Cerassie Tea

Okay, I think I've talked about Cerassie/Cerasee tea before but I want to talk about it again today.

My friend introduced it to me for my eczema at least 2 years ago and though I have not used it for my eczema, I do drink it when I have an upset stomach or generally feel sick. If you decide to try it for your eczema, you will not be drinking this tea. You will have to soak a cotton ball or sponge with the tea and wash yourself with the tea. I'm just too lazy for that. :(

This tea is also good for you if you have a cold and I'm drinking it right now as a matter of fact. My man has a cold right now and I'm starting to feel the effects of it tonight. My throat is a bit scratchy and I was feeling the chills. I was feeling a sick to my stomach before I drank the tea but after a few sips I'm feeling good again. It's weird. Maybe it's mind over matter, but I doubt it. All I know is every time I feel sick to the stomach and I drink this tea, I'm good as new.

If you have not tasted this tea before, I must warn you that it is BITTER. It's not an enjoyable tea, like green tea. So, it's not something I drink when I'm feeling fine. When I am feeling sick however, the bitterness of the tea is not as strong. I actually welcome the bitter taste. In fact, I got my man to drink it the other day and he said it worked on him too. He doesn't mind the bitterness, he actually likes it.

So, if you are looking for a natural tea to help with a sick stomach or a cold, go to a Jamaican/Caribbean store or a health store and look for Cerasee tea and see if it works for you.

If you live in Toronto, my friend told me you can find it in one of the stores in Kensington Market. I was lucky enough to receive a box from her, but I will check out exactly where soon, so I will post it up here in case anyone is interested. I'm sure you can order it online as well if you search for it.

I always remember the saying that too much of anything is not good for you, so I only drink this tea when I need it. I don't drink this tea on a regular basis and I'm not suggesting that you do either. :)

Hand Eczema

Two months ago, I developed eczema on my hands. The skin on the palm of my hands became really itchy one day so I rubbed my hands together instead of scratching. When I looked at them, they were red and they felt hot. The only thing I thought I could do is to wash them and then put on my medicated cream. The new one that my doctor prescribed; but it never really healed until recently.

I also had eczema on the top of my right hand as well and it was itchy, dry and in some parts raised up. I thought that was it, I'm going to be stuck with that ugly right hand forever. No matter what I did to prevent myself from scratching, I end up scratching when I was working in the office. Again, I washed my hands and put on the prescribed medicated cream diligently but I didn't really see any improvement until this week. In fact, the eczema on my right hand and the palm of my hands disappeared.

So what changed? I haven't been in the office working for one week and within this one week everything began to heal. And if you look at my hands now, you would not know that I had an eczema flare up at all. It's so strange.

I know I've been less stressed out lately and that definitely must be a major reason why I healed so quickly but I wonder if I was allergic to something in the office. The air must be polluted some how or my desk was dirty? I don't know. All I know is that when I'm in the office my face feels really dry. In fact, my hands feels dry too. I seriously think there is a direct link to my eczema flare up and the office environment.

My doctor definitely thinks my eczema is stress induced. So now that I'm less stressed, my skin is eczema free again. Now it's just a matter of keeping myself moisturized.

I've been using Burt's Bees Radiance Night Cream with Royal Jelly, Burt's Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss and Burt's Bees Body Lotion with Royal Jelly with natural mica to enhance skin tone. These products are great. I actually still use my Curel Continuous Comfort Fragrance free lotion on my body but I use the Burt's Bees Body Lotion on my hands when I am out and feel my hands getting dry. The Burt's Bees products are pretty low on the hazardous scale so I'm happy about that.

The Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss is also really great. It gives me the shine and colour I love and it moisturizes at the same time. I love it. It also smells like berries which lifts up my spirits whenever I put it on my lips.

I bought these products at Shopper's DrugMart and Walmart but you can also get them via well.ca if you just want to order them online.

