(Updated Feb 22)

If you have followed my journey, you will know by now that I have suffered with my skin for years. I had Eczema as a teen and after years using topical steroid creams to treat my eczema, I developed Topical Steroid Addiction. So with that in mind it’s fair to say that over the past 20 odd years I’ve tried a whole lot of skincare products in a bid to find some that really help.

There are a lot of products on the market that are aimed to help those with sensitive and problematic skin, however despite this, a lot still contain harsh ingredients which can in fact make your symptoms worse.  Ingredients such as parabens, preservatives and perfumes can leave the skin more irritated, dry and prone to flare ups. 

I thought I’d share ‘5 gentle products for problematic and sensitive skin’ – Ones that I use daily and genuinely love.

My skin

Having battled with my skin (mainly my face) over the past 20 odd years and having since realised that the steroid creams I was using to help ‘treat’ my eczema were actually making it worse and causing a whole host of other issues,(Find out what Topical Steroid addiction is here) I took the harsh decision to ditch the medicated creams that had been prescribed to me over the years and instead let my skin (and body) heal itself.  Two years since I last used topical steroid creams and my skin and body is still recovering. That said it feels amazing not to be trapped in a cycle of topical steroid dependency!! Amen to that. 

If like me you have sensitive skin, suffer with eczema or are going through TSW, these products may just help you like they have me!

5 gentle products for problematic and sensitive skin

1)  Avène Xeracalm Balm (for face and body)

Part of the Avene XeraCalm Range, their balm is an ultra-rich, lipid-replenishing moisturiser. I’ve spoken about this cream before in a another blog – (Top 5 moisturisers for extremely dry and irritated skin-) where I looked at creams for the whole body. The Xera Calm Balm is aimed at those with dry to very dry and eczema prone skin, it’s perfect for use on the face (as well as the body) and is gentle enough to be used on babies and tots too! 

It is fragrance, preservative and paraben-free and comes in an exclusive DEFI system, (a sterile bottle) which protects the formula from contamination after the packaging is opened. This is great at minimising the risk of infections; something those of us with dry cracked skin often worry about. 

I’ve been using this balm for years and can’t recommend this enough. I really feel that it is helping to restore my skins damaged lipid barrier.

2. Balmonds Skin Salvation Balm

What don’t I love about this little pot of green goodness? I only found out about this brand and product a few months ago and can honestly see myself using this for life. Having seen a number of fellow eczema warriors on Instagram rave about it, I thought I had to try it. The rest they say is history. 

The Skin Salvation is a rich, oil based balm made primarily from Beeswax that helps to hydrate and moisturise even the driest of skin. It’s gentle formulation is 100% natural and free of any nasties so you can rest assured that you will not be putting anything harsh onto your skin. It is the type of product you NEED in your handbag. Whether you use it on chapped lips, on patches of eczema or like me as part of your daily skincare routine, it really is a little pot of goodness.

The Skin Salvation is that gentle it can even be used by those with really sensitive skin including Eczema, Dermatitis, Psoriasis, Topical steroid withdrawal and other dry skin conditions.

BUY BALMONDS SKIN SALVATION HERE

3. Olsson Haircare Shampoo and Conditioner for sensitive skin

Okay, so you may be wondering why I’ve included a shampoo and conditioner as these aren’t applied directly on to the skin however these are really important, if like me you have reactive skin. When you wash your hair the bubbles and soap run onto your skin, often on to your face and obviously onto your scalp. It’s because of this, I feel its important to consider what shampoo and conditioner you use. Olsson Haircare offer salon performance hair care with sensitive skin in mind. They are one of the only hair care brands to be ALLERGY UK approved. (If you are keen to find out more about this fabulous hair care range, head over to my review blog here- ‘Allergy friendly haircare – Olsson Haircare’.

Not only is the Shampoo and Conditioner really gentle and kind to skin and scalp, it really does leave your hair feeling, clean, fresh and as though you’ve had it washed at the salon.

I won’t use anything else these days!

4. Westlab Dead sea salts

These fragrance-free dead sea salts are just what your skin needs if it’s dry, sore and inflamed. During my worst skin days going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal (and every time I’ve had a bath since) a generous portion of these dissolved into the warm water provided the perfect amount of nourishment and protection for my dry, irritated skin. They are perfect for those of us with Eczema and/or Psoriasis as the salts absorb providing relief whilst repairing and re-balancing the skin leaving it feeling nourished and so much calmer.

These mineral-rich dead sea salts are known for their calming and therapeutic benefits and I honestly can’t get enough of them.

5. Plumping Serum 
3% Hyaluronic Acid + 2% B5

This plant-based Hyaluronic Acid is by far my favourite product especially now my skin barrier is better intact. It’s by French skincare brand Typology. I’ve tried other Hyaluronic serums but this one is my favourite by far. The consistency is thicker than others I’ve tried and it genuinely leave the skin feeling plumper. Two drops of the serum applied on clean damp skin, glides on and sinks away leaving the skin feeling hydrated and fuller. Follow this with your facial moisturiser of choice ( I love the above Avene balm) locking in the moisture to get the best results. I can not get enough of this!

I hope these 5 gentle products work for you and allow you to enjoy some relaxation and pamper time without the irritation.

Remember to patch test any new product on your skin before using just to sure they are okay for you as some people still react to natural products.

Olsson Haircare patch test kit

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*This blog post contains affiliate links. The items in the post will not cost you any more, however I earn a very small commission off any sales that come from my site. Please rest assured however that I use all of the products shared in this post and would only ever recommend anything that I genuinely love and use.