Mar 27 2015

Dermatique Recuperating Cream review

Posted on March 27, 2015 by admin

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Heidi is winning in her war against eczema. Fact. It’s been a hard slog for both of us, with me reviewing cream after cream that promises to alleviate her symptoms. Some work, some don’t, so it’s been in many ways, like playing Russian roulette with my daughter’s skin.

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She’s been plagued with dry skin from birth. She outstayed her welcome in my tummy and had to be ejected “through the sunroof” which is fairly common for babies with post-birth skin complaints. Sure enough, after a few weeks, the dry red flaky patches grew bigger and angrier-looking. Although I appreciate it’s a blessing in disguise she doesn’t know how to scratch an itch, it denied her of even the most temporary relief from a bout of eczema.

We were offered steroid treatment for Heidi, but I refused. I suffered from eczema as a child (although not quite to the same degree as Heidi) and was prescribed steroid-based ointment. My skin reacted badly. If I showed a propensity to the nastier side-effects of steroids, what might happen to Heidi?

Thankfully, I’m here with yet another winner that’s been incredibly kind to Heidi’s sensitive skin - Dermatique.

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So who are Dermatique?

Dermatique was born out of another parent’s quest to find a 100% safe alternative to steroids when their daughter Patricia became exhausted and restless due to the effects of eczema. After a fruitless search for healthy alternatives, they decided to develop their own products for Patricia’s sensitive skin with no damaging side effects. They carried out all the research themselves, visited dermatologists and chatted to businesses to get their hands on the best raw materials and ingredients.

They claim their Recuperating Cream worked within hours after application on Patricia, and have now bottled the elixir for others to try - babies, teenagers and adults alike.

The Recuperating Cream

Let’s cut to the chase. It’s free from steroids (obviously), mineral oils, peanut, perfume, colour and parabens. You might think there’s nothing new here, but that’s not quite true. This really smells unscented. Far from being unpleasant, this is bloody welcome.

Works with the skin´s natural repair process
Gives you immediate hydration, helps heal even the driest skin
Proven to work on healing dry skin conditions such as Eczema, Psoriasis and Dermatitis
Absorbs quickly, leaves skin optimally hydrated, calmed, soothed & protected

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It’s not completely without synthetic ingredients, with a few cetyl esters, polyethylene glycol ethers, but all are lox toxicity and perfectly safe in low doses (virtually all body creams will have them). Most of the ingredients are vegetable & plant derivatives and there’s no dreaded sodium laureth sulfate in sight.

Since its launch in 1996 users have reported a 99% success rate. In fact, so confident are they that they can alleviate the symptoms of eczema and psorasis, they offer a 30 day money back guarantee.

Our thoughts

Love it. It’s noticeably different to other creams we’ve tried in that is a little greasy upon application, and does remain sticky on the skin for approx 3 minutes. This might sound critical but it isn’t. All I’m interested in are the results.

After two weeks use, I’m pleased to report that Heidi’s skin (and my legs) are beautifully soft. In fact, I tested this after getting a horrid shaving rash on my left shin that cleared up completely after two applications.

At £29 per tub, it isn’t cheap, but Heidi’s comfort is paramount and I’ve paid double this for creams that haven’t worked. I’m happy to add this to what is turning out to be a long list of safe products for Heidi-bum, and eczema treatments that really deliver.

To buy, head to Dermatique.co.uk, or follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Jan 5 2015

Kokoso Baby Miracle Moisturiser - 100% Natural Coconut Oil

Posted on January 5, 2015 by admin

Sometimes this blog throws up some real skin care gems that really need shouting about. Kokoso Baby Miracle Moisturiser is one of those products, and it now has pride of place in my bathroom cabinet. A pure coconut oil, it’s a bit of an all-rounder and suitable for every inch of baby’s delicate skin… and mummy’s.

Why Coconut Oil?

It’s the first made-for-baby skin care product I’ve used that has led with pure coconut oil; most of the biggies on the baby skin care market will favour lavender, calendula and jojoba for their soothing and relaxing properties.

You might be thinking that using pure oil as a moisturiser would be greasy, drying and cloying, but you’d be wrong. Natives of tropical climates have been smearing coconut oil on themselves for thousands of years to protect their skin from the sun and nourish their skin - and rightly so as this really works.

What’s so good about it?

