There’s not usually at least one place on my face or body that doesn’t have some kind of dryness going on. It’s not an overall dryness – I don’t have dry skin generally, but what I do have is dry patches. Things that I know set off that dry, eczema type flare up are jewellery (cheap – miraculously, I am fine with gold… what a relief 😊), certain soaps getting caught under my rings, certain self-tans, repeated swatching on my inner arm followed by removal, and any type of washing up liquid. Sometimes, it’s just a complete mystery like the dry eye lid I’ve got in the picture below – the ‘warning’ redness I know will be familiar to anyone who suffers similarly. Hayfever, possibly? And any regular readers will know that my daughter Lucy has extremely sensitive and reactive skin on her face.
There are three products for now in the new Exasoothe collection – Quick Relief Moisture Treatment, Daily Defense Cream and Soothing Oat & Peptide Cleanser. The product that’s been above and beyond for me is the Quick Relief Moisture Treatment which I’ve been testing for some time – it actually feels like a godsend to ward off dryness and dealt with my poor eyelid in three days flat avoiding the use of anything stronger which I’d be very loathe to put anywhere near my eye anyway. I’ve also used Quick Relief when I’ve tested self-tan on my face to take away the stretched and taut feeling that can often come from DHA, I’ve used it between my fingers when that familiar redness starts and on a weird dry patch on my back that came from nowhere. If you’ve over-done it on the ‘peels’, all three are your way back to comfort. In texture, Quick Relief is light, cooling and unobtrusive and like the other products in this range, has just a slight ‘oaty’ scent.
Quick Relief is the SOS item from the Exasoothe collection. If we go to the longer term effects of Exasoothe we need to focus on Daily Defense Cream. It’s a defense against dryness and sensitivity flare ups when your skin just feels so moisture-less and looks as dry as it feels and can prevent outbreaks with regular use. That taut feeling is caused by barrier impairment causing a queue of dead skin cells waiting to leave your face so the cooling and instant suppleness is just lovely. For many of us, there’s no definitive reason why our skin can get so dry, but when it’s next level dry, flaky and/or sore it’s uncomfortable and confidence sapping. Daily Defense Cream is a blend of Colloidal oatmeal to lessen itching, Mondo grass sugars and niacinamide, both of which protect from flare ups, and shea butter fatty acids. In seven days you can expect redness reduction and dryness specifically for sensitive and eczema prone skin to evaporate. The joy of it is that it’s comfortable, non-greasy, feels protective and will not let one drop of moisture leave your skin without feeling like you’ve prepped to swim the Channel. It can also be used around the eye area.
Cleansing is a big problem when your skin is already sore – the last thing you want is to exacerbate the soreness and dryness. The Soothing Oat & Peptide Cleanser is for you if that’s the case. It’s formulated all skin types and ideal for very dry skin which is often the most difficult to cleanse because everything you put on makes things worse. This formula, with oat extracts, a skin compatible sugar complex, squalane and shea butter, is boosted by micellar cleansing peptides so rinsing is minimal and there’s no ’stripping’ whatsoever. I’m coming back to ‘over-processed’ skin because that’s a real current issue – we have gone all in on exfoliation one way or another and for some of us, it’s just too much. Give your complexion a break!
There are different types of sensitive skin – in fact, sensitive skin is the most commonly self-reported skin type with many of us diagnosing ourselves as being sensitive. But Exasoothe is for those who are just defeated by trying to use any sort of ‘normal’ skin care. One of Lucy’s frustrations with her skin is not being able to experience beauty routines like her friends do – she has to be careful about everything she puts on her face. But in Exasoothe we have a ‘proper’ routine she can use knowing that the following day there is no disastrous outcome in the form of flakes and tautness. I’m going to make her a custom blend of foundation mixed with Daily Defense to create a tint that will keep on moisturizing during the day.
Lucy and I are using Exasoothe in different ways – me as a very welcome instant relief and Lucy as a routine she can rely on to do no harm and give her complexion the moisture surge it needs. It’s not for you unless you have dry, reactive, sensitive, over-processed or eczema-prone skin but if you do, I’d definitely recommend and would certainly suggest the Quick Relief Cream. £46, HERE as an SOS to keep at hand for speedy dispatch of irritation, too much sun, wind burn, ingredient reaction, the morning after the peel before, and so on.
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