moisturiser for v. dry & sensitive skin?

[geekgirl]

I've been using the body shop hemp skin protector on my face but it's not hydrating enough.

I have very dry and sensitive skin, and have eczema (thankfully not on my face atm). I usually use clinique products but their moisturiser is rather pricey - £30. Is it worth spending that much on a moisturiser?
I feel quite miserable about my skin at the moment , it feels like I've had a bad facelift and stings whenever I sweat a bit.

Mine's the same . I use E45 lotion twice a day as even Clinique, which I use too, sometimes upsets it. After loads of trial and error I found E45 does the trick. They also do an anti-itch cream which is wonderful for eczema too.

I used to have very very dry skin and I did have eczema on my face! Used aqueous cream as a general moisturiser and diprobase on the really dry flaky bits at night. Both really cheap and available over the counter. It's such a pain, hope it gets better. My skin sorted itself out when I got pregnant and it's been fine since luckily.

using a more soothing cleanser can help a lot (and reduce the need for heavy moisturiser) - I always found the Clinique stuff way too harsh even for my tough oily skin.
The Wild Rose Beauty Balm from Neal's Yard is both cleanser and moisturiser but is pricey... if you have a branch near you maybe ask for a tester, and if it's good it's Christmas soon...

I've been using diprobase on my face too for the past week (after the hemp stuff stopped working) and it's not helped at all unfortunately.

sparkly, I do get it on my face sometimes too - luckily so far it's only got as far as my chin and I zapped that with hydrocortisone.
I'll give the aqueous cream a go.

Any more suggestions?

I was allergic to clinique, just made it worse. I use aveeno lotion/cream on mine when it is really tight but it does stink so not that great for in the day. Apparently they do a fragrance free one specifically for the face but I've never tried it.

If the Clinique one works then it is worth £30! You will spend that on other products that don't work and finally go back to Clinique. Next time someone goes to US get them to buy it over there and it's only $30 (practically half price).

gg i switch from lotion to cream around this time of year. i would spend £30 yes because i find more expensive stuff lasts longer. why not set a budget and go to john lewis or similar and see what is available. i do agree re clinique is a bit harsh and you might be unintentionally making yourself worse. mrsb has good point, how are you cleansing?

try diprobase, nonperfumed, hypoallergenic,

Try Dr Hauschka's rose day cream. I agree with the posters who think Clinique is too rough; I used it for years but wouldn't go back to it now having discovered gentler products.

aah bluestocking that was what was rattling round the back of my tiny brain. yes, def dr hauschka, is what i had for last it is lovely and lasts ages. cheaper in germany if you can get it.

last winter

No, it's not worth buying Clinique.

Go to (a large) Boots and look at the Avène range. It's especially good for very dry skins and eczema sufferers.

geekgirl - try Trixéra cream from Avène on your body/eczema - it's excellent.

Geekgirl - Aveeno does fine for me on the legs, but I agree with anchovies, it's a little too fragranced for the face.

DH has terrible face eczema flare ups and swears by Vaseline Intensive Care (the one for sensitive skin). He also uses DD's sudocrem for his hands and reckons it's the business!

Hope your skin feels better soon. I know how rotten it is.

going to Germany on Tuesday so easy access to Dr Hauschka stuff

interesting about clinique being harsh - I did recently start using their cleanser but stopped all cleansing (wearing of make-up) when my skin became too dry.

I'm not sure whether the Dr Hauschka rose stuff would agree with me though - I get eczema from the Weleda rose shower cream (and it smells so nice, boo-hoo!)

And, re cleansing, try Eve Lom's cleanser - the one you take off with a muslin cloth - I swear, it's magic!

geekgirl - Dr Hauschka isn't great for sensitive skins.

(My DP runs a chain of shops that sells pharmaceutical cosmetic brands and we have lots of insider info on what works for whom and why in this household ).

have you tried using olive oil instead of butter, teaspoons of linseed oil too and evening primrose supplements might all help

i find the moisturiser that comes with the dermoabrasion kit by l'oreal

really good don't think they do it separately obviously don't use the microdermabrasion stuff tho

I'm told that Origins white tea (I think) cream is perfect for sensitive skin, but possibly rather expensive.

yes, dr hauschka doesn't work for me either.

thanks Anna, v. useful insider info from you there

so you think Avène is a good one to go for? For the face as well?

If you haven't tried Avène and you've got dry skin on your face and eczema-prone skin, yes, definitely worth a try.

LaRochePosay is a good brand for that type of skin too, but not sold in the UK to my knowledge.

Both are sold in pharmacies and parapharmacies in France - maybe in Germany too? They are much cheaper than "cosmetic-only" brands like Clinique and have proper dermatological qualities.

TheOldestCat - your DH needs Xérand by LaRochePosay for his hands (but you need to import it from a French pharmacy )

Yes, LaRochePosay is popular in Germany too - I've been given some products for Christmas etc.
Actually, my cousin swears by it for make-up - she's 18 and has severe eczema (but still likes to look pretty!).