I have suffered from eczema/atopic dermatitis all over my body for more than six years and I have experimented with a ton of products that moisturize, reduce scarring and reduce inflammation. Since October-February are months that are not eczema friendly, I want to share some of those products that I have given me comfort during the cold weather months with fellow college students.
This is my go-to product during any stage of an eczema flare-up. My dermatologist recommended this product to me for when I get sick of my prescribed steroids, and this product does a great job moisturizing my body without leaving my skin feeling greasy. For this product, it is very important to get the option in the jar instead of the bottle, because there is a big difference in the effectiveness (trust me, I’ve tried). This is the only product I use on sensitive pieces of skin (groin, armpit, neck, breast), because it is very light and does not have ingredients that will harm the delicate skin. It is also important to use this product whenever you feel dry and after you get out of the shower.
This product is awesome because I typically have to apply this only once a day due to how thick of a moisturizer it is. This product has a few downsides: because it is greasy, it will make it difficult to put on clothes without sticking to the fabric and without staining the clothing. It is also heavy and it is hard to wash off. For me, this is my lazy day moisturizer, because when I put this on I do not want to leave my house. This product is on my list of favorites because it does an amazing job of keeping skin moisturized for long periods of time and a small amount of this grease goes a long way. If you hate constantly moisturizing, this is for you sis.
This body butter is great to use right after the shower when your skin is still wet. This product contains cocoa butter, shea butter, oat milk and plenty of other ingredients that will make your skin love you. Since this product does contain cocoa butter and shea butter, it will also help your eczema scarring go away. I used this after every shower for about two months, and my scarring almost disappeared. The difference with this from the other moisturizers I listed is how this product does have a light scent, which is different from the majority of eczema products. This moisturizer is heavier than Cetaphil Cream and lighter than Aquaphor.
African Black Soap with Shea Butter
African Black Soap with Shea Butter is a great face cleanser. This product has helped reduce the scarring on my face and has also helped reduce irritations on my face. If you use this product, it is necessary to use a great moisturizer on your face afterwards, because it is very drying without it. I do not use this product to get rid of the dry skin itself, I use this just to get rid of the scarring.
This is my all-time favorite face mask because it is very gentle, moisturizing, fun to use and it helps with dryness.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream
This is my #1 facial moisturizer. I love to switch up the products I use on my face, but this product has stayed on my line up for over a year now. This gel-cream is very moisturizing, it is light, it dries quickly, but your face will feel like butter. It does not make your face super shiny and even though it does dry quickly on the surface, it still works magic under your skin. I like to rub this all over my face because I break out around my eyes, and it has not irritated my eye region, so it is fairly gentle towards thinner skin. A little goes a long way with this product, and it does not make my makeup shiny if I decide to put foundation on over it.
Thayers Witch Hazel Toner with Rose Petal
I use this toner on my face before moisturizing because this product also helps with scarring and reduces irritation. I typically let this product dry completely on my face before applying a moisturizer so that it won’t cause any build-up on my face. I prefer the toner with rose petal because it is more gentle and helps the skin with smoothness. I do not use this product for moisture, I use this product for scarring and inflammation.
Dove Body Wash with Shea Butter
I love this product because it has a light fragrance and it is very moisturizing. The shea butter adds so much moisture to your skin and will make the most out of your shower time (even if you are like me and take hot showers).
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera can be used for dryness from head to toe. I have eczema on my scalp, so this natural product benefits my entire body. I am super extra, so I like getting the gel straight from the leaf because I know that I am getting the most natural product. Since I do prefer the product from its source, I buy this product from a grocery store instead of online. This does not do an awesome job at moisturizing, but it does wonders for dryness and irritation.
Olly Flawless Complexion Gummies
If you like taking supplements for your skin (or if you don’t), these are the best gummies I have used. I tried the cult favorite biotin gummies and haven’t had much success on my skin, but these are awesome. I saw results within two weeks and I will never not use them. They taste super yummy and my body and under-eye scars (caused by eczema) clear up nicely.
Overall, these products have done wonders for my skin. I still suffer from eczeflare-ups today, but these products truly help me out. The colder months are very unfriendly to eczema, and those months are where these products shine. Try these out and I hope that they give you the same success they have given me.