Horrible irritated, flaky skin, what helps?

[ownworstenemy]

I hope someone can help. I don't know if it's hormonal (am 5 weeks postpartum) but the last 2 days my face feels awful. All around my nose and chin feels irritated and because I've been rubbing it it now looks much worse. It looks all dry and red and flakey. I don't know if maybe it's a reaction to something (maybe washing powder?) or now the weather occurs to me, maybe hayfever? My eyes feel a bit sore and dry too. But my question is what can I use? I don't have great skin anyway but I feel like I want to scratch my face off. I suppose a decent cleanser and a damn good moisturiser? My baby has awful flaky skin too and I've been using olive oil on her, I've heard something about the oil cleansing method, is that something likely to help or just make it worse?

[reliablemillipede]

I'd give E45 cream a go first before anything else, this is a cheap and very good moisturiser, 3 -4 days using this should calm your face down.

[GeordieVik]

I've found Lush Celestial moisturiser very good for a similar skin problem - very gentle & soothing

www.lush.co.uk/product/80/Celestial-Moisturiser

[coffeeinbed]

when thins happens I do nothing - no cleansing, moisturising, treatments at all for a few days.
Things usually calm down.

[coffeeinbed]

BTW, could it be some hay fever type of thing? It's been quite bad for pollen last couple of days - grass is being cut everywhere, blossom and no rain.

[piratecat]

used any different products lately? i t could be contact dermatitis. my mum gets this and recently had a huge flare up.

lots of moisturizer. have you burnt your face in the sun, i only say that becuase uv's can cause a reaction, and where i live we had some hot sun today.

[planestrainsautomobiles]

I have very sensitive skin and also can be dry, red & flaky. I really like Liz Earle - she also has suffered with eczema (as I have) so created products which she could use.

I would suggest firstly going to the GP asap, you might need something on prescription first to get it under control.

[ownworstenemy]

Lots of different products tbh, all of my things seemed to have run out at once so had to do a massive shop without really paying attention to what I was chucking in. Washing powder a potential culprit I suppose, though I don't know why just my face? Or even Johnsons babywipes, I've been using them to take off my eye make up in a hurry and actually I don't think they're fragrance free like the ones I'd usually use. But yes, hayfever is definately a possibility. I need to get to the GP for baby's skin too really so I'll ask about mine when I'm there. I can't not wash or put foundation my face, I just can't do it so I'll give the E45 a go tonight if I can find my tub of it, then sit at home barefaced after the schoolrun tomorrow.

[piratecat]

i would deffo be questioning the wipes. most certainly!

[Iatemyskinnyperson]

Trilogy do a gorgeous sensitive skin range. http://m.feelunique.com/brands/trilogy/skincare%23/p/Trilogy-Very-Gentle-Calming-Fluid-Sensitive-Skin-30ml sensitive skin fluid is gorgeous, really saved my skin when it went mental the last time. The facial oil is fabulous too, very moisturising and soothing.

[Iatemyskinnyperson]

Retrying m.feelunique.com/brands/trilogy/skincare%23/p/Trilogy-Very-Gentle-Calming-Fluid-Sensitive-Skin-30ml

[ownworstenemy]

Just popping back to say I found the most unlikely relief. While I was scrambling through my bathroom looking for my tub of E45 (which I know is still in there somewhere, damnit) I found my unused tube of Lansinoh. Voila, skin is perfect again so it wasn't quite the tenner wasted that I thought it had been when my nips escaped damage this time round. It feels very much like my 8 hour cream actually. Thanks for all the suggestions, and having been a bit less lazy the last few days, I do think it was teh babywipes doing the damage I shan't be putting those anywhere near any of us again.