Why is My Face Red After Using Face Wash ? Causes & Solutions

Face washes or cleaners are supposed to be fundamental for getting rid of dirt and pollution from the face, and this is the primary cleansing part. But most people struggle with the facts regarding face wash, and the most common question to resurface is, “Why is my face red after using face wash? There are several reasons that your skin might be irritated with that particular cleanser, and in this article, we’ll be exploring all the possibilities and how you might get rid of the redness.

As mentioned, face washes are the basic steps of cleansing the face. Once you take off the makeup with an oil cleanser and a wipe, the next thing to do is to use face wash. These steps are often known as the “double cleansing terms. But most importantly, they will get rid of the dirt from the pores and ensure that the face doesn’t hold on to any sebum or oil produced all day. But still, some people face problems with a face wash as their faces seem red after the wash. So why is my face red after using face wash?

The main reasons your face is irritated and red are because the face wash doesn’t suit your skin or because you have susceptible skin, which is more uncomfortable and redder by using a face wash. If your skin gets red often, there’s a high chance that your skin is sensitive overall. And another reason for redness can be some sort of skin disease like rosacea or eczema. But as the skin gets red due to the face wash, there might be something in the product that the skin is allergic to or something that intrigues the pre-existing health condition.

So, with skin redness, there is simply more than one reason to think about, and for this, you have to dig a bit deeper. For example, if your face is red after using a particular product or face wash, try switching it up. Choose something with some essential ingredients, and always swatch the effect on your skin before buying it. This way, you’ll have a good idea of whether the product suits you.

What’s causing the face redness?

When the skin gets all red in the face, there are several factors to look at. But no matter how many reasons we might include, it’s always possible that you have an exceptional cause. And that’s why it is best to consult a specialist. And if you have sensitive skin, you should only use the products dermatologists recommend. But here we are including some reasons that might be one of the reasons that your face turns red after using a face wash.

Too much exfoliation

Exfoliators mean that you’re using a BHA or AHA regularly. These products tend to eliminate dead skin cells and make the skin fresh. If you already have sensitive skin but still use any exfoliator, then there’s a high chance that your skin has gotten way too sensitive. For example, high concentrations of exfoliators or something too strong will only add to that irritation. And most importantly, AHAs are prone to sun damage and a cause of rosacea.

Again, apart from chemical exfoliators, face scrubs or physical exfoliators tend to remove dead skin cells from the skin and unclog the pores. But with a very sturdy scrub, it can leave minor micro marks on the face, and they get sensitive and irritating with time. And any other skin care products, even the face wash, will trigger the redness on the front.

Hot water

If you’re using boiling water on your face, there’s a high chance that your face will be red. Steam and hot water are not the same things. With hot water, the skin might burn instead of getting rid of the dirt. Hot water tends to dilate the tiny blood cells on the skin’s surface, and thus the skin looks red or flushed. The skin will be damaged and vulnerable by using hot water directly on the face. So, instead of hot water, switch to lukewarm water. And in this case, your face wash is not at fault, but your water temperature is.

Sunburns 

You don’t have to be on a beach; instead, you can stand close to a window or in your car, and the sun’s rays will damage your skin from all angles. There’s also a topic with a sunburn that comes along, which is windburn. This happens when you spend an extensive amount of time outside. Both of these can cause skin irritation, and even when they do not exhibit any symptoms immediately, there’s a chance that they will do so with time.

And for that reason, the redness will show up. And that’s just the previous t when you wash your face trauma that your skin has suffered. So use something that won’t be so intriguing, or the best possible result would be by using sunscreen all day long.

Rosacea  

This is a prevalent symptom of having a red face. And the redness is persistent and doesn’t go away. Rosacea has signs of getting red skin with any slight confrontation. For example, minimal sun exposure, emotions, spicy food, alcohol, changes in skin care, etc. With rosacea, you can get a red flush almost every time due to the dilated blood vessels of the skin. And rosacea can also lead to bumps and acne.

So if you keep asking why your is my face red after using facewash and if you have rosacea symptoms, the face wash is not at fault. Instead, you have to get specialized treatments with therapy, medicine, etc., to get rid of the redness. Ingredients like niacinamide and metronidazole tend to improve these sorts of conditions.

