Treat and Manage Eczema and other Dry Skin Conditions with Skinfix

Combining Mother Nature's natural remedies with modern medical knowledge, Canadian brand Skinfix is helping people feel comfortable in their own skin. Whether you suffer from dry skin, sun burn, nappy rash, damaged skin, chafing or eczema, Skinfix soothes and helps prevent skin conditions and irritations. It is clinically proven and dermatologist recommended. In America, Skinfix is considered a 'hero' product and now it can be found in the UK, exclusively in Boots.

Eczema and dermatitis are two skin conditions that have effected me and my loved ones over the years. So many of the products that I have used in the past have been so harsh causing stinging, drying of the skin or even causing the skin to thin and bleed. Even products targeted at children have proven to be too harsh and unpleasant to use regularly. Recently we've started experimenting with natural products such as coconut oil, avoiding the nasty harsh products. So when I was offered the chance to try the Skinfix products, I was impressed to see that they shared my philosophy on harnessing the healing power of natural ingredients such as aloe vera, chamomile, jojoba, shea, oatmeal and my trusted coconut oil. They avoid using parabens, fragrance, alcohol, acids, phthalates, sulfates and other nasties. So I was happy to give them a try. The recipes used are based on a century old family concoction for treating chronic dry skin conditions resulting in beautiful, healthy skin. We received the Eczema Balm and the Soothing Lotion to try out. 

Skinfix Eczema Balm (60 g/£14.99) is for adults and children aged 2+. This concentrated and targeted natural healing balm is effective at treating and managing eczema, dermatitis and other dry skin conditions. It works fast to create a barrier on the skin to help lock in moisture and keep irritants out. This rich, 0% water and preservative free formula uses shea butter, coconut, jojoba and sweet almond oils to soothe and soften skin. A natural alternative or complement to prescription medication and topical steroid treatments.

The balm is very dense with the texture of a thick petroloeum jelly and is fragrance free. It melts into the skin and is absorbed leaving a soothing residue. I have dermatitis on my hands, which is triggered by the cold weather or from using cleaning products. It felt so rich and nourishing smoothing the balm into my hands. It also acts as a barrier against irritants. Kezia gets eczema on her face and the balm was gentle enough to use on her delicate facial skin. It soothed and moisturised the dry, sore patches. This balm is great for patches of dry skin but can also be used for other things such as lip balm, on scars or on the feet. It's a great all round, must-have balm that will be an invaluable addition to the bathroom cabinet for treating and managing dry skin conditions.

Skinfix Soothing Lotion for dry, sensitive, eczema-prone skin (370 ml/£17.99) Body lotions can be too irritating for chronically sensitive or eczema prone skin. Skinfix Soothing Lotion is a lightweight, yet deeply moisturising daily body lotion with colloidal oatmeal, natural emollient oils of coconut and jojoba to help hydrate, soothe and protect skin. 

This body lotion is great for every day use to keep skin hydrated and protected. It's light but feels rich and creamy when rubbed into the skin. Perfect for using after showering, it keeps skin feeling smooth, soft and hydrated. It is made of 98% natural ingredients and is fragrance free, making it safe for long term use, helping prevent flare ups.

The Skinfix products are available now in Boots stores and online. A Soothing Wash and Hand Repair Cream are also available.

Being an Allergenius at the #aoCleans event

We were invited by ao.com to attend the #aocleans event at the Thinktank in Birmingham, where we were to learn all about what it takes to become an 'allergenius' with Hotpoint. With hayfever, asthma and eczema sufferers in my family, the subject of allergies is very relevant for me, and I was interested to find out how I can help Ian, Ella and Megan avoid the misery of allergies.

I attended the event with Freddy, Ella and Kezia. The kids are always up for joining in with whatever fun is on offer and were excited to take part!

The focus of the allergy advice was surrounding dust mites and pollen, both factors in some very common and unpleasant allergic conditions. 1 in 4 Brits suffer from home based allergies and are six times more likely to turn to medication rather than find an in-house solution to reducing allergens. In fact only 1 in 10 say that they actively attempt to reduce the allergen levels in their home, even though there are steps that can be taken.

