For a while now I’ve been bragging about how soft my children’s skin is. Unfortunately however, for the last month, Heidi has had issues. I tried to put it down to the face she’s begun weaning, and her teethies are coming through - but I think I now have to accept the fact that my little lady has sensitive skin.

The worse affected areas are under her little chin (on the top of her chest), behind her ears, and on her cheeks. It’s lots of tiny bumps that are dry to touch and very red. I can’t decide if it’s severe enough to be eczema, or just a mini reaction to her (largely) liquid diet.

This past month I’ve really tried to take control and soothe her skin. I’ve stopped the children bathing together (to avoid cross-contamination of hygiene products) and have been very strict about which towels they are using. I’ve also added Hope’s Relief to her skincare regime. And boy am I impressed?!

Okay these aren’t the sexy products I’d hoped to use. They are unscented, pretty ugly to look at and require real commitment to see results, but the results are just too impressive to ignore.

I’ve gone from crying at her skin, to positively loving it

Who are they?

Hope’s Relief eases symptoms of eczema, psoriasis & dermatitis. It’s so mild and gentle, it’s suitable for babies, sensitive, itchy & dry skin. It’s an effective natural alternative to other steroid-based creams that can be safely used on babies, young children and adults for extended periods of time with no side effects. It’s given relief to thousands of youngsters all over the world, and now it is the ONLY thing I’ll be using on Heidi.

Like some of the best natural skincare out there, it was created and developed in Australia by Melbourne naturopath, Jacqueline Hope. Australia just seem to get this right on so many levels. Their children’s skin is certainly exposed to some scary external factors - hot summers, insects, sea water and exposure to chlorine are parts of daily life that can be a real threat to fragile skin.

Hope’s Relief is created from potent natural healing ingredients, free from artificial colours, perfumes and animal products. Typical ingredients include licorice, calendula, Manuka honey, aloe vera, and gotu kola. The key properties of these ingredients are the ability to soothe, nourish and hydrate. The real killer though is the absence of parabens, synthetic fragrances, coal tar and other petro-based additives.

Okay, this isn’t the first product on the market to boast such claims, but this REALLY WORKS.

How did we get on?

I love it. Love, love, love it. We were sent the Hope’s Relief Herbal Shampoo, Conditioner and Moisturising Lotion and each of them are just brilliant.

As I’m now bathing Heidi with no bubble bath or body wash, I’ll jump in with her and apply a generous amount of shampoo to her head. I try to make this a real treat and massage it in for a few minutes. It lathers up incredibly well and is so safe and gentle I can use it on her shoulders and behind her ears too. Once thoroughly rinsed, I apply the conditioning treatment and leave it on for a good five minutes so she can get the benefit of all those natural ingredients.

For the first few days we didn’t notice much difference. But three weeks in I can report her dry patches are completely gone. Her hair is now thicker and fuller too. If your baby has cradle cap, this will sort it in a matter of days.

Many doctors and GPs will advise you to use nothing at all on babies with sensitive skin, just water. In my experience, this really doesn’t work. Plain hard water will dry out babies skin immeasurably. Okay, it’s better than shoving a load of Johnson’s on there and hoping for the best, but you really can’t beat using natural products. If you’re a fan of the old Olive Oil approach you’ll love Hope’s Relief as it’s just as gentle and 10x more effective.

The moisturing lotion is equally fabulous. I use this all over Heidi applying a thick layer on her body, bum and head. As I’ve found it doesn’t rub in easily, I then pop her clothes on quickly to lock in the moisture. The lotion dries to an almost sticky finish, then sinks in delivering much-needed hydration to baby. In around an hour she’s then as soft as ever.

NOTE: I don’t use this on Dexie as he has fabulous skin and doesn’t need any extra help. If he has a sore spot, I’ll use Salcura Bioskin instead as this smells more pleasant and does the trick for one-off treatment. Their shampoo also smells far too good to give up on. See my review here.

My only criticism

I know for a fact my bottles were brand new and untouched as each came with a security seal. Unfortunately however, the cream felt very light when I received it and I’d seriously question whether the 200ml tube was full to the brim. Having used it religiously for three weeks, I’m running low already.

I’m not suggesting for a second that Hope’s Relief are shorting their customers - but I would like to see them available in much bigger sizes to last longer (especially the lotion) given you’ll be applying it so regularly. These will be your go-to products so you need a ready supply to get the most out of them.

Price List

Okay breathe in and prepare to hate me. I’ve given you a glowing appraisal of something that could really help your suffering little one, and now I’m about to deliver the bad news. It’s not cheap. Having said this, I’m always happy to fork out on products for the children as I’m massively into skincare and see their skin as far more important than my own. Investing money in their skin is something I’m happy to do - but I appreciate the cost of this might push some of these products out of reach for many.

Hope’s Relief Conditioner 200mls - £16.20

Hope’s Relief Shampoo 200mls - £16.20

*** SAVE *** Buy both the Shampoo and Conditioner together for £27.00

These will last you a good 5+ months according to my calculations so well worth the money.

Hope’s Relief Moisturing Lotion 200mls - £15.50

I’d guess that 200mls is a 1 month supply

 

Official UK Stockists Mahi Naturals are also on Facebook and Twitter if you want to read some more testimonials.