How a doctor’s battles with sensitive skin led to the launch of a new product designed to combat ageing for even the most tender skin.

At 54, in the middle of peri-menopause, and with temperamental rosacea-prone skin, Dr Ginni Mansberg, founder of E.S.K Skincare, wanted to get all the anti-ageing benefits possible from an AHA skincare product, minus the irritation, burning and redness.

Dr Ginni is an Australian doctor who was voted most trusted Australian healthcare professional in 2022. She has a passion for making medical evidence accessible to all and campaigns against dubious health claims that prey on people’s insecurities and their wallets. These passions were the driving force behind her co-founding Evidence Skincare (E.S.K), an Australian skincare brand that, like the name suggests, is based on evidence for real results.

We caught up with Dr Ginni to discuss her experience with rosacea, alongside some do’s and don’t’s for when it comes to selecting skincare products for rosacea skins.

Dr Ginni, in your opinion, what is the biggest misconception of rosacea?

There are actually quite a few misconceptions, but the biggest one is that so many people haven’t heard of rosacea or don’t know what it is. The result is that so many people think that they either just have “red skin” or “sensitive skin” ( in the case of flushing rosacea) or adult acne (when it is pustular rosacea.)

Other misconceptions are that it only happens in older people (not true, while rosacea is more common in adults over the age of 40, it can happen to anyone, including teenagers and children). Another misconception is that it’s a women’s issue. One German study found that in older people, just as many men get rosacea as women. The symptoms are a bit different (women get rosacea more on their cheeks while men get more on the nose) and so it goes undiagnosed in men.

When it comes to skincare for rosacea, what key ingredients have to be avoided or used minimally, and why?

There are quite a few! While everyone’s skin is unique and may react differently, the following are some commonly recommended ingredients to avoid or use minimally:

• Fragrance: 
  Fragrance, whether synthetic or natural, can be irritating to sensitive skin, including rosacea-prone skin. They may cause redness, stinging, or burning sensations. It’s best to opt for fragrance-free products.
• Physical Exfoliants:
  Physical exfoliants, such as scrubs with large particles or harsh brushes, can aggravate rosacea symptoms including inflammation and redness. Gentle exfoliation methods like chemical exfoliants (e.g., PHAs) will typically be a better option for those suffering from rosacea.
• Alpha Hydroxy acids:
  While brilliant exfoliators on non-sensitive skin, AHAs such as glycolic acid or lactic acid, can be too harsh for sensitive skin. They often cause irritation. If you wish to use exfoliating acids, it’s better to choose gentler exfoliators like Polyhydroxy acids or PHAs which give you all the benefits of exfoliation plus skin barrier repair and improved skin hydration.
• Any soap or foaming cleansers:
  Soap is very alkaline which disrupts the skin pH and causes inflammation and a damaged skin barrier. Even pH balanced foaming cleansers can be drying for rosacea skin. Guidelines from top dermatology bodies recommend cleansing with a creamy cleanser once a day only!
• Toners:
  Toners are watery solutions you put on your skin, to complete the cleansing process. Many are still quite alkaline and once again anything that disrupts the skin barrier will cause a rosacea flare. Instead I’d cleanse with a gentle creamy cleanser that does the job properly!

The most well studied PHAs are Lactobionic Acid and Gluconolactone. These newer cousins of alpha hydroxy acids (eg. glycolic and lactic acid) are gentle exfoliators, but they do so much more, too! They hydrate, improve the skin barrier, promote collagen growth, reduce wrinkles and fine lines and have antioxidant properties. Unlike traditional exfoliators, PHAs are renowned for their ability to gently exfoliate without causing irritation or sensitivity that makes them perfect for dry, sensitive and even Rosacea and Eczema prone skin. And if that isn’t enough, they may even reduce the potential sensitivity to other ingredients in your skincare!

Recently launched E.S.K Gentle Glow PHA Serum

Dr Ginni has recently announced the launch of E.S.K’s Gentle Glow PHA Serum, which harnesses the power of Polyhydroxy Acids or PHAs, an ingredient that offers gentle, yet powerful results. Designed with sensitive, Rosacea-prone and dry skin types in mind, E.S.K’s Gentle Glow PHA Serum will gently exfoliate, hydrate, refresh and renew the skin.

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