Q: What's the best way to treat and cover broken capillaries?
There's a reason that broken capillaries—those thin, spidery, distracting clusters of tiny red blood vessels along the cheeks, chin, and nose—pop up after the first big fall chill or summer heatwave. Most often triggered by environmental changes, they're brought on by whipping winds, deep freeze temperatures, or even UV exposure. And though they're difficult to prevent if you're genetically predisposed, there are certain behavioral triggers that don't exactly help: microdermabrasion, facial steaming, and self-administered extractions, to name a few.
In general, 'the gentler, the better' is the preferred philosophy when it comes to your skincare ingredients and your habits: think lukewarm water over hot showers for taking off your makeup at night and always, always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen during the day. Anti-inflammatory topical skincare ingredients can also help. But what about once you already have an annoying pink capillary issue?
"Broken capillaries are something that can easily be removed with laser treatments," says Gucci, whose rosacea makes her particularly prone to them. A dermatologist can suggest the best energy source for your specific skin tone and capillary pattern, with the most common options being Vbeam, IPL, and Nd:YAG. When it comes to covering ruddy spots or flushed areas with makeup, on the other hand, Gucci suggests looking for a good creamy foundation with calming actives—she specifically infused Vital Skin with a powerful plant extract called phytosphingosine to help with redness and irritation—and using a small precision brush for zeroing in on the offending "little guys." In other words, rather than uniformly building up coverage on the face, "use less foundation or concealer with more precision."
In this week's Q&A video, Gucci breaks down her favorite camouflage method—and the antioxidant superfood she snacks on daily to support her skin from within as a second line of defense.
For more Ask Gucci questions, visit our Gucci Daily section on Westman-Atelier.com!
