The best eczema creams to soothe your tortured hands and skin over self-isolation
Some of the things I use for my eczema - though bear in mind that the Betnovate Ointment is a steroid cream that was prescribed to me by a doctor. Don’t use steroid creams unless you’ve been told to by a medical professional yo.
I originally started writing this as a guide to what I think are the best creams and products for eczema (based on my own experience), but then coronavirus hit. Given that a ton of us are frequently washing our hands, maxing out on the sanitiser and donning latex gloves, I know a lot of people have been hit hard by skin dryness and irritation - something I know a little bit about growing up with eczema. Not to brag.
While I’ve got a few tips on how to deal with rashes and eczema here, this is going to be purely a product roundup with all the shoppable links so you can get them ASAP. As much as I love Boots, I’ve also steered clear of including links to it here because it is literally impossible to get onto their website without waiting an hour since so many people are trying to get on it right now.
I’ve also included a few products to steer a hundred percent clear of at the bottom so spoiler: don’t go for the heavily fragranced stuff. I love you all, keep washing your hands and staying inside - but look after your skin too! I hope this helps x
Best skincare products for dryness and eczema
Aveeno
Aveeno is what I grew up using regularly and has oatmeal as it’s main ingredient, which helps to calm down your skin. (I don’t know why it works, it just does.) They have a huge range of products specifically targeted at people with skin problems like eczema and I really like their daily moisturiser, as it’s light yet effective and ideal for summer. Since I know their range so well, I’m just going to include a gazillion of my favourite products and what I use them for.
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Hand Cream, 75ml
£3.99, Superdrug
Aveeno’s stuff is super light and doesn’t leave a grim oily feel on your skin afterwards, which I find super important with a daily cream. Big up Aveeno.
Aveeno Skin Relief Lotion 300ml
£5.32, Superdrug
Aveeno has different ranges and their skin relief range is the blue one. The thing I like about this is that it’s developed specifically to soothe your skin and it delivers on that promise, so any redness, itchiness and dryness is generally stamped out pretty quickly.
Aveeno Active Naturals, Soothing Bath Treatment
£6.47, iHerb.com
Okay, you are low key going to feel like you are bathing in Weetabix but Aveeno’s bath treatments are god-tier. Whenever I had a really tough bout of eczema and nothing could chill my skin out, my mum would fill a bath and sprinkle this powder in. It magically helps reduce itchiness and redness after you sit in it for a little while, though I think it’s trickier to find in recent years and tends to be sold in specialty shops now.
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Wash 500ml
£9.18, Amazon (available on Prime)
Soap is easily one of the biggest culprits when it comes to eczema irritants, but this oatmeal-based body wash is mega gentle and has never caused any problems for me. It does have a slight sweet scent and I honestly love this shit, it’s so refreshing and leaves your skin feeling supple. I won’t apologise for using that word.
Cerave
Cerave is pretty popular in the United States, but it’s finally come over to the UK and I love it. They were kind enough to send me over a ton of their products to try and all of it so gentle, plus it’s made in conjunction with dermatologists so it’s perfect for sensitive skin. Like many of the products on this list, it’s not the sexiest but it is mega hydrating and has never irritated my skin.
If you also tend to get eczema on your face or neck, they also have a facial wash which is gentle enough for daily use so you can still get your skincare fix.
Cerave Reparative Hand Cream
£6, Boots
I know I said I wasn’t going to feature a Boots listing, but this is literally sold out everywhere - or some asshole on Amazon’s doubled the price. This has hyaluronic acid in it which is deeply hydrating and like Cetaphil and Aveeno on this list, Cerave’s one of those brands that dermatologists recommend as well.
If you can’t get your poor hands on this, then go for the cream below - plus you’ll get more of it in the tub.
Cerave Moisturising Cream (For Dry to Very Dry Skin)
£14.50, Lookfantastic.com
I have a vat of this sitting on my nightstand at all times. It’s perfect for the winter because it’s thicker than most moisturisers and more hydrating. Plus, as it’s a large screw top pot you can really dunk your hand in there and get the handful you need if you’re dealing with a big flare up.
Cetaphil
Cetaphil’s pretty similar to Cerave in the sense that it’s designed to be no fuss, ideal for sensitive skin/eczema sufferers and prioritises all the healing and moisturising over the bells and whistles. You won’t get any fragrances here. The biggest difference to me is that Cetaphil’s feel slightly lighter than Cerave, so if you don’t like the feeling of thick(er) creams on your skin this is a nice alternative.
If you’re looking for a hand cream, I also swear down by Cetaphil’s - so their hand cream is what I would buy first if I was looking for one specifically. Their body washes and facial washes are also top tier.
Cetaphil Moisturising Hand Cream 50ml
£5.99, Superdrug
As said before, this is just a great hand cream and fits easily into any handbag. Not that you’re going to need your handbag for a while because you’re not going to go outside. Kapiche?
Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion, 236ml
£5.99, Amazon (Available on Prime)
Unscented, light and no frills, this is perfect for anybody who wants to soothe dryness without the cloying feel of thicker creams.
Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel
While I wouldn’t rely on this as a moisturiser, this is really good at helping you find relief if your skin is particularly irritated and itchy. I like to chuck mine in the fridge so that when you put it on your problem area, it’s mega cooling and is even more effective at calming your skin down. It’s cheap as chips over in Asia, but I think it’s slightly more expensive here sadly.
Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel
£7.50, Nature Republic UK
Nivea
Another gentle, forgiving skincare brand on the list - and also one of the most affordable. I didn’t really start using Nivea till I moved to the UK, but I’ve really come around to their hand creams and lip balms. I’m a big fan of their hand cream since it’s small enough to throw into your handbag, is quite light and is super gentle.
Nivea Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream for Face, Hands and Body, 75ml
£2.25, Sainsburys
This is a really great and budget-friendly hand cream, though it does sometimes leave a bit of a cast.
Best heavy duty ointments for dryness
These are much heavier and thicker than the earlier products - ideal for packing on last thing at night before you go to sleep. They’re greasier, but they’re great if you need a huge dose of hydration - rather than the lighter everyday creams above.
Dr Lipp
This is a slightly pricier product on the list, but I adore this stuff. Originally designed for dry cracked nipples (which I’ve learned is a real drag for breastfeeding mums), it’s genuinely a godsend for any issue you have - dry cuticles, lips, hands and, of course, titties. It’s fragrance-free and is made from lanolin, plus it comes in small discreet tubes you can carry around easily.
Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Dry Skin and Lips
£12, SpaceNK
If we’re getting technical, this is more of an ointment similar to Vaseline (also a true blue) and is much thicker than your average moisturiser - so it’s a heavy moisturising hitter you can use sparingly on dry irritated areas.
Palmers Cocoa Butter
This is one of the only scented products I’ve used that has actually helped my eczema. A ton of people I know love Palmers or have had some contact with it before and - like Vaseline and Dr Lipp - it’s designed to be really deeply hydrating over your regular daily moisturisers.
In fact, a tattoo artist I went to actually recommended I put this on my fresh tattoo every day to help with the healing process. If that’s what a lady who slammed a needle into my skin repeatedly is telling me, there must be some truth to it - and there a hundred percent was.
Palmers Cocoa Butter Solid Formula
£3.65, Superdrug
This is the don. It’s so thick it’s basically a block of cocoa butter and oil, which means that its hyper hydrating and you actually have to melt it down a bit in your hands to get it to spread well. Iconic. Groundbreaking. Incredible.
Vaseline
I DON’T CARE IF YOU THINK THIS IS BORING, I’m a ride or die Vaseline girl. Sometimes your daily moisturiser just won’t cut it and you need something to really kick your skin hydration into high gear. Vaseline is perfect for that - it’s mega hydrating, it’s cheap and it comes in huge jars so you can go to town applying it.
Just bear in mind that it’s not the best option for hotter months, as it effectively seals your skin wherever it’s been applied so your skin doesn’t breathe as easily.
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly, 100ml
£2.99, Shavers.co.uk
It doesn’t get more classic than this.
Best non-cream products for eczema
Ansio Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Okay, this isn’t a cream but my life has been so much better since I got a humidifier. Since the UK is super dry in the winter, my eczema tends to freak out around that time. I started using a humidifier in the evening when I go to sleep which has helped a ton - not just with my eczema, but also with the skin on my face as I’ve noticed it all just looks more hydrated.
I think a lot of people tend to overlook humidifiers as a way to help, since it’s easy to just focus on the lotions and potions, but if your skin problems are exacerbated by your environment - why not try and change that?
Ansio Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, 1500ml
£41.97,
This is the humidifier I have. It lasts for 16 hours or so, is pretty small and quiet and finally, IT LIGHTS UP. Just don’t put essential oils in it, it’s not a diffuser.
I’m pretty convinced I bought this for like £25??? Did they hike these prices up like crazy recently?
Clarityn
I always have antihistamines in the house and in my bedroom, since as I’ve gotten older I’ve gotten better at anticipating when a flare up is about to happen. My eczema flare ups follow a certain pattern - big red hives break out on my body, then the rashes start to form. The second I feel even the slightest twinge of a hive, I pop one of these bad boys and it yeets the histamine out of my system so my skin is less irritated, plus it kills any itchy feelings and my urge to scratch till I’m chill.
Clarityn Allergy 10mg Tablets, 30 pack
£10.49, Superdrug
If I know I’m going into a situation where I’ll come into contact with one of my triggers (i.e. a workout where I know I’ll sweat a lot or a cute ass cat), I’ll pre-emptively take one of these so my body can handle it and doesn’t break out. I use Clarityn a lot mostly because it’s what I grew up with, but also because it’s non-drowsy.
Simple Kind to Skin Face Wipes
If you have an eczema flare up on your face, it can be painful thinking about how you’re going to remove your makeup without whatever you use making things worse or hurting you. While my biggest tip is to just not wear makeup, I get that sometimes it can help you feel more confident, so just be careful. These face wipes are exactly what it says on the tin - Simple - and are super gentle, plus they have vitamin B and E in them so they should hopefully help with some healing.
Simple Kind to Skin Micellar Face Wipes
£2.99, Fragrance Direct
Worst products for eczema/irritated skin
Any scented body washes and soaps! The sweeter and more colourful it is, the more likely I am to get the hell out of there.
Body scrubs - why open the door to more skin irritation? The biggest culprit for me was Soap & Glory’s Breakfast Scrub, which was a delicious smelling nightmare.
Dermalex Eczema Treatment - This cost me 25 quid and I hated it. It’s grey and chalky, so it leaves a really grim cast on your skin and gets on everything, plus it just really wasn’t worth the gigantic price tag.
Anything with microbeads - This isn’t so much an issue in the UK since these are illegal now, but there’s been a rise in alternative natural microbeads in various products. These will only scratch up your sensitive skin and make things worse, don’t drink the kool-aid.