Below is an article from the BBC on the difficulties of dealing with the condition Rosacea. (article dated 14 March 2022 - copyright BBC)
It outlines very clearly how distressing this condition can be, the assumptions other people viewing the condition on someome's skin made and the steps needed to try and control the condition.
One aspect of dealing with Rosacea for some is the desire to reduce its appearance, especially during bad flare-ups. What you don't want to do is place anything on the skin which is going to make the condition worse.
This is where skin camouflage creams can really help. The four main brands of skin camouflage creams (Dermcolor by Kryolan, Veil Cover, Keromask and Covermark) used to be available in all areas of the UK on NHS prescription. Unfortunately they have now been removed from prescription in many areas of the country, it's a postcode lottery basically. You can check with your GP to see if skin camouflage is still available in your area on prescription.
What this does mean however, regardless of whether the creams are still available in your area on prescription, they had to be passed as a medical product. They have therefore gone through the full testing any medicine has to go through to be prescribed by the NHS. And this means they don't contain any 'nasties' that can be in products from the cosmetic world. They are therefore not going to aggrevate the condition of Rosacea whilst providing very good cover. The other good news is they contain a lot of pigment so very little is needed to provide good coverage. They also contain an SPF to protect from the sun and they are readily available and affordable. Skin camouflage creams are also for everyone, regardless of gender.
The best way to find the best product and colour/s for you is to see a Skin Camouflage Practitioner. If you are based near London I provide skin camouflage consultations in Clapham. For those elsewhere in the UK you can either use Google to find a practitioner or you can contact The British Association of Skin Camoufage to find practioners closer to you. To be added to the waiting list for a free consultation, contact charity Changing Faces mentioned in the article.
My contact details can be found here

Lex Gillies, from York, was a 21-year-old student when she was diagnosed with rosacea.
"I didn't want to do anything that would make people turn and look at me because I didn't want people to notice my skin," she says.
The skin condition, characterised by a reddening of the face caused by dilated blood vessels with small bumps and spots, similar to acne, is common.
Some reports suggest as many as one in 10 people in the UK have it.
Controlling its physical appearance, through treatment and managing triggers such as alcohol, spicy food, exercise and even the sun, is one thing. Managing the impact on mental health is another.
Lex, a blogger and British Skin Foundation Ambassador, has spent eight years documenting her relationship with rosacea, and says she has learned to understand and accept her skin as it is rather than treat it "as my enemy".
"I'd been seeing my rosacea as this thing that I'd had to battle and overcome and felt my skin was letting me down and being a traitor by allowing it to take over," she says.
"But actually it was my skin desperately trying to alert me to the fact something was wrong."

She has written extensively on the impact rosacea can have on people's mental health, saying "it still isn't something that's taken seriously".
Her stance made her an unlikely ally - though not on political grounds - of MP Sir Edward Leigh, who has rosacea and recently spoke out about the abuse he receives as a result.
He complained of being labelled a "red gammon head" and a "ruddy-faced buffoon".
Gainsborough MP Sir Edward, who raised the abuse during a Westminster Hall debate in January, said he had learned to take comments about it "with a pinch of salt" but said he was worried about the impact on younger generations and the support available to them.
On this point, Lex agrees, and though Sir Edward has been criticised for some of his political views, including recent remarks about Ukrainian refugees, she says his appearance should not be fuel for taunts.
She has previously pointed out how a "cruel jibe at an MP" reflects on others who "take those jokes to heart".

Janet Doyle, 71, from Hull, was diagnosed with the condition in her 30s and says some days she finds it hard to go outside.
"It's your face at the end of the day. It's what people see first," she said.
"It just makes you feel really awful, like, what's the point? It can be really depressing. Sometimes I think about not going out of the door." Jim Howe, 64, from Skegness, said he had also found it difficult to cope with the unwanted attention his appearance can bring.
He described sitting outside a bar in Spain when a friend turned to him and said 'You've got a face like an alcoholic'.
"People judge you when you've got rosacea, and it can be quite depressing," he said.