Whatever you put on your skin is totally absorbed into the body and into the lymphatic system. That includes the many toxins (including carcinogens) in skin creams. This is what makes edible creams so ideal; if it doesn’t cause problems when ingested, it’s safe to use on your skin. In fact, it’s not only edible, but it’s also a wonder food, renowned for aiding weight loss and limiting the risk of diabetes.

Benefits for the skin include:

A nourishing & healing moisturiser - High in saturated fats, coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids, which are made up of teeny easily absorbable molecules perfect for sinking deep into the skin’s pores. These improve the skins natural barrier function and help reduce moisture-loss. They also provide all the energy your skin needs to heal and maintain itself.

Acts as an emollient providing a softening and soothing effect

Possesses proven antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral properties - Limits the amounts of microbes on the skin, helping ease conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and many other skin infections.

A natural treatment for acne - Kills the bacteria causing the problem (acne vulgaris) and possesses skin healing properties.

Makes you look younger - Improves the quality and appearance of skin by eliminating dead skin cells and reducing flaking skin. Contains antioxidants (ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid) that combat free radicals.

The Perfect Massage Oil - can be absorbed into the body very easily, this means it can be a superb massage oil.

Why Kokoso?

It’s raw, cold-pressed virgin organic coconut oil which is completely nasty-free
It’s made through a clever chemical-free and heat-free centrifugal extraction technique
Coconuts are grown on controlled, certified-organic, traditional family-run farms in Thailand
Production occurs in a closed sanitary environment using state-of-the-art technology
All facilities are inspected, evaluated and approved according to US and EU organic regulations

As Kokoso’s take on coconut cream is 100% natural, it’s a solid almost waxy texture that melts down to a translucent oil in your palms. Kokoso coconut oil melts at temperatures above 24 °C so you’ll want to store it away from sunlight and radiators. In fact, you can also keep this in the fridge as no matter how many times it melts and resets, Kokoso will retain all of its moisturising properties.

The best bit? It’s a tiny £7.99 for a 180g pot.

So what did we think?

LOVED IT.

As a massage oil for Heidi it’s spot on. It stays lovely and oily on my hands so I can work it into her skin, yet is non-greasy and sinks in beautifully so I can dress her straight afterwards. After a nap, her skin still feels beautifully hydrated, even a little oily to touch, which is a welcome departure from her usually scaly dry skin. As regards her eczema, there’s been a HUGE improvement and Heidi’s worst affected areas feel much smoother and look less sore.

I’ve used Kokoso under her chin where dribbling has resulted in dry patches, in the creases on her dumpy legs where a build-up of sweat and dirt leaves minor chaffing, and on her nappy-rash prone bum. The naturally deodorising and nourishing properties have helped reduce all irritation and it smells pretty lovely too.

Not limited to Heidi, I’ve been using Kokoso as a natural cuticle oil, on my leathery elbows and knees, and the hard skin on my feet. My broken cuticles are now fixed so my nail polish is staying on better and my nails are looking stronger and growing faster. My knees and elbow are looking smoother and younger, and my feet are a little softer than before.

Along with my argan oil, I’d happily cite this as a bit of a hero product. It’s truly deserving of the accolade and a must-have for any well-heeled mum & baby.

To buy for yourself head to kokoso.co.uk, or say hello on Facebook and Twitter.

Dec 2 2014

Botanic Health Care NESSkin Therapy Support Review

Posted on December 2, 2014 by admin

I’m desperately passionate about children’s skincare (and my own). It’s a love passed down to me from my mum, and a genuine fascination with skincare ingredients. Being so in tune with my children’s skin means I notice the slightest change to the smallest patch of skin and whip out any one of a number of products to correct it. Yet when Dexter came down with bronchitis recently and came out in an epic rash, I took to Twitter in a panic. Here’s the hastily-taken iPhone pic I sent live on social media:

Following the advice of many, we rushed him down the GP in a bid to get some answers. Yet in all-too-familiar fashion, we were casually dismissed with “He’s just a bit run down“. I could rant about my doctor’s surgery all day but I won’t. Needless to say, it was a small UK based skin care business that came through for us; Botanic Health Care. Emails were exchanged and a lovely lady called Phyllis bundled some goodies in the post to try and calm his irritated skin.

Who are Botanic Health Care?