Hotpoint have a washing machine with an anti-allergy cycle to help avoid the effect of allergens, especially on bedding. They use high temperatures and extra rinses to remove up to 99.9% of major allergens found in homes. Investing in a good vacuum cleaner with anti-allergy functionality and a steam mop, are efficient ways of reducing exposure to allergens on flooring and hard surfaces. Using a condenser dryer on an anti-allergy cycle, especially for bedding, can remove 99.9% of dust mites, pollen, fungi and bacteria. In fact, line drying laundry can actually cause washing to become contaminated with pollen, which is not good for hayfever sufferers.

The children took part ion a range of fun activities including playing some games, which helped the little ones learn about dust mites, cleaning and laundry. They even played musical statues to the sound of a vacuum cleaner! There was a treasure hunt where the children hunted for allergens hidden in a mock up living room, searching under the sofa, inside lampshades, under cushions and in the carpet!

The adults were able to chat with the knowledgeable experts and find out about the Hotpoint appliances and how they can help in the fight against household allergies. I loved the look of the washing machine and dryer that they had on display.

They made some pretty spring flowers using tissue paper, pom poms and pipe cleaners, while learning about pollen and hayfever.

They also did some colouring in, adding their own colourful twist to the cheeky allergen characters!

We enjoyed a lovely lunch and completed the day by visiting Thinktank, where Freddy enjoyed dressing up, pressing buttons and looking at the exhibits, before playing in the brilliant Science Garden.

Freddy had a great day and learned a lot about how to get rid of allergens, in fact he got his very own certificate and t-shirt to prove it!

If you are an allergy sufferer there is some great advice available at allergyuk.org and on the Hotpoint Allergy Week page, which includes details of the products with anti-allergy functionality. Also take a look at ao.com where you will find thousands of household appliances to suit your needs!

Anti-Allergy Baby Bedding

One in five children in the UK are now diagnosed with asthma and allergic rhinitis.  Household dust mites are said to affect 80% of sufferers. Allersafe Anti Allergy Baby Bedding offers relief helping to dramatically reduce the growth of dust mite allergens deep inside the bedding and not just on the surface.   They provide a healthier sleeping environment for those sensitive to household dust mite allergens and prevent the sensitisation that leads to asthma, sinusitis and allergic rhinitis.  Allersafe bedding is blended with Amicor Pure fibre, an intelligent fibre with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal additives inside. It creates an environment that is not suitable for dust mites to survive.  The Allersafe baby range has been designed for gentle and safe protection from irritations and provides luxurious, allergy free bedding for your little ones to sleep in.

Allersafe Baby Bedding

We were sent a 4.0 Tog Cot Bed Allersafe Duvet to try out, perfect for the warmer weather.  The quality of the duvet was instantly apparent with the jacquard stripe cover and satin piped edging.  Although it is very light it feels snug and the cassette design ensures the even distribution of the filling.  It is very reassuring to know that the filling prevents the growth of dust mites within the duvet itself, the thought of my precious Freddy sharing his bed with millions of uninvited guests actually gives me the shivers!  

The duvet comes with the Allergy UK Seal of Approval.  It is also machine washable and can be tumble dried keeping it hygienically clean and safe.  


The Allersafe range includes pillows, mattress protectors, bed linen and duvets from Cot Bed to Super King size and from 4.0 to 13.5 Tog. This means that you can allergy-proof the entire sleeping area of any family member.  Even tiny babies can sleep in an anti-allergy Allersafe Baby Sleeping Bag.  The 2.5 Tog sleeping bag is available in two sizes 0-6 and 6-18 months.


The Cot Bed 4.0 Tog is available for £24.99 with free P & P from allersafe.co.uk

Eczema Relief from Cetaphil

Ever since my 9 year old daughter Kizzy was a baby, she has been plagued with eczema.  Although she has thankfully grown out of the angry, bleeding skin troubles she had when she was younger, she still has very dry, itchy patches on her belly, arms and legs.  We have tried all manner of potions and lotions on her, with varying degrees of success. 