Nicola Dalby, from Ayrshire, said she first noticed the condition, which affects her cheeks, nose and forehead, in her teens and had struggled at times, fearing she would never "grow out of having horrible skin".
However, she found comfort and support from speaking to others online.
She describes a Facebook community she is part of as being a "lifeline" for her in recent years, giving her the opportunity to share experiences and swap advice and, importantly, helping her realise she was not "on my own".
Access to professional psychological support for people with skin conditions is something the British Association of Dermatologists says is a "significant problem" with big gaps in provision in certain parts of the UK.
It said there was "a large body of evidence" demonstrating the impact it could have on a person's mental health and quality of life.

UK charity Changing Faces offers support to anyone living with a scar, mark or condition on their face or body.
Chief executive Heather Blake says too often people's mental health is not taken into account, with the focus being placed on the physical impact of the condition.
She says the charity can offer support for those who may be considering cosmetic procedures and will also provide counselling for those battling the mental impact
"We believe people have the right to choose how they live their life with a visible difference," she says.
"Our role is to signpost people to the right support.
"And whilst people with visible differences, like rosacea, continue to experience staring, negative comments and worse, we'll keep campaigning to challenge the discrimination people face because of how they look."
In January, after Sir Edward raised his concerns about provision, health minister Gillian Keegan said the government was "committed to achieving parity between mental and physical health services".
For Lex, after 16 years of living with the condition, she says she is no longer at war with her skin, but acknowledges that "a lot of people are too early in their journey to understand it or accept it yet".
"My mantra is your skin doesn't define you. It's something you have to maintain but that is not who you are. You have rosacea, but you are not rosacea."

In short, skin camouflage creams are highly pigmented creams used by people with a visible difference to match the area of concern to the surrounding, unaffected skin. They can be used to cover scarring or other skin conditions such as Vitiligo, Melasma, Rosacea and many more conditions. There are many brands of skin camouflage in hundreds of skin colours and with differing properties making some more suited to large areas of the body, some to smaller areas of the face and others for use on the hands. Skin camouflage creams can be used by any gender, age or skin colour. They are applied daily, are waterproof and are long lasting. Most skin camouflage creams are fixed in place using a Fixing Powder.

A skin camouflage practitioner will have a consultation with the client in order to assess the area to be covered. During the consultation the practitioner will try a number of products and colours to find the best match to the surrounding skin. Sometimes more than one product is needed to provide an accurate match and sometimes a number of different techniques are required. Once a solution has been found, the practitioner will then teach the client how to apply the products, the best way to maintain them throughout the day and how to remove them at the end of the day. A client consultation usually lasts between one hour and 90 minutes.

If a client has been left with a change in their appearance, they can be assessed by a skin camouflage practitioner. If it is found skin camouflage creams can be used to reduce the appearance of the scarring or other visible difference, the practitioner will write a report for the court outlining all the recommended products and tools needed to cover the area. They will further list the costing of the products and tools and how often each would need to be replaced. These costs can then be added to the claim the client is making.

No. A consultation must be done in person. A practitioner will try many different products to find the best solution. This can’t be guessed at via video link as even a product a practitioner feels may be the best one can prove not to be when tested directly on the scar or condition. A practitioner cannot even assess the suitability of skin camouflage for a scar or condition without testing the products in person. Sometimes a scar may appear to be suitable for skin camouflage creams but in practice the creams do not reduce its appearance.

Below is a photograph of a client who had a skin graft taken from his thigh area and placed on the right side of his face to replace skin which had to be removed. There are two aspects which make the area stand out and cause the client distress. The first is the outer edge of the scar which is red in colour. The second is the skin from the thigh area has a yellow undertone, differing from the client’s redder undertones in the surrounding facial skin. The client had been applying a commercial cosmetic over the whole area which didn’t blend in the skin graft and in fact drew more attention to it than the graft itself. After a consultation with the client I was able to find a suitable yellow toned skin camouflage cream to cover the red scar area. This was applied as randomly as possible so as to avoid a block of colour and to break up the appearance of the red scar ‘ring’. Secondly a pink toned skin camouflage cream was gently stippled over the yellow graft area. This helped to better match the graft to the client’s surrounding skin. Once applied and blended the whole area was set with translucent fixing powder setting it in place for the day.
As you can see, some texture of the scar remains as skin camouflage creams do not alter texture but the overall effect greatly reduces the appearance of the graft and its scar and improved the everyday confidence of the client. This example shows it is not always a case of finding just one colour which matches the client’s skin, but a combination of colours and techniques to achieve the best results possible.

