Lotions For Eczema We Also Tested
- Vaseline All Over Balm: While hydrating, this balm is also very greasy and not as effective at treating damaged skin or improving rough skin texture.
- Cetaphil Restoraderm Soothing Moisturizer:This rich and soothing lotion absorbs quickly but isn’t strong enough for severe eczema.
- CeraVe Hydrocortisone Cream: Another creamy lotion with the added benefit of corticosteroids, CeraVe Hydrocortisone Cream requires several applications in a short period to combat itchiness and inflammation.
How To Prevent Dry Skin In The Winter
Not only do the dropping temperatures harm our skin, but so does indoor heating. Here’s how to prevent dry, itchy skin this winter.
Keep Vaseline, Aquaphor or other petroleum jelly products around. Apply to chapped lips or dry patches of skin. They’re also a great occlusive to use in the slugging skin care technique. For the most effective hydration, first use a layer of cream, then apply your slugging agent. The following list consists of the best hydrating skin care oils, creams, moisturizers and lotions. Consider using underneath your slugging product.
I have personally tested each product on this list, and use most of these moisturizers each day. I have sensitive, dry and sometimes acne-prone skin, and I found each product on this list to be hydrating and gentle on my skin.
Here are the best products to keep your skin hydrated this winter.
Murad Quick Relief Colloidal Oatmeal Treatment
Speaking of colloidal oatmeal, it’s the star ingredient alongside ground cherry in Murad’s new eczema control line. The Quick Relief Colloidal Oatmeal Treatment packs the highest concentration out of all the products in the collection to help you target flare-ups while quelling itchiness and irritation asap.
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Hailey Biebers Rhode Threatens Kylie Jenners Lip Gloss Empire
Eczema. Even the word sounds irritating, like an itch we want to scratch .
Especially so during the winter, when the cold temps have us reaching for the best dry skin products under the sun or the best body lotions known to man.
But, with eczema comes the urgency for near-instantaneous relief. Smooth skin is the goal, but product choices usually have to be specific to sensitive skin types and, of course, must be effective to head toward smoother skin.
Some signs that eczema is starting to occur is if your skin is feeling dry, rough, red or flaky,Tiffany Libby, MD, FAAD, FACMS, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Brown Dermatology in Rhode Island, told the Post. When eczema becomes severe, you may notice more extensive involvement of your skin and or cracks in the skin, which can be painful and may risk becoming infected.
To help solve the tangible side effects of eczema, we consulted Dr. Libby and two other dermatologists on the best eczema creams, treatments, ointments, balms and everything in between. But first, take a look at the following FAQ.
An Increased Itch Factor
People with atopic dermatitis skin are fundamentally more physically sensitive to sensations and itch. Over the years, publications have shown that with atopic dermatitis, you may have increased proteins that signal for itch and increased nerve endings that help pick up the itch sensation and transmit that sensation to your brain.
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Proper Skin Care For Eczema Focuses On Hydrating And Soothing While Minimizing Irritation
Hydration is the operative word when putting together an eczema skin-care routine. We know that in eczema the skin barrier is not working the way it should be, so it is important to maintain skin hydration, says Dr. Zeichner.
Soothing is the other operative word. Look for products that are specifically made for sensitive skin, says Wu. These are usually free of fragrance and other ingredients known to aggravate eczema, including lanolin. Skip unscented products, which may contain a masked fragrance and could irritate your skin, and opt for a product labeled dye-free, notes the American Academy of Dermatology.
Also, avoid retinol, vitamin C, and alpha hydroxy or salicylic acids, as these can aggravate eczema, advises Wu. The National Eczema Association, for example, says that while retinol is beneficial for anti-aging, it can trigger eczema flares. One beneficial ingredient to look for is hyaluronic acid, which holds moisture against your skin without being irritating. Past research shows that a hyaluronic acidceramide foam may help improve the symptoms of mild to moderate eczema.
Another note: You can wear makeup if you have eczema just do your best to look for products that are fragrance-free, adds Zeichner.
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Reserveage Nutrition Hydrating Hand & Foot Cream $29
According to Dr. Libby, Reserveages hand cream is a rich, luxurious cream that absorbs in quickly to moisturize skin with humectants like glycerin and repair the skin barrier with copper-encapsulated peptide technology. Not to mention, its a collagen booster and comes in the loveliest pink packaging weve seen.
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Why Do I Have Eczema
While its often hereditary, stress as well as contact with irritating synthetic ingredients such as MI can trigger eczema. One in five children our founder Sarahs son included are diagnosed with atopic eczema. While almost half grow out of it by puberty theres still an estimated 15 million people living with eczema in the UK youre not alone!
Facetory Urban Calm Barrier Cream
K-beauty brand FaceTory just launched a lineup of products all formulated with fermented plant extracts to help support your skin’s microbiome. The highlight: the Urban Calm Barrier Cream, which brings together fermented honeybush extract with cica, hyaluronic acid, squalane, and heartleaf extract to keep your skin calm, dewy, and balanced even as temperatures start to drop.
