Constantly feeling itchy and suffering from dry, cracked skin?
Chances are, you suffer from eczema. And it totally sucks.
We know you spend hours upon hours searching for that impossible to find ‘miracle cream’ - so we’re here to give you a friendly nudge in the right direction.
We’ll also provide you with some insightful tips on moisturising (that a lot of people still don’t seem to know) but are totally worth your attention.
Sound good? Just one point to note.
With eczema, or ‘atopic dermatitis’, there is no one size fits all solution. No silver bullet. So what works so fantastically well for Bob you’re annoying neighbour might, unfortunately, not work quite as well for you.
But don’t fear! All is not lost.
There’s always new techniques and creams you can try that might just be that golden ticket - even if you’re mid flare-up and feeling at your wits end.
In this article, you’ll learn:
1) What you should be looking for in an eczema product
2) Overall top pick
3) The best for daily moisturising
4) The best high-end product
5) The best eczema oil
6) Top tips for moisturising
Let’s get to it!
So, what should you be looking for in an eczema cream?
Eczema is defined by the NHS as a condition where the skin is unable to retain moisture.
This dryness makes the skin more likely to react to triggers and environmental stressors, often causing it to become itchy, irritated and sore.
The need to itch, as all sufferers will tell you, is particularly troublesome.
When you scratch, you can break open the skin and fall into a downward spiral that can seem impossible to escape. You itch, you scratch, you stress: and the skin never has time to heal.
So with this in mind, great eczema products should focus on a few aspects: first repairing the skin barrier and working to reduce inflammation and second, stopping the need to itch.
And of course, there will be some ingredients you might want to avoid.
Products that contain fragrances or irritants such as propylene glycol, are probably best to leave on the shelf.
REMEMBER: It’s always important to be acutely aware of what you put on your skin and the dangers that go with certain ingredients.
Your skin is so important to your overall wellbeing and happiness: why take a risk?
For us a skincare product should be:
- Natural
- Botanically enriched
- Kind to the skin
- Suitable for daily use
- Safe for all ages
But that’s just us (and we’re kinda special).
Overall top pick - Yan-Yee Skincare Mugwort Mist
Well, what did you expect? We said we were special!
Our Mugwort Mist provides a targeted solution for the treatment of itchy, dry, irritated skin.
The secret? Our unique, botanically enriched formula.
We picked 3 core ingredients that have been used for 1000’s of years in traditional Chinese medicine to effectively treat the symptoms of eczema-prone skin, and packed them all into one product.
Not only is it effective in stopping the need to itch quickly, it also helps to reduce inflammation and repair the skin barrier.
It’s truly the best way to stop that downward spiral in a flare up.
Best for daily moisturising
Looking for a more generic, all over cream for everyday use? CeraVe has you covered!
It might not be quite as effective at fighting the need to itch, but it will give dry skin some much needed moisture.
Remember: during particularly bad moments of eczema this cream should be reapplied every 3-4 hours.
Best high-end product
Feeling especially expensive this month?
This cream from La Mer is out of pretty much all our price ranges, but it does provide an amazing moisturising experience if you want to make your pennies stretch that far.
Best eczema oil
As opposed to cream, oils tend to penetrate deeper into the pores and can help add moisture back into the skin more quickly.
Check out this one from Bio-Oil as one of our favourite choices.
Top tips when moisturising
So you’ve made your purchase (hurrah!), so now what? Applying the product of course!
Don’t forget the key points below (most people often do):
- Apply a layer of moisturiser within 3 minutes of bathing or showering to “lock in” the moisture and protect the skin barrier.
- Never take a ‘hot’ shower when in a flare up. Go for lukewarm instead, try not to scrub and keep them under 10 minutes.
- Prevent contamination by using a clean implement, not your hand, when removing moisturiser from the tub (should your product require it).
- Always apply moisturiser in downward strokes with the direction of hair growth. Do not apply in circles.
- If the moisturiser feels ‘tacky’ on your skin dont remove it, leave it on for a few more minutes until it’s absorbed.
- Moisturise your hands every time you wash them.
- The first time you use a new product apply a small amount (about the size of a pea) to the pulse of your wrist or the crook of your elbow. Do not wash the area for 24 to 48 hours and watch for any allergic reaction, such as redness, a rash, any form of breakouts on the skin, itchiness, pain, or flaking. Should this happen, immediately stop using the product.
Final thoughts
So there you have it! Our guide to the best eczema products for 2022.
What have we missed? Jump over to our Twitter page and let us know!
With care,
The yan-yee team
Sources:
1) Atopic eczema. (2019). Link
2) Education announcement: Use of topical steroids for eczema. (2015). Link
3) Eczema treatments. (n.d.). Link
4) Thomsen SF. (2014). Atopic Dermatitis: Natural History, Diagnosis, and Treatment. DOI: Link