This article was written by Phil Briggs, London based Skin Camouflage Practitioner, for The Expert Witness Journal.

​If you have a skin condition which in some way inhibits your confidence then skin camouflage creams can help no matter what skin colour you have, what age you are or your identified gender.
For many years cosmetics available on the high street were considered only for those who identify as female and shockingly often for lighter skins only. Whole new ranges of cosmetic foundations would be launched with only around eight shades, the darkest of which were still very light. Finding any make-up to match your darker skin was almost impossible. 

​Thankfully this has now greatly improved with brands such as Make Up For Ever releasing their HD Foundation in over 40 shades. I am still disappointed however when walking through some high street stores as to the lack of diversity in colours.

​Skin camouflage creams have been around for many years and have always been available in hundreds of mix and match shades to suit any skin colour. Many of them are medical grade which means they have gone through all of the testing required for any prescription drug. They have none of the additives many cosmetics contain. They are long lasting; a little goes a long way and they are even waterproof. Now with the addition of new thinning products, skin camouflage creams can be used to create a beautiful foundation in minutes which perfectly matches your skin. They can be used to highlight and contour and as a cream blusher.

​At the same time, skin camouflage creams can be used by those who don’t ever want to wear make-up but do wish to cover an area which causes them distress or embarrassment. This can be self-harm scarring, scarring from an injury, Vitiligo, Melasma, Rosacea, Port Wine Stains, age spots, stretch marks, blushing, under eye darkness and many more. Basically, any condition which has healed but left a visible difference, can be helped by skin camouflage creams.
Skin camouflage can be applied quickly and easily (after a bit of practise), set with fixing powder and protected with a fixing spray then you’re good to go about your day. The creams can be used occasionally or every day for a lifetime with no harm to the skin.

Deciding if or how often to use skin camouflage creams is entirely up to each individual. Often people have become accustomed to a condition they were born with or a condition which is new to them, giving them a newly altered appearance. But we all have days or occasions when we’re not feeling at our most confident and people you don’t know asking questions about a visible difference of yours is something you really don’t want to have to cope with on top of everything else.
Skin camouflage creams are so effective, versatile in their uses and flexible in their ability to be for everyone it still surprises me how few people have heard of them.
To discuss if skin camouflage creams may be able to help you, please contact Phil at skincamuk@outlook.com or call 07970 175514
More information at www.camouflageconsultations.co.uk
​

​I have been a skin camouflage practitioner and make-up artist for more then 23 years and see clients regularly for skin camouflage consultations to help with many skin conditions including scarring, Melasma, Rosacea and quite often, Vitiligo.
Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin due to a lack of melanin. It is not fully understood why this happens or what triggers it although it is thought the body’s immune system is attacking and destroying the cells that make melanin which give colour to the skin. Generalised Vitiligo is when symptoms often appear on both sides of the body sometimes as symmetrical white patches. The patches can appear on the backs of hands, around the eyes, on the arms, elbows, knees or feet. Generalised Vitiligo affects 9 in 10 people with Vitiligo. Localised Vitiligo is less common and causes white patches to appear on just one area of the body.

​As a skin camouflage practitioner, I have found skin camouflage creams to be very effective in covering Vitiligo patches and matching them into the surrounding unaffected skin. There are a number of brands of skin camouflage creams and hundreds of shades meaning skin camouflage creams can be used by any gender, age or skin colour. They provide good coverage and are long lasting if applied properly. With the amount of shades available anyone can find a skin match with the help of an experienced practitioner. 

​The recurring issue found with using skin camouflage creams to help with covering Vitiligo patches, is using it on the hands. Skin camouflage creams even once powdered and fixed with a spray, are not one hundred percent rub proof. For anyone who washes their hands several times per day (and let’s face it that’s all of us for the foreseeable future!) using skin camouflage creams on the hands is not a suitable option. The creams can come off or transfer to a towel when drying hands which can cause embarrassment if you are in someone else’s home.