Foaming face wash

Washing the face before bed and after waking up is very common. And these are also important for regular skin health. But if you’re using a cleanser that is not suitable, the skin will get red by the minute. Foaming cleansers are often packed with lauryl sulfate, sodium Laureth sulfate, and ammonium Laureth sulfate. These products are to remove the sebum and oil from the skin. So the central theme would be to strip down the fats, as they are often on the more dehydrated side.

The harshness of foaming cleansers may be causing your face to appear red. And this is why you should avoid foaming cleansers and go for something that includes hydrating ingredients like ceramides. Sulfate-free cleansers are always something to look forward to.

Natural ingredients as a face wash

Well, we all love organic produce. But are the kitchen items in your house perfect for your skin? Most of the products on the market are tested and often come with the tag of being completely safe for human skin. But the products you find in your kitchen can often be contaminated, and most importantly, the ingredient concentration is something to look forward to. For example, the vitamin C concentration is mostly 5% to 13% in most ingredients. But if you’re using a lemon, can you assume the concentration with how much you’re using? And the material has not even been purified for use in the face.

With such harsh ingredients, regular use or going organic with a cleanser will lead to irritated and red skin, affecting the pH of the skin and even triggering allergies. So yogurt, honey, tea, or essential oils shouldn’t be used as a face wash.

Tanning  

People who struggle with red face something go for tanning machines and think this will solve the problem. However, sun exposure can cause severe damage even if you have mild rosacea, and this will irritate the skin further, and even your regular face wash will bring out the redness. So still, sun protection and SPFs should be your best friends no matter what.

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Ingredients that can trigger the redness  

Previously, we have included some key reasons that can cause irritation and redness to the skin. But some ingredients can eventually result in redness. If these products are present in your skincare or even in your routine, there’s a chance that your skin will feel red finally. These are:

Alcohol  

Alcohol is one of the most common ingredients in many skin care products. And they tend to dry out the skin and leave it with extreme dehydration. Check the ingredients list for denatured alcohol or alcohol denat. If alcohol is listed as the very first ingredient, then the percentage of alcohol in the product is high. And if it’s in the last parts, then the ratio might not be high enough to irritate the skin. But it’s better to use products without any alcohol in them. And the same goes for facewashes. Avoid using ones that contain alcohol.

Exfoliators  

Suppose the face wash contains any sort of exfoliating content like an AHA, BHA, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, etc., with long-term use of these products. In that case, the skin will get irritated, and several skin problems will unravel with any further irritation. And the red-faced difficulties are the best result of these. Hydroxy acids are also a product in ski care that leads to redness. But the combination of alpha and beta hydroxy is something to look up to.

Retinols 

Retinols help with the signs of aging. But using retinoids for the first two to three weeks can cause irritation and redness to the skin. These are some of the disadvantages of these highly potent products. But retinol is rarely used in face washes. Still, look out for them if you have sensitive skin.

How to relieve skin irritation with face wash?

Here we include a few details on how to get rid of the skin redness that is caused by face wash:

Petroleum jelly: if the skin is red due to dehydration, then the best thing would be to use some jelly on the face. They are gentle and protect very irritated skin.

Aloe vera: Aloe is one of the most soothing ingredients and tends to calm down the burns and redness on the skin. You can use the gel or just a natural one to get the best results.

Cold water: if the skin feels red and warm after face wash, start using cold water immediately. You should use room-temperature water and rinse your face properly.

Moisturizers: Moisturizers with a high concentration of humectants, such as glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid, are ideal for soothing the skin’s redness. Dehydrated skin will lead to further irritation.

FAQs

Final thoughts

Irritating and red-faced with botches is not very common, and people who struggle with redness are most likely to have very sensitive or dehydrated skin. Also, if the skin goes through rigorous environments like direct sunlight or laser, there’s a chance that any product will trigger it. Why is my face red after using facewash? We have provided enough explanations for that. And it can simply be your regular face wash. So, overall, skin protection like sunscreen is significant to get rid of it. Using too many exfoliators can also lead to problems.

Key Points

1. The primary reasons your face is inflamed and red are that the face wash does not fit your skin or that you have susceptible skin, which becomes more upset and redder as you use a cleanser.
2. If you already have sensitive skin but persist in using exfoliants, your skin is likely to have become far too susceptible.
3. The redness will be apparent, and that’s simply the past trauma to your skin, such as sunburn or retinol.
4. Some substances might cause redness in the long run. Alcohol, sulfate, and other examples

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