Read Mumsnet users reviews on Balneum scalp and skin care products

[EllieMumsnet]

This thread is now closed

This is the feedback thread for the 250 MNers who tested both the Balneum dry skin and itch relief Cream (click here for further information) and their dry and itchy scalp shampoo (click here for further information).

Here’s what Balneum have to say: “At Balneum, we understand that an itch is never just an itch. Irritated skin can get in the way of everyday life, causing frustrations and ongoing itch-scratch cycles. It’s our mission to help you itch less and live more. Whether that’s spending more time with your loved ones, smashing your exercise routine, or enjoying a more social lifestyle, we’re here to help. We don’t just care for you, we care for your skin and scalp too.”

Testers please answer the following questions:

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?
• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?
• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?
• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

All testers who leave the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

I like the shampoo, it has helped with the itchiness of my scalp, i like to really scrub my hair and it does leave it very tangled in the shower but this is fixed with a healthy dose of conditioner.
I've used the cream on kids and it seems to have helped with the itchiness. From personal preference I'm not a fan of the smell and its a bit to greasy for me, but DC haven't complained about this so maybe just me.

Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?
I really like the shampoo and it has helped with the itchiness, the kids have found the cream helpful in reducing itchiness.

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

I did like the shampoo, it felt like it didn't strip hair like other medicated shampoo can but it does leave hair very tangled. Kids liked the cream as it definitely helped reduce itchiness.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp? Yes I found it helped reduce itchiness in both.
• Would you recommend the product(s) to others. Yes depending on price.

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

I was more satisfied with the cream as it did stop itchiness more or less straight away and I like the way it sinks into the skin and doesn't leave a greasy film. My daughter stopped itching her legs all the time too. The shampoo seemed to work but my son and husband both report that they're still itchy and neither of them liked it as much as thier usual shampoo.

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

The cream did what it said it would do, I like the packaging and it's easy to spray on and sinks into skin. The shampoo cleans hair effectively.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

skin dryness seems to have gotten better and not as flaky as before. The shampoo hasn't improved scalp.

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others

I would recommend the cream but not the shampoo.

We as a family have loved the cream. My DH and Youngest DD hate any form of grease when using any creams and have readily accepted using this cream. It's helped his sore hands a lot!
The shampoo was less of a success, DD 1 and 2 weren't keen on the smell (I didn't find it strong, they did) and for me it didn't leave my hair as glossy as I would like.

I'd happily buy the cream, shampoo I may need a bit more persuading.

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Very.

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

I like the consistency of the cream and I was pleased that you can get a decent lather with the shampoo so it works through the hair well.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

I thought the cream worked well. My son hated it, but he hates any cream being put on him. It did what I'd hoped i.e. soothed and reduced the areas of excema that he has on his arms and dotted around his chest and shoulders. I used the shampoo myself and certainly it has reduced the itchiness of my scalp.

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

yes

The cream i found excellent on patches of dry skin on myself and my partner. It didnt smell very nice though! The shampoo worked really well on my partners head as be gets sores when he is stressed, he says it has made his hair very soft and smells nicer than the vosene or tgel he uses. I would recommend it and although its a bit pricy i would buy for my partner as he has found it calms things down for him.

Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and the shampoo?
Overall I was satisfied with the products. The shampoo is quite thick and doesn’t have a strong medicated scent like other medicated shampoos. It takes a bit of working to get a good lather but it definitely relieved the itching. The cream has stopped the itching on the skin but the area is still red so I will continue to apply it
What did you and your family member like about the cream and the shampoo?
The shampoo leaves the hair full and soft and not dried out and the cream is easy to apply and not overly greasy
Did it improve you or your family members skin or scalp?
I will continue to use the shampoo we all like it and it has definitely reduced the itching and flakiness. The cream has eased the itching but the bad areas like elbows are still red but we will continue with it to see if there is any more improvement
Would you recommend the products to others?
I would definitely recommend the shampoo, and I would recommend giving the cream a try but it may not work for everyone

Apparently my original post doesn't answer the questions raised, therefore I shall copy and paste and add some dashes into to make it quite plain, with additional text in bold:

-OH has been using this since he got home (he works away) and informs me that whilst he shampoo has certainly helped with the itching he can not yet give a fair judgement on the cream the cream has had no real affect.
-He isn't keen on the smell and whilst his psoriasis scaling certainly isn't as bad he is still very itchy, but he has only been using it for a couple of weeks. the shampoo is good and the smell is better than most, not a fan of the cream though
-no major improvement in skin but shampoo does seem to have improved the scalp
-At this time he would recommend the shampoo but not the cream this still remains the same

Testers please answer the following questions:

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo? Not very to be honest. A little underwhelmed
• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo? Cream - Ever so slightly Moisturising. Shampoo - Nothing really
• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp? No
• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

For Eczema or just dry, itchy skin it's worth a go, but didn't work for my Psoriasis.