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The 12 Best Natural Eczema Products According To Holistic Derms
Finding natural skin care and makeup products for sensitive skin is difficult, to say the leastand when it comes to eczema, finding items that wont irritate any flare-ups makes the hunt even harder. While specific triggers differ for every eczema patient, most can agree that products with a hefty amount of preservatives or fragrances are a no-go, opting for hydrating, soothing formulas instead.
Thats why we decided to consult four board-certified dermatologists for a curated list of the best natural skin care and makeup products for eczema-prone skin. These products are gentle, soothing, and can even help calm the angry redness. They also dont skimp on qualitythese natural products contain rich, buttery textures that can rival any luxe formula.
See our selects below, and consider your flakes under control .
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Lastly A Special Note About Scrubs:
Although scrubs may be a seemingly obvious fix for sloughing off dead skin, avoid using scrubs on skin with active eczema. A scrub by definition would likely be really irritating for skin affected by eczema. However, if the granules are soft , and if the base of the product is heavier and more ointment-like, then water may be trapped in the skin , and the hydration may soothe the eczema.
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Eucerin Skin Calming Lotion
The dermatologist gave me this lotion in a sample size, and it was one of the only ones that didnt include parabens in the ingredient list. It works well to hydrate my skin and its what I layered over prescription cream in the beginning when my skin was completely out of control.
However, I do find it pretty heavy. It leaves me feeling mildly greasy and a little sticky.
Once my skin began healing, I started alternating between the Beekman 1802 Pure Goat Milk Body Cream, Crude Wash, and Soft Services Carea Cream.
This is technically a facial mist, which I discovered while researching the best facial mists.
However, its hero ingredient, hypochlorous acid, can help calm inflammation by triggering an immune boost. And because the mist has the National Eczema Associations Seal of Acceptance, I gave it a go. I spritzed it lightly on my irritated forearms just to see if it calmed the itch, and bingo.
Since Im lotioning up in the mornings and before bed, I use a light mist of this to dampen my skin before applying lotion. Its gentle and soothing, and honestly, the fine mist feels great.
Innisfree Green Tea Moisture
This refreshing watery-gel toner derives its hydrating properties from hydrating Jeju green tea and green tea seed oil. Beauty studies sing praises about the benefits of green tea, ingested or topical, due to the high level of antioxidants that soothe and ward off inflammation. Innisfree’s version isn’t alcoholic enough to make my face sting simply tap a few drops into your pores right after cleansing for a cooling ahh sensation.
To buy: $17 .
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How Can You Treat Eczema On The Face
First things first, if a trigger for your eczema can be identified, it should be eliminated. Not sure where to start? Tanuj Nakra, a cosmetic surgeon, cites common triggers as foods , fabrics , or skin irritants .
Unfortunately, some triggers are hard to treat because they are tied to your genetics or where you live. For instance, northern latitudes are a trigger, Nakra explains. Secondly, the itching symptoms of eczema should be treated to avoid worsening the inflammation. He says non-aggressive steroids such as hydrocortisone 1% cream is a good place to start in order to calm irritation, and depending on your results, you can seek further treatment options with your doctor. Of course, choosing gentle, non-inflammatory skincare is key if youre looking to reduce the chances of a flare-up. Oh, and Bae also recommends investing in an at-home humidifier.
How To Treat Eczema On Your Face
Its common and generally safe to treat body eczema with topical steroids, but you need to be careful applying the same products to your face, says Kenneth Mark, MD, a dermatologist practicing in New York City and Aspen, CO. Steroids can thin your skin if used improperly.
Thats why its important to start with more mild, moisturizing products, then go from there. The goal is to restore the barrier function of your skin without causing more irritation, Dr. Mark says.
IN DEPTH: ECZEMA
One extra challenge when treating facial eczema: You probably use a lot of products on your face that you dont use on your body, and some of those products arent the best choice when tackling a flare-up. Avoid any potentially irritating products that can increase inflammation, Dr. Mark says.
We love reducing wrinkles, dark spots, and saggy skin just as much as anyone else, but eliminating facial eczema should be your number one priority. Eczema is a medical condition that can turn into an infection if untreated, Dr. Peredo says.
Ready for your super approachable treatment plan? Keep your routine simple and hold off on makeup during a flare-upno eye shadow if you have eczema around your eyes or lip stains if its on your lips. After taking a lukewarm shower , apply a fragrance-free moisturizer as soon as you dry off when your skin will absorb it better, Dr. Peredo says.
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Causes Of Facial Eczema
There are a few different types of facial eczema which will be key in not just identifying what you’re dealing with, but how you treat it. The most common type of facial eczema is atopic dermatitis. “Atopic dermatitis is genetic and flares can be triggered by dry environmental conditions, not moisturizing, stress, and allergies,” says New York-based board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD.
The second type is contact dermatitis, which comes from exposure to an irritating substance or something you may be allergic to . “Some people break out in an eczema rash after eating certain foods, such as nuts, shellfish, milk, and eggs,” says Dr. Alexiades.
