Finding products that work for lupus skin and don’t kill your bank account are few and far between. I know how frustrating it is spending hundreds of dollars on skincare that flares up your lupus rash or contributes to a break out. Not to worry I have found….in my opinion the best lupus skincare products that will be gentle and soothing on lupus skin.
By looking at the short list of products I use you might be confused or taken aback. I know these days using 10+ products is seen as normal. But what I’ve learned especially for lupus skin is less is more. I’ve been through every skin care trend there has been on youtube, tik tok, and instagram. And after three years of trying products I’ve found a handful that keep my lupus rash at bay, actually hydrate my skin, and don’t break me out. I’ve received numerous compliments on my skin since stepping back from the crazy skincare world. I focus most of my time on diet (which 100% controls how my skin looks and how hydrated it is), and my face routine. So let jump right into my favorite skincare products for lupus skin!
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1.SPF
Sunscreen and sun protection are very important for anyone who has lupus. The sun can be enemy number 1 at times. But with the right products you can avoid flaring up your lupus and still get the benefits the sun has to offer. Elta MD sunscreen is a staple for me. I’ve talked about this product a handful of times before on the blog and still to this day. I swear by this sunscreen. It’s not easy finding a sunscreen that is gentle, doesn’t leave a white cast, and doesn’t break my face out. But this screen checks all the right boxes. My only con would be the price tag of $32. BUT how I rationalize spending $32 on a sunscreen is by making the difference up with other drug store products I use in my routine. If you’re looking for a more budget friendly option I would recommend the Cerave Am moisturizer for $14.
2. Face wash
The La Roche-posay face wash is genuinely the best face wash I have ever used. It’s gentle, easy to find, does not break me out, and doesn’t break the bank. It is $15 BUT cerave and other drug store face washes are around $13 nowadays. I cannot speak highly enough of this product. The day I first saw them carrying it at target I was so happy I could have cried. I honestly don’t know what I would use if this face wash stopped being sold one day. I have an emotional attachment to this face wash at this point. La Roche-Posay has other noteworthy products as well it’s worth checking them out for sure!
3. Silicon patches
To wash my face I use one of these silicon patches. Focusing on where my lupus rash appears, my forehead, and chin. Using one of these is more gentle than a washcloth and exfoliates my skin well. I try to be gentle with my skin and not irritate my rash anymore than what’s necessary and I feel like these do the best job at exfoliating my face gently! Why I feel like its important for me personally to exfoliate. Focusing on where my lupus rash comes out is because sometimes I feel like I have an excess skin cell build up in those areas. It almost makes a thicker portion of my skin causing little bumps. When I gently exfoliate regularly I dont have the build up issue.
4. Moisturizer
As for moisturizer, this is the only one I can whole heartily stand by. I found that most moisturizers didn’t actually hydrate my skin. They had the opposite effect leaving my skin drier than before. I haven’t found another moisturizer that works as well as this one and the best part about cerave is its drug store! It’s easy to find, actually works, and it’s affordable. What’s not to love? If I HAD to choose another moisturizer I would go with the toleriane double repair face moisturizer by La Roche-Posay. It’s also an extremely good moisturizer. I just am loyal to my cerave pm and the La-Roche- Posay moisturizer is expensive for a moisturizer.
5. Face mask
I try to keep skin care as basic as I possibly can. I’ve found my lupus rash reacts better when I keep my skincare routine minimal. So this facemask is really the only one you will catch me using. It provides a cooling effect. Which is really soothing if my butterfly rash is out. But it also leave my skin extremely smooth, hydrated, and helps me calm down excess redness. They are a little expensive but definitely worth it in my opinion. I like to keep them in the fridge for an extra cooling effect.
6. Gua sha and ice roller
Ok now for the non-skincare products for skincare. I have found gua-shaing and rolling are a MUST for lupus skin because of the cooling effects. Not to mention how chiseled my face gets . I feel like a fancy squidward every time after I finish my gua-sha routine. So what is gua-shaing you might ask? Gua-shaing is a facial treatment where a jade or stone is used to scrape the face in upward motions. In doing so you relax muscles and promote tissue drainage. Resulting in decreased puffiness and improved blood flow. Many people get the effect of reducing wrinkles, reduced sagging, and reduced dark circles due to increased circulation. Gua shas are also known to reduce inflammation. Which is exactly what we are looking for with lupus!
Face yoga
Face yoga is exercises that focus on your facial muscles. By essentially working out your facial muscles you can relieve tension, reduce stress, and train your face to stop making wrinkle causing facial expressions. The appearance of wrinkles will be reduced and the skin will become tighter.
I do two sessions of face yoga a day; one after my morning skin care, and one after I finish my evening skin care. Face yoga is basically an at home face lift. I can always tell a noticeable difference when I skip out on my daily routine. Check out my favorite face yoga resources below.
- “The five-minute facial workout” By :Catherine Pez
- “The ultimate guide to the face yoga method” By: Fumiko Takatsu
- Full free face yoga class YouTube video
7. Beauty fridge
One trend I did follow from tik tok and still use to this day is a skincare fridge. Its perfect especially for lupus skincare products because it keeps all your products perfectly chilled. Providing a cooling effect for your lupus rash when you apply them. And on a real note it makes me want to do my skincare more because my mini skincare fridge is so cute! But it really is nice not having to go all the way to my kitchen to get my moisturizer and gua sha twice a day. And I like that they don’t get as cold in my beauty fridge. Before I would have to let my gua sha sit out for a second or it would freeze my face. Now I can immediately get my routine done!
Let us know your favorite skincare for lupus! Leave a comment below and we will check it out. If you’re interested in good makeup for lupus check out our post “Best makeup for Lupus”!
