amazon reviewers also report having luck with the yellow, light yellow, and peach shades as well.
Thanks to the HD Pro Corrector Concealer’s under-$10 price, you can order a couple options to see which is the best match and still spend less than you would on one of the pricier options on our list. Another option? Dr. Garshick recommends NYX’s Color Correcting Palette, which has six creamy hues in one travel-friendly package.
Other notable ingredients
Best Night Cream: Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask
Laneige
Hypoallergenic Cica Sleeping Mask
Pros
- Rich consistency
- Great for dry skin
Cons
- May feel too thick for some
This 2020 Healthy Beauty Award–winner is one of the few night creams that keeps our senior commerce writer’s skin hydrated and calm all night long. (“The only other one that even touches the Cica Sleeping Mask is Naturium’s Intense Overnight Sleeping Cream,” she says.) It doesn’t have a green tint—instead, it works its magic from the inside out with centella asiatica extracts and a cocktail of moisturizers (including glycerin, shea butter, and squalane), which our writer says quenches her “perpetually dry” skin.
Other notable ingredients
Vitamin E (a moisturizer and source of antioxidants)
Best Splurge: Colorescience All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector
Colorescience
All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector
Pros
- Good for sensitive skin
- Contains mineral sunscreen
Cons
- Very pricey
- Takes a moment to match your skin tone
Another SPF-boosted option, Colorscience’s All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector comes highly recommended by Dr. Garshick. She points out its proprietary blend of soothing and hydrating ingredients, adding that it’s suitable for sensitive, irritation-prone skin (it’s also fragrance-free). Reviewers say it earns its high price tag with its elegant, “polished” finish—if you deal with redness, you can think of it as an upgrade to your standard tinted sunscreen.
According to the brand, the product may look too pale when you first put it on, but it should set and sink into your skin after a few seconds.
Other notable ingredients
Moisturizing jojoba oil, vitamin E
More great options
You might not find your holy grail color corrector on the first try. The good thing is, there are plenty more expert- and editor-approved products to check out—see more of our faves below.
PCA Skin Dual Action Redness Relief
PCA Skin
Dual Action Redness Remover Face Serum
Pros
- Lightweight consistency
- Improves skin tone without a tint
Cons
- Pricey
Dr. Camp says this treatment is a great pick for darker skin tones (or anyone who’s put off by green skin care). Instead of using a tint, it contains ingredients like niacinamide, ceramides, and bisabolol to address inflammation and improve your skin’s appearance. Even without a neutralizing pigment, its results are impressive: “The redness is so controlled [with this product] that I don’t use redness-reducing makeup anymore,” one Nordstrom reviewer wrote.
Other notable ingredients
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Rosaliac AR Visible Redness Reducing Cream
La Roche-Posay
Toleriane Rosaliac AR Visible Redness Reducing Cream
Pros
- Gentle, hydrating formula
- Under $35
Cons
- Some Dermstore reviewers noticed a pasty, cakey finish
Both experts we spoke to mentioned La Roche Posay’s Redness Reducing Cream and called out its moisturizing ingredients (glycerin and thermal spring water) as especially beneficial for dry, sensitive skin types. Dr. Garshick notes that its green pigment quickly reduces visible redness and can even take the place of foundation.
Other notable ingredients
Neurosensine (a combination of two peptides considered to have soothing properties)
Neogen Dermalogy Real Heartleaf Soothing Cream
Neogen Dermalogy
Real Heartleaf Soothing Cream
Pros
- Absorbs quickly
- Feels cooling
- Under $30
Cons
- Might not feel nourishing enough on extra dry skin
When we gave Neogen’s Real Heartleaf Soothing Cream a Healthy Beauty Award this year, we described it as “spa water for your face” and shouted out one of its key ingredients, calming calendula extract. Our tester loved its “bouncy, gelatinous texture” that absorbed quickly and noted that it felt cooling to boot.
Other notable ingredients
Glycerin, hyaluronic acid
RescueMD DNA Repair Complex
RescueMD
DNA Repair Complex
Pros
- Lightweight serum consistency
- Formulated with sensitive skin in mind
Cons
- Very pricey
Dr. Garshick, a RescueMD partner, says the brand’s DNA Repair Complex can help address inflammation and irritation, thanks to its derm-approved, redness-relieving ingredients like allantoin and aloe vera. It also has a seal of acceptance from the National Rosacea Society, which is awarded to products with non-irritating formulas for people with rosacea.
Other notable ingredients
Glycerin, nourishing sunflower seed oil
Avène Redness Expert Soothing Moisturizing Concentrated Cream
Avene
Redness Expert Soothing Moisturizing Concentrated Cream
Pros
- Addresses redness without green pigment (in case you dislike tinted products)
- Fragrance-free
Cons
- Some reviewers noticed pilling
Here’s another product with the National Rosacea’s seal of acceptance, plus Dr. Camp’s approval. He says it’s soothing and great for reducing redness, thanks in part to the relatively unique ingredient milk thistle extract, which has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Other notable ingredients
Sunflower seed oil, vitamin E, thermal spring water
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