We asked the Escentual beauty team to share the three holy grail French skincare products in their shelfie. First up is our Co-Editor, Ceryn. Here are the budget-friendly formulas she swears by for her eczema-prone skin…
As a beauty editor, I always get asked: ‘what skincare could you never live without?’. It’s a hard question to answer because I am, unapologetically obsessed with skincare. But, perhaps surprisingly to you, it’s not acids, antioxidants, or vitamins that make up the majority of my stash. My drawers are brimming with lip balms, soothing sprays and emollients – lots of emollients. Why? Eczema. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember (I can thank my dad’s genetics for that). It’s a skin condition that causes dryness and inflammation and is very common in children (1 in 5 in the UK have it), and for the unlucky few (i.e. me) it follows them into adulthood.
Eczema and I have come to know each other very well. Admittedly not enough that I’m able to avoid it entirely (allergens/irritants can trigger it), but enough to have found solutions that make living with it more manageable. In this edit, I’m sharing a few of those hidden gems with you. Here are the three products I swear by to keep my skin hydrated, comfortable, and my atopic dermatitis under control.
#1 The Reliable Moisturiser
When it comes to face cream, I don’t care about boujee packaging or a ‘nice’ fragrance. I want one that’ll keep my skin from flaking, flaring-up, and that’ll act as a great base underneath my makeup. Avene Skin Recovery Cream ticks all those boxes, even with a minimal formula. It provides bucket loads of hydration (without greasiness) thanks to glycerin and squalane, while Avene Thermal Spring Water soothes irritation and restores the skin’s barrier function. A dream come true for atopic skin types like mine.
And, some vital information for sensitive skin types: the day cream contains no nasties – there are no fragrances or preservatives (thanks to sterile DEFI packaging). So a reaction is very unlikely, and I have never had the slightest problem. If you’re looking for a nourishing moisturiser for your dry, sensitive, or reactive skin, I couldn’t recommend this one enough – I’d never be without it.
Curious about DEFI packaging? Learn more about it here.
#2 The Fast-Acting Lip Balm
My lips aren’t only eczema-prone, they’re very reactive; if the weather is too hot or too cold; if a lipstick contains certain ingredients (I’m still yet to pin down the culprits), my lips become chapped and sore. Of course, I cannot avoid the outdoors, and my job requires me to test a lot of products, so I’ve come to rely heavily on the Eucerin Lip Balm.
I can’t begin to explain to you the number of lip balms I went through before finding this one, but it was worth the wait. The Eucerin Dry Skin Acute Lip Balm’s main ingredients are panthenol and glycerin, a combination that works like magic on cracked, dry lips – there’s no wonder celebrities love it, and dermatologists recommend it. If you choose to buy one thing this French Pharmacy month, make it this – your lips will thank you for it!
#3 The Soothing Spray
Whether you have eczema or not, you’re bound to have experienced itchy skin. And isn’t it horrendous? It’s all you can think about at its worst, which is why the Evian Facial Spray comes with me everywhere I go. It may appear to be ‘just a face mist’, but when the itch-scratch cycle kicks in it’s a lifesaver – a few spritzes gives instant relief. My go-to is the 50ml, its travel-friendly size means that I can keep one in my handbag, bedside drawer, and in the glove compartment of my car. And yes, it says ‘facial spray’ but I use it everywhere. The ‘ahh’ inducing formula is made from natural mineral water from the French Alps, which is propelled by ozone-friendly gas, so it hydrates, soothes, and is kind to the planet too.
Discover More:
Our Shelfie Series doesn’t end here. Get to know our beauty team and their skincare routines below:
• Elisabeth tells us about her anti-ageing regime
• Chelsey’s post dermaplaning essentials
• Keavy’s simple but effective skincare routine
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Grandmacarol
Avene Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream 40ml
I have started to use this under my moisturiser during the day and also at night. Anything which may help to nourish is good in my book. I now discover that this item is also available as 'Rich' skin recovery cream so I am going to try it when this has run out. I like it very much, it goes on nicely and feels comfortable on the skin. I love all the Avene products and can highly recommend them. As is usual with Escentual, everything arrives very quickly and very well packaged so you can't go wrong.
