All about: Dermalogica Redness Relief Primer SPF20

Skin sensitivity is unfortunately constantly on the rise these days, with more people than ever before seeking advice to help alleviate sensitive or sensitised skin. A brand that has long been dedicated to helping with both of the aforementioned skin issues is Dermalogica, whose Barrier Repair I have kept on hand for years for when my own sensitivity kicks in. It was a godsend when I was a regular early morning boot camper in the depths of winter, and is also a ‘must pack’ item for travel.

So with all this in mind, I was pretty excited to hear about the release of Dermalogica’s latest solution for sensitive types, Redness Relief Primer SPF20. Part of the brand’s UltraCalmingTM line, it is a brand new primer that comes with a sheer green tint, sun protection and soothing skin treatment all in one.

Perfect for under makeup or by itself, it calms irritation, protects skin from UVA/UVB exposure (which can further aggravate sensitisation,) and gives a redness-neutralising finish for an even skin tone. It also helps with longer makeup wear, which is a bonus for sure!

The always-amazing-to-listen-to Caroline Parker, Head of Education for Dermalogica New Zealand says “there are two primary contributors to common skin redness, immunogenic inflammation is where the immune system launches a cascade of inflammation and involves the activation of white blood cells, and neurogenic inflammation is triggered by the nervous system. In both cases, the person experiences pain, redness, itching, swelling and heat associated with inflammation”.

Our skin is designed to respond to trauma or bacterial invasion by initiating an inflammatory response, and it’s this acute response that allows the skin to heal and repair itself. When the assault on the skin is persistent or repeated however, “the inflammation becomes chronic and the effect on the skin is devastating – including the loss of skin strength and support. The term currently used to describe this destructive process is inflammageing.”

The brand’s new Redness Relief Primer SPF20 also addresses redness in both the short and long-term, with natural botanical extracts giving the sheer green tint to camouflage the redness, while a silicone base provides a matte, velvety feel that protects the integrity of the skin’s essential lipid barrier from further aggravation. The product’s SPF20 provides essential daily defense against sun exposure to prevent further skin inflammation and sensitivity.  Natural botanical extracts of Yeast, Oat and Oat Kernel Oil have an immediate calming effect on the skin, which could be irritated by over processing, dehydration resulting from extremely low pH (2.5-3.5) or high pH (above 8) caused by soap-and-water cleansing, strong AHA products, allergens such as pollen and artificial fragrances, contact with environmental irritants, sun exposure, stress or other sources of inflammation.

Pretty amazing huh? And the perfect addition to your skincare arsenal now that the temperature is all over the show and cooler mornings are creeping in.