Try to note when you see an eczema flare and note any common denominators to your dermatologist. This should help both you and your dermatologist narrow it down and get to the root cause.
What Ingredients To Avoid In Eczema Creams
Of course, there are ingredients youll want to avoid too, Dendy Engelman, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, tells SELF. Ingredients to watch out for include fragrances, exfoliating acids , harsh soaps, and retinol, she says: These can further irritate the skin by drying them out.
Dr. Nada Elbuluk, M.D., director of the Skin of Color Center and Pigmentary Program at USC, also notes to look at ingredients lists for anything you might be allergic to, because that will also cause a flare-up. I also recommend avoiding physical exfoliants and even certain fabrics such as wool, which can make eczema worse, she says.
So what are the absolute best eczema creams to hydrate, strengthen, and protect against flare-ups? We asked dermatologists to tell us what moisturizers they commonly recommend to their eczema patients. Heres what they suggest.
All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Beekman 1802 Pure Goat Milk Body Soap And Body Cream
I discovered goat milk skin care products in late 2020, and Ive been a fan ever since. Beekman 1802 has a line of fragrance-free goat milk soaps and lotions, and Ive found it to be one of the few product lines that wont irritate my already sensitive skin when Im having a flare.
Goat milk has been used on sensitive skin for thousands of years, thanks to its high lactic acid content and pH thats identical to human skin. Its gently hydrating, attracting and retaining moisture while it serves up fatty acids and probiotics for calm, happy skin.
In the shower, the bar soap lathers nicely, cleans well, and leaves my skin feeling soft, not stripped.
Straight out of the shower, I use the whipped body cream on my damp skin. It takes a minute to absorb, but it doesnt leave me feeling sticky.
What Were Looking For
Ingredients: Serious cases of eczema will require prescription treatments, but some patients can get by with an over-the-counter one filled with emollient, humectant ingredients like ceramides, petrolatum, shea butter, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and squalene, which will rehydrate and restore any dry, cracked skin caused by eczema, according to Dr. Corey L. Hartman, founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama. For eczema-prone skin, hydration is the name of the game, he says. And since eczema is essentially just inflammation of the skin, products with additional ingredients like colloidal oatmeal and petroleum will soothe and protect the skin from further damage or irritation.
Price: Eczema treatments tend to be on the affordable side, but weve noted how much youre getting in each bottle or tube and how much it costs per ounce.
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Tatcha The Rice Polish
Exfoliating with eczema is a tricky area. You want it to be effective enough that it removes all those scaly flakes, but gentle enough that it doesn’t aggravate your patches. Tatcha’s Rice Polish uses finely ground rice bran and papaya enzymes to provide non-abrasive exfoliation. The grains turn into a cloud-like foam when mixed with water, and once washed off will reveal a much smoother complexion.
To buy: $65 .
Skin Care For Facial Eczema
Moisturize. The best way to keep your skin from drying out is with thick creams and ointments , not with thinner lotions. The best time to do this is right after you wash your face. If ointments are too greasy for your face, try using them only at night.
Clean gently. Soap can irritate your skin, but washing with water alone may not be enough, especially if your face is oily. Use a gentle non-soap cleanser or a medical emollient instead. Pat dry with a soft towel.
Watch the temperature. Use only cool — not hot — water on your face, and for as little time as possible.
Skip makeup.Donât use cosmetics on irritated skin.
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Very Dry Itchy Flaky Skin
The warmth of the sun, a gentle breeze, a caring touch being comfortable in our own skin is a wonderful feeling!
But those who suffer from very dry skin or atopic dermatitis cannot take this feeling for granted, as recurring phases of itchy, flaky skin often stand in the way of enjoyment. Delicate childrens skin can be particularly quick to lose its natural balance, bringing adventure and exploration to an abrupt halt. As parents, we often wish there was more we could do to help.
In these moments, we look for all-round, holistic solutions. We need new ideas and perspectives that can provide a noticeably better quality of life.
There Will Be A Deluge Of New Prescription Topicals Pills And Lasers
We’ve recently heralded the arrival of some exciting new neuromodulators and fillers but there has also been the quieter debut of some less invasive yet very powerful treatments for skin conditions. And there are more to come. Why now? Well, honestly, the FDA is just getting around to it for good reason.
“While COVID was at its height, a lot of the FDA’s energy and resources were dedicated to life-saving drugs, so there was a delay with treatments that werent classified as such,” explains Dendy Engelman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. And while the skin-focused innovations that are now starting to get approved again won’t save lives, in Engelman’s opinion they’re still important. “A lot of dermatological conditions are visible and that can impact mental health,” she says. “There are many papers looking at the psychosocial impacts of psoriasis, acne, and eczema.” Thankfully, theres been progress in treating all three of these conditions this year through in-office tech, topicals, and injectables, and there are expected to be more strides made in 2023. Epsolay, a first-of-its-kind topical cream to treat rosacea, was approved this past spring, and Dr. Engelman lauds one new laser as a complete game-changer for treating resistant acne.
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