​Zanderm is a product from the United States which has recently become available in the UK. It differs from skin camouflage creams in that it isn’t actually a cream but more of a skin stain. It comes in 14 shades and has the translucency of skin. And, the big plus, it can remain on the hands after washing. Think beetroot juice but in your skin colour!

​I have now been using Zanderm on clients. My first impression is that it was a little difficult to apply. It either became patchy or disappeared altogether when trying to blend. But with some practise it is I think, a useful product. So far, I have found regular skin camouflage creams to be the winner on the face and body. Easier to find a skin match and definitely easier to apply and get the coverage required very quickly. But as mentioned earlier, this is not the case for the hands. And that is where a combination approach may be your best solution. Zanderm may not give perfect coverage on the hands but it greatly reduces the appearance of Vitiligo patches to the point anyone not knowing you had it, wouldn’t notice without it being pointed out. And that really is the solution most people want. Often clients who have Vitiligo have become accustomed and accepting of their changed appearance but are very conscious of what others may think or assume about the white patches on their skin. A day off from feeling judged or stared at is a welcome relief.
The best Zanderm applicator for the hands is the Precision Applicator. This is very similar in appearance to a felt tip pen. The Zanderm stain is ‘drawn’ on the skin over the white patches and immediately blended with the Zanderm Blender Sponge (or any cosmetic blender sponge) and allowed to dry. Once dry you’re good to go about your day. Because of its handy size the Precision Applicator can be taken out and about so should you have a particularly busy handwashing day, touch ups can be applied. A small amount of the blender sponge could easily be cut off to take out and about with you also.

​To find the best combination of products for your Vitiligo it is best to see an experienced practitioner. Solutions depend on the coverage you want, how much time you feel you’ll have each day to apply them, how easy or complex you are prepared for the solution to be and your general lifestyle. Tester kits can be purchased online for both skin camouflage creams and Zanderm but without the knowledge of how to mix and apply this can end up being a more expensive solution with disappointing results.
​
I provide consultations at Camouflage Consultations in the Clapham and Harley Street areas of London Monday to Friday or Saturday by arrangement. Please contact Phil at skincamuk@outlook.com or call 07970 175514 to discuss and arrange an appointment.

Over the past couple of years a number of high profile models have brought the term Vitiligo into the public arena. Whereas previously when mentioning my work to people and that covering Vitiligo was part of that, it was often greeted with a look of puzzlement, now the response is often "oh, like that model has?". This has meant that finally Vitiligo is much less 'taboo' and people are able to instantly recognise the condition rather than mistake it for something contageous which many clients have told me has happened to them. However this hasn't necessarily meant that eveyone who has Vitiligo patches on their face and or body can now walk around without a care in the world. In many communities Vitiligo is still seen as something to be feared. And for some reason people without the condition just feel they have the right to ask "what's wrong with your face?". This leaves many with Vitiligo sometimes wanting a day off from the stares and the questioning, no matter how much they themselves have accepted their new changed image in the mirror.
This is where Skin Camouflage Creams can help. Skin Camouflage Creams are medical grade, highly pigmented creams which can successfully cover Vitiligo patches on men and women. They are available in hundreds of skin colours, are long lasting and waterproof. They can easily be applied with either fingers or brushes and removed at the end of the day.
In a Skin Camouflage consultation you can find the best product or products for you and learn how to apply, maintain and remove them. Consultations are available now in London. To find out more or to book an appointment please get in touch or call 07970 175514.

