The Beauty of Eczema calming cream, skin warrior wash, pamper me bathing oil and salty soother
Buy now From £14, Thebeautyofeczema.com
Rating: 8/10
On first impressions the packaging is pretty, but it might not be to everyone’s taste. There’s a pink and white theme going on, which is eye-catching but might clash with a more neutral-toned bathroom. However, we were very impressed that all the packaging is 100 per cent recyclable, so major bonus points there.
Oat ingredients seem to be booming in popularity among eczema sufferers, with hugely successful brands such as Aveeno using colloidal oatmeal as a key ingredient. Oat lipids are used in the Beauty of Eczema products, which are the oils extracted from oat kernels. Other popular eczema friendly ingredients include shea butter and sweet almond oil.
The first product to be tested is the calming cream (£22, Thebeautyofeczema.com), a daily moisturiser for face and body. The formula is rich without being sticky and absorbs into skin satisfyingly fast. It left skin feeling plumped and subtle, with a barely noticeable scent. Despite being a white colour, a bit like sunscreen, it left no residue on the skin at all, and our skin was noticeably moisturised hours later.
Up next is the skin warrior wash (£17.50, Thebeautyofeczema.com). This is another rich formula that cleansed skin while feeling barely there. Many soaps and body washes can leave a tingling sensation on irritable skin, but this wash got to work oh-so-gently. We also loved the advice on the packing, telling us to “finish with a quick blast of cool water if you dare” – something that would only be recommended by someone who has actually experienced eczema themselves.
The most surprising product in the range was the salty soother (£15, Thebeautyofeczema.com), as we’d never dared try a salty bath product before – the stinging sensation that sea water can cause to delicate skin is enough to scare us off. However, we had heard anecdotally that salt water baths may be helpful for sensitive skin, and can even help with infection, so we were intrigued. It was hard to tell what effect the salt had on our skin, but the salt certainly helped to relax muscles and relieve tension. Here’s where Knowles’ all-round approach comes in; if you can melt away the stress, your skin will start to improve.
And finally, the pamper me bathing oil (£24, Thebeautyofeczema.com) , which ticked all our boxes. Somehow, without making the water oily, this clever liquid turns the bathwater into a soothing, moisturising soup. Though it comes out of the bottle as a gel, it dissolves quickly into the water to turn milky. It has a slightly nutty, oatmeal smell – not surprising given that it contains oat lipids – that feels wholesome and rich. After a dip in this, our whole body felt nourished and supple.
The verdict: The Beauty of Eczema
The Beauty of Eczema certainly soothed raw skin, helping dryness to become moisturised and calmed. The natural ingredients and absence of any additional fragrances or colours are perfect for anyone who has skin that can be easily irritated. The pampering oil and the salty soother certainly made for an uber relaxing bathing experience, and the natural oils left our skin nourished for days. All in all, these are some fail-safe, trusty products that will surely soothe even the most stubborn dry skin.