I loved the cream- thought it had no lasting smell. Cleared up the dry skin on my elbows. My daughter loved it too for her dry eczema prone skin. Easy to apply and sank in well.
Would definitely repurchase.

I really like the shampoo too. My hair looks great after using and no itchy scalp. I did find it really difficult to lather and it didn't feel like I was washing out properly though.
I would repurchase the shampoo too although properly only went my scalp was flaring up and took longer to wash my hair as difficult to wash out .

Would recommend both products to friends

My feedback to the specific questions asked is:-)

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Very satisfied, cream cleared up my itchy skin which I normally keep under control with steroid cream

Shampoo helped clear my daughters itchy flaky scalp

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

Cream feels rich and pump is nice way to distribute - no longer using steroid cream which thins the skin

Shampoo lathers nicely and smell is okay

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

Yes on both, but cream didn't help DH psoriasis

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

Definitely

Thanks

My husband has had some good success with the shampoo. His head is visibly less flaky, and his hair feels soft. He has also been rubbing the cream into the flaky bits by his hairline, and it has been very moisturising and soothing. He has said that he would buy this if he saw it in the shops. He also said that the cream has a good, non-offensive smell.

Overall reasonably satisfied with both products.
Cream definitely has helped reduce itching - particularly for my son.
I was initially really pleased with the shampoo - it relieved itchiness while still being a decent shampoo. But as have now used it several times I'm not seeing a huge improvement in the scabby flaky area

I loved the cream, it made my skin really soft and even though I was suffering with eczema caused by a heat rash during the trial it didn't make it sore or itchy when I applied the cream. I loved the texture and a little really went a long way. The cream is thick and has a pleasant smell even though it is not perfumed. I would happily keep on using this product, as now after a few weeks my skin has a lovely soft feel to it. The shampoo was also really good, and as it was unperfumed it meant that my son could use it in the bath and not end up covered in eczema. It made my hair soft and it cleared up the dry skin on my scalp. I would definitely recommend it. Loved them both.

I've got an email saying I've not responded (though I can see my comment above)
So I will do it again and be more clear.

Testers please answer the following questions:

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo? Cream was good but didn't like the shampoo. Didn't think the shampoo was any more special than similar products which are cheaper.
• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo? Family felt the same. The cream is a bit greasy but we like it. Once again do t really care for the shampoo.
• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp? A little bit maybe? I feel like these things need more time to be tested than what was given. My dd and myself still have eczema regardless of using the product but it helps with my husbands itchy skin. He says it burns though I haven't noticed it so maybe just his skin.
• Would you recommend the product(s) to others? Maybe but probably not.

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Loved the shampoo, my scalp has been far less itchy! However the star of the show for me was the cream, I love that it doesn’t leave skin greasy, I’ve recommended it to a friend with eczema, she said her skin is less itchy and now we both regularly use it

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

My hair feels really clean (no residue) and I love how moisturising yet light the cream is

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

skin is less flaky than before, my hair is less itchy, less flaky and shiny!!

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others

I already have and willl continue to do so, thank you so much

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Overall, quite satisfied. You don't need too much of the cream and it absorbs really well.

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

We all used it. We especially liked the cream. My daughter has eczema and I have psoriasis. We all seem to have very dry skin. My husband liked that it had no 'smell'. Most of the other stuff we have used have a strong, or worse, girly smell. It absorbed well and we slapped it everywhere! The shampoo went down well for similar reasons.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

It definitely made a difference to our skin. Everyone was happy with it. I think the shampoo made an improvement on the dryness of our scalps but I found it made no difference (perhaps even an increase) to the itchiness of my scalp.

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the cream. I'm not so sure about the shampoo though.

Hello, adding my feedback, sorry it's a bit late!

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Very satisfied. The shampoo has certainly made my scalp less itchy. My DD has been happy with the cream, she's been using it regularly on her eczema patches with great success.

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

We liked that they worked! The shampoo took a bit of getting used to, but I soon got into the hang of getting a decent lather and remembering to leave it on for a few minutes. I'd have liked a conditioner in the same range and my hair did feel drier at the ends. I think my colour may have faded, but can't say for sure. My DD found the cream was absorbed quite quickly into her skin and didn't sting. The tube was easy for her to pack into her overnight bag and didn't get messy. The smell was a bit 'functional' but not bad.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

Yes, we both experienced improvements and have continued to use both products.

