Organic moisturisers and make up.

[TheGashlycrumbTinies]

Have also posted this in the allergies section.

Posting this on behalf of my Mum. She has a history of lots of allergies, her face can balloon up if the wrong cream is applied, he eyes dry and crack, and now she has developed severe problems in the crease of her elbows.

She has been able to use aqueous cream and the soap before but has now become allergic to that, and has been using Green People products, but again these are now starting to cause problems. Mum is using Dr Haushka and she thinks this cream may be okay.

As her face is so sensitive and now sore, she is desperate to find something to soothe and moisturise. She is waiting for a goats milk product to try.

The GP has prescribed steroids to use, and in the past when her face and eyes have been completely swollen she has used them, but of course this is not how she wants to deal with it all the time.

Just wondered if anyone has similar problems or ways in which to deal with them.

Sorry if it's a bit garbled, I'm in a rush.

[TheGashlycrumbTinies]

Anyone?

[brokenspacebar]

bumping for you.

I use a basic vitamin e cream, I get from the health food shop near me, but I don't have the problems your poor Mum has.

I hope she finds something to help!

[TheGashlycrumbTinies]

Thanks space bar.

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

Dr Hauschka hand cream was the only one that worked for my severe problems on hands. If that brand continues to work for your mum, you can usually get it more cheaply from reputable eBay sellers - often it is in the German-language packaging but otherwise fine, in date and lovely. V expensive normally so worth trying to save

[RamblingRosa]

I don't have the probs your mum has but I do like really natural products. There's a company called Allergenics which do an ointment you can get at Holland and Barrett and some big Boots stores. It's really natural and good for skin conditions like you've described.

I tend to think that if things are that bad your mum should try to avoid using "products" at all. You can cleanse and moisturise with just plain oil (something like almond oil will be nicer to use than cooking oil!) and there's practically zero chance of it reacting. If she wants to spend more money should could buy a specifically blended face oil like the Neals Yard one or something.

I love Dr Hauschka's rose cream. It's the best.

[notjustapuppymum]

www.ila-spa.com - as organic and natural as you can possibly get.

[TheGashlycrumbTinies]

Thanks will give them a try.

[TheGashlycrumbTinies]

Mum has actually tried just using oils to cleanse and moisturise, and this has helped, she just wondered if there was anything else available.

Thanks all for your replies, she does appreciate it.

[TheChewyToffeeMum]

Sounds like she might be sensitive to the preservatives used in all lotions organic or not. They are needed to prevent them going off if water is an ingredient. Oils, balms and ointments shouldn't contain these and might be a safer bet. Her GP should be able to refer her for patch testing of common ingredients to find out the culprits.

[notjustapuppymum]

Totally agree toffeemum. I have worked for product houses (am trained as a beauty therapist/facialist/make-up artist) and organic on labels actually means very little as it's totally unregulated in this country.

So your Mum could be using something labelled as natural, organic etc. but only a very small percentage of what's in the product is actually that - the rest is the usual preservatives, bulking agents etc.

That's why I recommend Ila - you can read more about them on their website but the integrity of their products is second to none.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Has she tried Cetaphil cleanser and moisturiser? You can get from Chemists. Recommended by plastic surgeons for post surgery use, so very very gentle. Cleanser is really great. And cheap as chips.

[smugmumofboys]

I use Dr Haushka and love it (although I don't have particularly sensitive skin).

I have used some products from here. I know the woman whose site it is and she's very good. The products are made-to-order and affordable.

[CrystalTits]

I have a similar skin condition to your mum. My skin flares up on my face, eye area, scalp and elbow creases (plus other areas from time to time) and I have no idea what the triggers are. Sensitivity to extremes of temperature, stress and probably hormonal activity is my best guess.

Over the years, I've tried almost everything going! At the moment my skin is good, and I use Liz Earle products as they use natural ingredients. (Liz Earle is a patron of the National Eczema Society, having been a sufferer herself.) She has a really interesting book called Skin Secrets, which has helped me understand a bit more about how to treat and care for my skin. In the past I've contacted their helpline and they have given me useful advice about how to use their products on my skin. Here's the Liz Earle website. Not an advert, BTW, I promise I don't work for them (!), it's just a product line that works for me having tried so many others.

Be careful with products which contain sodium laureth/lauryl sulphate (SLS) - aqueous cream is one of the worst for this, and so many people with sensitive/eczematous skin are irritated by it, but GPs still prescribe it as an inexpensive moisturiser for dry and chapped skin! I suspect this may be why your mum can't use aqueous any more. Also avoid preservatives called parabens (butylparaben, methylparaben etc) in the ingredients label as they can also irritate v. sensitive skin.

I've found that the Aveeno range of products helps my skin when it's at its worst. They are unperfumed and are based on the soothing qualities of oatmeal as the active ingredient, and you can get Aveeno from places like Boots/other pharmacies etc. Another tip is to run a bath with a muslin of rolled (porridge) oats tied to the tap for the water to flow through - it can really soothe your skin. Don't let the water get too hot or that will also make the itching worse.

Try to tap or lightly pinch the skin instead of scratching when it itches - I know this sounds really funny, and believe me I try to do this in private rather than appear to be slapping my own face!! - but it does help to stop cracking and infection. Keep nails short if scratching is a problem. Apply lots of whichever cream you choose to use, several times a day, to keep the moisture in the skin and help it to heal. I realise now that for ages I made the mistake of not moisturising often enough, so my skin struggled to restore itself.

Finally, your mum might want to speak to her GP about trying a steroid cream with an anti-fungal ingredient, such as Canesten HC, because often an overactive organism a bit like thrush can be a factor on the skin, especially around the eye area.

So sorry that this has turned into such a long reply; I hope your mum finds some of it useful and gets some relief from what can be a really tormenting condition. Best of luck xxx

[TheGashlycrumbTinies]

Thank you all again for taking the time to reply.

I keep relaying all the advice to her, she has tried Aveeno, but reacted badly to it but I shall point her in the direction of Ila.

I would link her into mumsnet, but she may read all of my back posts, and I'm not sure I would want her to.