2012 Beauty Breakthroughs

Photo by: David Cook

Eau Thermale Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate for Chronic Redness

Rosacea sufferers (there are more than 16 million in the U.S.) have a pretty raw deal: Not only do they contend with hot, prickly skin, flushing, and acne-like bumps, but there's little they can do to prevent flare-ups besides avoiding the sun, spicy foods, and alcohol. Avène scientists found a powerful new molecule in the ruscus plant (a common ... more 

Photo by: David Cook

Eau Thermale Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate for Chronic Redness

Rosacea sufferers (there are more than 16 million in the U.S.) have a pretty raw deal: Not only do they contend with hot, prickly skin, flushing, and acne-like bumps, but there's little they can do to prevent flare-ups besides avoiding the sun, spicy foods, and alcohol. Avène scientists found a powerful new molecule in the ruscus plant (a common anti-inflammatory) that addresses the causes of rosacea-the first topical product to do so effectively.

HOW IT WORKS: The key ingredient, saponin-enriched ruscus extract, does two things. First, it helps decrease VEGF, a protein that causes too many blood vessels to form beneath the skin's surface. Second, it helps constrict vessels under the skin, flushing out the blood that is trapped there, which is the reason those areas look red in the first place. As the blood vessels break down over time and fewer are able to form, redness fades, and the skin doesn't flare up as much. A company-sponsored study found that 12 weeks of nightly use reduced red-blood-cell concentration beneath the skin by 50 percent in sufferers of type 1 rosacea (called erythematous telangiectasia), and significantly reduced redness in the skin, too.

WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: "It helps treat redness more effectively than anything that's been available to date," says Hirsch.

less