Cold-Weather Skin

The temperature is dropping, and with the cold comes dry skin... I have suffered quite badly from eczema since I was a baby, and although I have not had any problems in the past four years I feel as if it is always lurking, waiting to come out again. My eczema manifests itself on my hands and around my mouth. Two areas which are in constant movement so the skin never gets to rest. And they are also areas which are always on show...

Last week a tiny crack appeared at the corner of my mouth and wouldn't heal. With the dreaded spectre of past eczema-outbreaks looming I tried all the creams in my bathroom cabinet - all of which focus on anti-aging. No good. A stonkingly expensive pot of Sisleya cream was purchased - it has done wonders in the past. Still the crack refused to go away, and my face continued to feel shrink-wrapped. If the most expensive cream I know of can't fix it then what can?!

Then, last weekend, I accompanied my husband to our local branch of SpaceNK to buy presents (he was buying - yes, he buys good presents). Spending something like £75 in total, he was offered a voucher for £25 to be spent before Christmas. I got the voucher! The same day, minus husband, I returned to the shop and purchased two products from a brand which I used religiously around 14 years ago: Hydraskin Rich cream (to thoroughly moisturise) and Purifying Balm (to clamp down on break-outs) by Darphin. Plus a tiny jar of Nuxe lip balm - the only one in the shop that didn't have petrolatum or lanolin in it (two ingredients which I find really exacerbates skin irritation). The next day my skin was back on its best behaviour. What a relief.

These are the products which I find really help when my skin is dry, red and sore:

Ren Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk - I think I can credit this with finally calming down a very bad 3-year bout of eczema a few years ago. Since then I use it every day.

Bioderma Créaline H2O Miscellar Solution (this is sold under the name 'Sensibio' in the UK) - I wipe my face and eyes with this after using Ren's cleansing milk. It's my way of double-cleansing.

Sisleya Eye Cream - during the worst phase of my eczema I even had cracked skin around my eyes. This cream was absolutely lovely, it healed the cracks and turned out to help around the mouth as well. Expensive, but it provided real solace.

Darphin Hydraskin Rich Replenishing Protective Cream - no bells and whistles in the form of anti-ageing claims, just pure comfort. Perfect in winter.

Darphin Aromatic balms - waxy balms with essential oils. Choose the one which suits your particular skin type and apply under your face cream. It takes your skincare up a notch or two and will make a noticeable difference.

La Roche Posay Lipikar Lipid-Replenishing Body Milk - a marvel on dry, chapped hands. I buy the tube of cream, which confusingly is still called 'milk'. It's actually a rich cream which absorbs into the skin instantly.

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm - beeswax and other lovely natural plant-based ingredients to soften dry, chapped lips.

Through my extensive experience, and not to mention expenditure, I have realised that it is better to go straight for the expensive good stuff rather than trying lots of less costly alternatives. An endless stream of less expensive products (in my case I often tried a new product each week) quickly add up, and if they are not working the stress simply exacerbates the problem.