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

Yes most certainly.

Apologies for not leaving feedback sooner, I’ve had a dd in hospital and this fell to the bottom of my list of priorities.

I really appreciate being picked to try out balneum dry relief cream and the shampoo, thank you.

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Being completely honest, I didn’t like the cream at all. I felt it heavy and greasy, and it actually made my dds eczema flare up worse. I felt that once it dried on my skin, it went rather crumbly if that makes any sense. After using it myself, it felt ok on my body, but the one time I put it on my face it actually stung a little bit and I had to wash it off, perhaps dd and I are just sensitive to an ingredient in the cream - obviously I couldn’t use it on dd after her skin reacted to it.
The shampoo on the other hand I found fantastic. It really helped dds scalp and took the itch out completely. As others have said it did leave dds hair rather tuggy, but I just made sure I used separate conditioner in the ends and it was fine.
I was slightly worried about having to rub it in for 2 minutes, as my dd doesn’t tolerate having her hair washed very well, but it felt so soothing for her that she didn’t mind at all.
I had slight sunburn on my parting during the trial period and used this shampoo and I found it amazing for that - it cooled down the sunburn instantly and got rid of the flaky/peeling - it felt like I was putting a nice cool pack on my head, without that awful methol feeling you get with some medicated shampoos.

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

We like that the shampoo had a nice soothing relief and actually smelled nice. The smell reminded me of baby shampoo.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

I would say the shampoo did improve dd and my scalp, but the cream actually made things worse.

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

I would certainly recommend the shampoo, and will be purchasing this again. The cream I could not recommend due to our reaction to it.

Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?
I really like the shampoo, which slightly surprised me. I like that I can use it every day, but I've actually used it around two out of three days. The cream was gentle and all of us like it.

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

We all preferred the cream to our usual brand. It felt gentle and soothing. We are an itchy family. I think only I noticed the change in shampoo!

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

Yes I found it helped reduce itchiness in both.

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others. Yes and I have done!

Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?
Very satisfied

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

Cream was soothing and shampoo has a nice smell, not a medicated smell.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

Helped with both

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

Yes, I would.

Thought I'd responded last week to this but email says not. I'm happy to repost.

Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?
Very satisfied. We liked the shampoo and it did stop the itchy scalp. The smell was a bit like our dog shampoo though, which I didn't think was a bad thing but put off other members of the family.
The cream really helped my husbands itchy shins that he suffers from and is better than his prescription cream

What did you or your family like about the cream and shampoo?
The shampoo definitely gave itchy scalp relief and was easy to use.
The cream dramatically improved my husbands itchy shins and he liked the texture and ease of use. Overall improvement of eczema.

Did it improve your / your family's skin and scalp?
Yes, a definite improvement in scalp and skin conditions. Less itch and therefore scratch.

Would you recommend the products to others?
Yes, I already have. Frequently come into contact with eczema suffers.

I responded to this on 23rd April but email also telling me I didn't do here is another post:

• Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Very

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

It stopped the itching and the cream soaks in quickly

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

Yes absolutely. Scalp less flaky and much less itchy and skin is soft and not dry

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

Yes, absolutely!!

- Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?
I used the cream, DH the shampoo.

I was very satisfied with the cream
DH was fairly satisfied with the shampoo

- What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

The cream was smooth, not sticky, very effective for scaly skin, soothing and mild. It soaked into dry skin very quickly and lasted at least 12 hours with each application, so I didn't get dry legs in between each use. I am allergic to a lot of things, but this didn't aggravate any allergy which was fabulous.

The shampoo, DH reports smelled better than most products for seborrheic dermatitis, and left his hair nice and soft. It lathered really well, so it won't be used up too quickly. It definitely killed off lots of the itching which is brilliant.

- Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

Cream - yes, my legs are no longer scaly, just in time for summer!
Shampoo - only a little. The skin is drier and definitely nowhere near as itchy, but the scalp is still very affected and not much improved to look at.

- Would you recommend the product(s) to others?

Definitely the cream, fantastic product.
Shampoo, yes as one worth a go in the pile of different products out there for this sort of thing, but not as the panacea for the issues.

Overall how satisfied were you with the cream and shampoo?

Very satisfied. I'm quite particular about moisturiser and shampoo and admit I expected to dislike them

• What did you or your family member like about the cream and shampoo?

The cream suited all our skin and got rid of dry patches very quickly. The shampoo actually agreed with my fine, wavy hair which surprised me.

• Did it improve yours or your family member’s skin and/or scalp?

Yes

• Would you recommend the product(s) to others

Yes