It was founded in 2010, by Ghanian born Phyllis Nsiah. She was brought up in a culture where maintaining the skin’s equilibrium through the use of herbs was the norm, and skin care was made with 100% natural ingredients.

Growing up as a teenager in London, Phyllis’s career path started with a degree in Applied Biology and human skin cell research. This scientific knowledge combined with the natural health wisdom laid the foundation for the future creation for Botanic Health Care.

Moving into motherhood and out of the laboratory, Phyllis went back to nature’s basics to tackle the varied skin health needs of her family; a mixed bag of eczema, sensitive and normal skin types, all in need of nourishment and hydration. In her kitchen, Phyllis created body washes, moisturising skin lotions and healing balms using pure botanicals that replenished thirsty skin throughout the day.

We need to maintain our body and skin health in the same way we use food for energy. With the process refined, every drop of herbal extract and precious oil has a tried and tested purpose in the Botanic Health Care range Phyllis Nsiah

So what were we sent?

The NESSkin Support Therapy range is made primarily people with medical skin issues including eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. Although Dex usually doesn’t usually suffer from skin conditions, Heidi certainly does. I’m very used to people commenting on her baby eczema and the various scratches where she’s clawed at her itchy skin.

We were very kindly sent the samples above - all of which contain a raft of active ingredients to calm and protect delicate skin.

And what did we think?

The NESSkin Therapy Support Skin Wash is so mild it froths up lightly and rinses away in seconds. If you’re bathing a baby it’s therefore ideal if you worry about residue left on hypersensitive skin.

The scent of tea, geranium rose, lavender, nettle, chamomile and tea tree hits you immediately and is wonderfully calming. Yet this is a departure from the usual heavy lavender-based skin washes you find for babies. It’s a nod to all the old wives tales you hear about oats at socks & teabags. The scent doesn’t linger, it’s there to relax and cleanse baby, then its job is done.

The foaming action is 100% natural using soapwort, and there’s regenerating panthenol and pure essential oils of yarrow and chamomile for soothing itchy skin. Tea tree and nettle are fab for their naturally occurring antimicrobial properties, whilst geranium rose and orange flower boast astringent, tonic and antiseptic effects (as well as providing relief from common colds). There are no mineral oils, genetically engineered ingredients, or preservatives, and this (and all skincare products) are cruelty-free.

Weighing in at a reasonable £14.00 for 200mls, there are also 30ml samples also available for trialing the wash on your family’s skin.

The NESSkin Therapy Support Nourishing Dry Skin Balm is also a little bit special. A shea butter and cocoa butter blend deliver intensive moisture to dry chapped skin, whilst beeswax and carnauba wax give the balm a greasy sugary texture that needs warming in your hands before applying to the skin. It’s also packed with evening primrose oil and horsetail acting as hero ingredients to soothe and heal irritated skin, and also restore its elasticity.

Heidi’s dry patches and rough skin on her face have really improved, and it delivers continual hydration that lasts until morning. I’ve also been using this on my elbow and knees which take a real battering crawling after the kids after day - they’re now softer than they’ve been since my teenage years. It smells of herbs, lemon and chamomile and that sugary gritty mixture dissolves to a greasy balm when rubbed into the skin.

Finally the NESSkin Therapy Support Skin Cream reminds me a little of Hope’s Relief’s offering. Grey brown in colour and unattractive to look at, it’s an ultra mild light cream that dries quickly to a matt finish. Normally I hate quick-drying creams (other than those I use on my face) as I like to feel constantly hydrated throughout the day, but this is leaves skin impossibly soft and healthy-looking.

Made with soothing chamomile, natural vitamin E and avocado oil, it sinks in with ease leaving an inoffensive tea tree scent on the skin. Heidi’s eczema is now far less red and raw-looking, and this really helped Dexter’s skin when antibiotics and industrial central heating were drying it out in hospital. I love how Phyllis has balanced moisturisation and hydration with antiseptic and astringent properties to really correct skin ailments long-term, as well as delivering instant relief from the symptoms of problem skin.

This is £19 for 200mls which edges it up into premium territory. I’m not suggesting this isn’t worth the money, but recommend investing in a sample bottle for patch testing before buying a full-sized one. The bottle could also benefit from being a little prettier given the price tag (but this is such a minor point, I feel a little silly even typing it!).