Anyways, I'm glad that my eczema flare up has subsided for now. Still in search of the ultimate face cream...all natural if I can find it. So far, the Radiance Night Cream is doing the job but still feel I may find something better out there? I need something for the day...I may try the Burt's Bees Carrot Nutritive Day Creme, but I didn't buy it before because it contains almond oils to and aloe vera. I'm still cautious about trying anything with ingredients that I may be allergic to. The mention of almond oils kind of scared me off. We'll see, I may try it.

Till next time.

Summer is Here - Eczema Confusion

So recently the weather got hotter here in Toronto and finally I can say that we have summer weather. Of course I love the heat more than the bone chillin' weather we have here in T.O. but either way my skin is subjected to constant abuse...mainly by my own scratching! I can't help it, it's like the itch is just so insanely intense. I am feelig it on my fingers and both my arms right now. Typing is the only thing stopping me from reaching over and scraching both my arms. (Okay, I just stopped typing for 3 seconds and rubbed by itchy spots just now.)

Anyways, I found a video on youtube.com and it show how others are suffering from the big E.

I'll post it up later when I figure out how. But the video just makes me think how others must feel when they look at me sometimes. Now that I'm much older it really doesn't bother me as much anymore what people think when they look at me. I'm envious when I look at other people's beautiful clear skin...like my brother's or my boyfriend's. I tell my boyfriend to stop looking at me sometimes though but he's really sweet, he would tell me that he loves me and that he knows I have a skin problem but it's who I am inside that he loves. Just go and get your cream and you'll be good as new. :)

I recently got a new perscription from my doctor and it's called Elcocom cream - 0.1%. It's supposed to be stronger and I only have to put it on twice a day. I didn't use my perscription correctly last time because my doctor gave me a cream that I needed to put on 4 times a day. Who the heck has time for that? Even if I did, what a bother. So now I'm hoping it will work out bette for me. It seems to be working because my legs are not as red and raise anymore.

It's really hot today...I gotta get out of the house. See you.

To Take Antihistamine or Not To Take...

It's a question I ask my self every day.

Should I take the antihistamine or not? If I take it, then it will stop my itchy face and body within half an hour or so. However, after taking it I feel tired and weak. I can't think straight and I don't want to do anything but sit and stare into space. It's okay if I don't have to talk to anyone and I don't have to work but atlas I do. So? It's Sunday today and I have a lot to do for work but I can't right now. Aargh. I hope this stops soon so I can get back to it. To be honest, if I have to choose I have to choose me and my skin.

The worst feeling is when my face is itchy. I try not to scratch but it's so itchy so I end up rubbing it. You can't really use your fingers to actually scratch it! Well, except my forehead and then it gets scratched up. When I rub it it turns all red, raised up and that's what looks like right this minute.

I'm trying not to do it anymore so I'm writing in here to share my thoughts and to stop myself from touching my face. I mean, if I'm concentrating on typing I can't be touching my face right? Also by putting my feelings down I'm trying to calm my nerves. It's stress induce and I create the stress for myself. That's what I believe. I need to not get worked up over anything and just chill. It's not the end of the world if everything is not done. There are limited amount of hours in a day. Some should be spent resting and others from Monday to Friday should be on work. So if it spills over and it cuts into your life then you've got a choice to make. You? Or work?

Me.

So here I am writing to calm my nerves and to tell you that it is working. Of course, I took my pill so now I'm also feeling a bit drowsy. I'm not very good with drugs. When I asked my doctor why the Non-drowsy makes me drowsy, he said every one reacts differently to drugs. When the label says Non-drowsy doesn't mean it doesn't contain the ingredients that make you drowsy. It just contains less of it. What?! But it's true, it makes me drowsy and the ones that doesn't say Non-drowsy just knocks me right out. Sigh* You would think taking them all these years would make me less affected by it but nooooo.