Looking in the mirror and seeing tired, dark under eyes can be at best disheartening and at worst distressing for some of us. Many factors contribute to dark circles, lack of water intake, lack of sleep, stress or genetics. Sometimes it feels as though nothing you do makes any difference though. This is when people start looking into trying to cover the darkness. Walking into either a high street or a make-up shop can be pretty overwhelming with the choice of products and concealers promising all sorts. If you're a guy it can be even more overwhelming and embarrasing for some.
Concealers come in many types and shades offering everything from light reflextion to complete cover but finding the right one for you in the middle of a shop can be near impossible.
One option, unkown to many, are Skin Camouflage Creams. These medical grade, highly pigmented creams are available in hundreds of shades to suit all skin tones and are for eveyone regardless of age or gender. Sometimes finding a skin match is enough to cover under eye darkness. If not, a corrective colour can be mixed in to neutralise the darkness. This means as little product as possible is used which is always a good idea when dealing with the under eye area. For female clients who wear make-up the creams can be used on top of Foundation but for those who don't and for male clients who don't, they can be used alone. The creams are long lasting and waterproof. They don't contain any of the 'extras' make-up often contains and so won't cause irritation to the sensitive under eye area.
If Skin Camouflage Creams sound like something you would like to try out for your under eye area, consultations are available in Clapham and Harley Street Monday to Saturday. Please get in touch for more information or to book an appointment.

Very pleased to be part of this exciting team at The London Scar Clinic at 152 Harley Street. The London Scar Clinic provides access to experts from many fields all under one roof. Surgeons, Dermatologists, Psychologists and many more experts including myself as the Skin Camouflage Practitioner, come together to offer patients a multi faceted approach to helping with scars.

http://www.healthawareness.co.uk/dermatology/a-multi-disciplinary-approach-to-scar-treatment

As a Make-up Artist with 20 year's experience and a Skin Camouflage Practitioner of 6 years, I was asked to write an article on Skin Camouflage work by international Make-up Artist magazine Warpaint.
You can read the full article here

In a word. Yes.

Heading into a shop which sells camouflage creams isn't necessarily going to get you the best result for your camouflage situation. Skin Camouflage Cream colour matching needs to be performed in natural daylight, most shops will be lit mainly by fluorescent lighting. A colour which looks perfect in the shop may look very wrong when you return home and start wearing it.

Secondly you will have other customers around you when trying to match the camouflage cream to the skin around your problem area which can cause embarrassment.

You could test out colours by trying to obtain samples from online stores but even if this results in you finding a perfect skin colour match you may not actually be finding your best solution. Without the skill of a Skin Camouflage Practitioner and in my case one who is also an experienced make-up artist, you may be missing out on very efficient solutions to your problem.

Take John from Tunbridge Wells for example. John came to see me after developing Melasma patches which had formed symmetrical, brown patterns on each of his cheeks causing him much embarrassment. He had begun by using his wife's cosmetic concealer over the Melasma patches but always found the brown patches then appeared grey/blue through the concealer. John then went to a shop which sold Dermacolor Camouflage Cream and found the perfect colour match for the skin on his face. He returned home and excitedly applied the cream over his Melasma patches only to be disappointed as that familiar blue/grey colour began to slowly come through the camouflage cream. John applied more layers of cream which helped a little but then had a very obvious amount of Camouflage Cream on his face.

John then searched online and made an appointment with me in Clapham to find a better solution. I began by applying a layer of Camouflage Cream in John's colour, over the Melasma patches to demonstrate how that alone wouldn't work for him. Sure enough the previously brown patches began to show through, only this time they appeared a blueish grey. I was then able to show John a solution which surpassed all his expectations. Mixing in a small amount of a fiery orange Dermacolor cream with John's own skin match caused something magical to happen, his Melasma patches completely disappeared. Not only that but John found he was wearing only a very thin layer of camouflage cream compared to the thick and rather obvious layer he had been wearing in an attempt to cover the Melasma previously.

I was then able to show John exactly how much of the orange tone to mix in each time, demonstrate the application, and have John have a go at application while he was with me ensuring everything was being done correctly. John soon picked up the technique and went away very happy with the knowledge he now had regained some control over his situation. He was also very relieved to only have to apply a very small amount of camouflage cream which was invisible to anyone not in the know.

I gave John a list of outlets which sold his recommended products along with a referral letter for his GP should he wish to obtain the products on NHS prescription.

You can book a consultation in Clapham, London for Melasma or many other conditions through this website www.camouflageconsultations.co.uk

Although a consultation can initially feel like extra expense, in the long run in can actually save you both time and money and give you a much more satisfactory result.