The Winter Skin Saviours
I love skincare, it’s no secret, and having been fortunate to have relatively hardy skin I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with new products and formulas. However this winter has been different, I usually get a little bit of seasonal eczema but this year it has appeared on my face and it has been playing havoc with my skin. Let’s be honest, most of us suffer from drier and generally lacklustre skin at the time of year as the cold weather draws in the the central heating cranks up. But this year, in addition to the regular dullness, I’ve had angry, painful eczema to contend with too and it has thrown many of my regular skincare rules straight out of the window.
Now, a quick disclaimer, this eczema was bad, and I mean really bad. The only thing that has actually shifted any of it has been prescription-strength steroid cream so if you really are suffering then get yourself down to your doc’s ASAP. The sutff was magical and stopped the peeling and flakiness in a matter of days but you can only use it for 4-5 days at a time so the rest has been up to me. There are a lot of things that can cause eczema to flare up, I know for me stress is a massive factor, so it isn’t quite as simple as the skincare you use. But, aside from the migrating eczema patches, my skin has been pretty dull and dry so this is the round up of products that I have been using on the other areas of my face and have been relying on once the patch in question has healed up.
La Roche Posay Toleriane Facial Wash: The first step I took was stripping back the basics that I was using every day so in addition to my trusty Take The Day Off Balm I have been using this morning and evening. It’s a gel formula but unlike the name suggests (and many I have tried) it doesn’t foam and has a softer, more silky texture to it. I wouldn’t rely on it to remove all of my makeup but it does leave my skin feeling clean and soft. It is gentle and perfect for use around my entire face, including eyes and across dry and irritated eczema patches.
Fresh Sugar Face Polish: Whilst my skin has been more sensitive I have been avoiding all acid exfoliators and instead I have been opting for a gentle, but effective, physical exfoliator where there isn’t any sensitivity. This has left those areas smooth and looking more radiant without disturbing any eczema areas. The brown sugar is more gentle than a traditional salt-based exfoliator whilst the added Vitamin C helps to improve the radiance of my skin. It’s also full of hydrating oils such as plum seed oil which helps to leave skin still feeling soft and hydrated after use.
Fresh Rose Hydrating Toner: Incorporating a hydrating toner has been an easy way to get in another layer of hydration quickly. The rosewater works to soothe the skin whilst the rose leaf oil nourishes and hyularonic acid delivers deeper hydration. A quick swipe of this every morning and evening has given my skin that added boost, removed any feeling of tightness and left skin feeling more supple.
La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra Eye Cream: The Toleraine range is formulated specifically for sensitive and irritated skin so this has been the perfect eye cream for the dry/eczma patches around my eyes. It has helped to heal the dry patches reduce the appearance of the deeper lines that had started to emerge following the eczema. The formula is lightweight so doesn’t feel too intense around the eye and is fine for use before makeup too. Half a pump is plenty for me to use on both eyes, underneath and around the socket bone.
La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra Moisturiser Cream: To go alongside the eye cream the Ultra Moisturising cream has been my go to both morning and evening. It hydrates the skin leaving it feeling soft, plumped and fully hydrated for hours and prepped for any makeup. Two pumps in both the morning and evening gives a generous layer that I can also take down my neck. As it’s so lightweight it also works well against all the other products that have been layered before, including toners and serums.
Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream: Truth be told this is a skincare essential for me all year round and I’m never without a tube, but in the winter it becomes even more of a staple in my routine. Whether my lips are dry or I have some drier patches on my skin (this helped to prevent my eczema getting worse but didn’t clear it up) this always comes in handy.