This is the time I think about sitting in a chair on a deck looking out at the ocean. I think of Phuket, looking out from my hotel deck. Nice and calm and beautiful. I feel the cool mist. I'm calm and relaxed. No worries, no problems, no one bothering me, no one asking me any questions. It's just me, myself and I. Aaaaaaah.

Hmmm, this visualization thing really works. You've just got to take a little me time to do it.

Okay, so that's that for today. I'm trying out a new organic shampoo and conditioner right now. I'll share that with you next time. I want to make sure they work well. So far I love it becauase it smells great and my hair actually feels really soft.

Till next time.

Ups and Downs of Eczema

Well, I'm glad to say that my eczema seems to be subsiding a bit this week.
It's probably because I went to my doctor to ensure I got my medicated cream refills. No manner what you must have medicated cream around for flare ups before it gets out of hand.

One of my kind colleague at work gave me her tube of Lyderm ointment and it tied me over a bit before I was able to see my doctor; but, the Betamethasone Valerate Cream .1% is still works the best cream for me. I don't put it on my face though, I use Protopic on my face when it gets itchy and flaky.

After my flare up clears up within usually three days, I then switch to using the Tortuga Super Emollient Lotion. I just got my new supply yesterday!! Was so excited. I also ordered the Luminos Hydrating Moisturizer for the day time. It's suppose to give you a soft focus effect like foundation but it kind of smells weird. It doesn't smell as delicious as the Tortuga.

However, Luminos does give me a nice foundation looking finish. I can use it to mix with mineral foundation. Pretty cool. I just feel better using products that are natural when I don't have to use my medicated cream. Peace of mind.

I'm glad to say that the Eye Butter still helps me through the day when I'm really dry and when I'm not, it works like wonders! Didn't peel at all the whole day today. Hmmm, maybe because it was raining outside? Not sure.

I also got the Tortuga Intensive Therapy roll on so I can bring it with me everywhere I go. It smell really nice...like a spa. :)

So all in all, the All-Natural Keys products are still working well for me! I love them.

If you are looking for All-Natural, Gluten-Free and Chemical-Free products please try these products. I hope they work for you like they do for me. Super great for super dry skin!

Well, back to work...or better yet, I better get myself to sleep soon. Till next time.

Constant Change of Weather and Eczema

The weather here went from Spring to Winter to Spring to Winter! So, my skin is just not loving it at all. Plus, I started working again so I'm stressed and the office is super dry. My colleagues are cold so little heaters are running and the little moisture I have is sucked right out. The combination of not having the time to put on my moisturizer on properly and the dry air has left me red and peeling again. Hopeful work will calm down a bit and my learning curve improves so I'm less stressed.

In any case, I made another order for my Tortuga and the Eye Butter the other day to ensure I don't run out. Without them I'll be worse off. This time I also ordered the shampoo and conditioner. Can't wait to receive them!! :p And I will bring my Avene Thermal Spring Water into the office and that should help. It's all about adapting and keeping my skin moist. :)

My Curel is still working for me so that's cool, I just got to leave time to put it on properly.

I haven't found anything else interesting, but will definitely update once I do.

In the meantime....MOISTURIZE!

Hydrated Face - Me?

Wow, I can't believe this I walked around all day long. Inside the shopping mall and outside for two hours and my face is still hydrated. It's incredible. Me of all people.

My eye lids and the skin around my eyes have been continually flaky since this winter. Actually, my skin around my upper lids have been dry for long time now ---but not anymore.

I didn't believe the write-up on the Keys website about their Eye Butter Cream, but I ordered a sample to try because it's all natural and we all know how I'm into the all natural products and the 0 to 3 rating on Skin Deep website. :) I'm so glad that I did because it's all true, my eyes haven't looked this good for a very long time. So it goes without saying I'm going to order the real thing before I finish my sample trail size. It's going to last for awhile I think. I've been putting it on for one week now and I still have a lot! I'm so happy!