When I was sent some Cetaphil Restoraderm Body Wash and Moisturiser to try out, I hoped it would be good for Kizzy's ongoing skin problems.  It is clinically proven to reduce the dryness, redness and irritation of dry, senstive and eczema prone skin.  It is suitable for adults and children over 3 months old.   The therapeutic skincare range can be used daily and is hypoallergenic, preservative and fragrance free.

The soap-free wash gently foams to a lather which is nice.  A lot of eczema washes don't lather up, and we all love bubbles!!  It contains skin nourishing oils to restore and preserve moisture in the skin.  The moisturising cream has a pump dispensing top, so Kizzy found it easy to dispense it into her hand to rub liberally over her skin.  It spread really well and absorbed easily and left no greasy residue.  A little goes a really long way.

After using both products for a few days, Kizzy says that her skin feels softer and less irritated.  She also says the soreness and itchiness goes when it is applied.  That suggests to me that it is definitely having a positive effect and I'll encourage her to keep slathering the cream on both morning and night.  The products don't sting her sore skin which is something that she has experienced before with other creams and washes.

Cetaphil is available to purchase from Boots with a 295ml bottle of moisturiser selling for £19.99.  The Skin Restoring Body Wash is £15.99.

I am really pleased with the results from using the Cetaphil products, I hate to see Kizzy's skin all sore and itchy and it really does look a lot better already.  It is early days, but the Cetaphil range definitely seems to be addressing the problems associated with eczema prone skin.

Bath Time Fun with Boots

Freddy absolutely hated bath time up until a few months ago.  They used to be a battle, but now they are a source of fun!  He splashes in the water, getting covered with the warm, bubbly water.  It is so important that the products we use are suitable for our little ones.  We've enjoyed trying out a lot of different bath products and tonight it was the turn of Boots Baby Sensitive Range.

Developed in consultation with a leading dermatologist, it is the mildest, gentlest product for baby's skin.  They leave skin feeling soft and smooth and stop irritation before bed time.  They are 100% colour free, fragrance free, hypo-allergenic and dermatologically tested.  They are mild enough to use from birth and are suitable for sensitive skin.

Boots sent us the Sensitive Moisturising Bath, priced at £1.99 for 400ml.  It provides gentle and caring cleaning.  When added to water it gave dense, small bubbles giving a creamy consistency to the bath.  It was fragrance free so left no perfume on Freddy's skin.  He splashed everywhere but didn't mind it going in his face and eyes.  His skin felt soft and he smelt fresh and clean.

Our daughter suffers from eczema and has flare-ups on her arms and legs.  She bathed in the Boots Sensitive Moisturising bath and it did not inflame her skin at all.  This is a real plus for us because she loves to relax in the tub, but it is difficult to find completely fragrance and colour free products that give bubbles but do not aggravate her.

Boots also sent us the Moisturising Baby Lotion and Baby Oil in this range.  They are perfect for moisturising baby's delicate skin.  Again these products are also good for Kizzy's sensitive skin.  And at £1.99 are a really cost effective option.  Also available is a Head to Toe Moisturising Wash and a Conditioning Shampoo. This is an excellent range at a really affordable price.  Worth checking out if you have an eczema sufferer in the family!

The Boots Fun Animal Sponge is a man made sponge that is specially made to be ultra soft.  We were sent a super cute blue elephant to try.  It has a really squidgy, soft texture and feels gentle as it glides across the skin.  It goes hard when dry, then softens up again in water.  At £2, it is a good cheaper alternative to natural sponge.

Boots also stock a fun range of Corine de Farme Disney Winnie the Pooh products that are ultra sensitive and created to be soft, soothing and safe from birth.  They leave skin soft and moisturised.   Each product has a cute picture of Winnie the Pooh with his Hundred Acre Wood pals on, which is sure to delight little ones!  Priced at £2.69 they are exclusive to Boots.


It's no surprise that Boots have been voted the UK's Top Family Brand, with their wide range of products to help parents at every step of their journey with their babies and children.  With a huge range of products especially for bath times, Boots make bathing baby safe and fun!  Check out the website for current special offers on toiletries.