So that's that. Using the Tortuga for my face and using the Eye Butter has hydrated my face to my total satisfaction. I think I'm going to see if I can put in a testimonial on their site!!! I love the products they have. In LOVE.

Natural Cleaning Ingredients

So I've been reading about all the wondering things about Baking Soda and Vinegar for cleaning and decided to try it out today, to prove to myself that they work. Plus, the more chemicals I can eliminate from my home the better it will be for managing my eczema. The bed sheets and duvet cover sometimes irritate my skin. I'm sure when that happens bleach was used. Even though we use hypoallergenic detergent...I don't know, sometimes wearing my washed clothes just sets me off itching.

I started with the kitchen sink and oven and WOW, it really works. No chemical smell and the peace of mind that I'm using stuff I can actually eat. I didn't follow any directions, just sprinkled some baking soda and wet the sponge with some vinegar and water to clean the oven. After 3 minutes, it was looking so clean and sparkly! And no yucky chemical smell. For the sink I just used the baking soda to clean it and it's shining in the kitchen right now!

My goal is to slowly change out all our household products to all natural ones. My obstacle is going to be my man. He's quite skeptical about this stuff. So I'm going to show by example. I'm just waiting for him to see how sparkly the sink is and the oven is right now. Then I'll tell him what I used and then I will figure out how much getting these products would cost and I'll have him in riding on my Eco-friendly bus.

If the whitening happens with the vinegar and baking soda mixture, instead of the Javex, that would be great. My skin is so sensitive to the bleach. Even though my robe is nice and white after it has been bleached, once my wet skin contacts the freshly washed robe, I can feel my skin getting itchy in seconds.

Next room to try out the natural cleaning agents is the bathroom, I'll do that tomorrow. If the solution gets rid of the mildew I'm a HERO!!! Plus, eliminating the chemicals in the air inside the house, my man's allergies may get better. I hope that happens. He's been having eye and nose allergies lately and I really think it's the stuff we are using...plus smoking doesn't help!

One day at a time, I'll have my way. :) I'm going to http://www.goneshopping.ca/ to get that Eco-friendly starter kit. It will tell me exactly what to use and apparently it comes with essential oil that will make everything smell really nice, disinfect and the essential oil mixture has anti-bacterial properties. All natural, good stuff.

It's only $34 so it's affordable I think, considering it will last for awhile. I mean, other chemical products out there are like at least $4 to $9 and they smell like death. Plus, you have to buy a different product for the kitchen, bathroom, living room...you get the idea.

My friends just moved into a new condo and this is what I'm going to get as a housewarming present. I think it's going to be great! Hmm, I may have given the surprise away if they see my post. Anyways, no matter, I still think it's going to be cool. I'm going to get one for myself too while I'm at it. :)

So excited. I'm going to do that right now. I'll give an update on how it works once I have a chance to use the solutions.

Eczema Friendly Products

Since I'm always looking for new products for Eczema or any news that may help with managing Eczema, I thought I would start adding some information in my blog just in case it may help others find the right products. If it's going to be good for Eczema sufferers then you'll find it here in my blog somewhere. :) I'll also have my own opinion on what others may claim is good for Eczema. Here are some information I read this week, hope it may help you cope with your Eczema.

Borage Dry Skin Therapy

This is supposed to be a really good product for children with Eczema. I found this tidbit from the following blog: http://www.quintooples.com/2009/03/endorsements-eczema-and-shoes.html

It seems this product worked really well for two of her kids.

And I checked the rating for this product on Skin Deep. It's rated 2, which is a low hazard rating. So thumbs up.

You can read more about this product here. http://www.shikai.com/publications/borageChildrenSkin.htm

There's also a version for Adults from the same manufacturer but the rating on Skin Deep is 3 to 4. Which is a bit higher in hazardous ingredients than the children's formula. The lower the rating the better though. The Curel lotion I'm using is rated 3 which is a moderate hazard rating. :)

I don't think Borage Dry Skin Therapy lotion is available in Canada though. I haven't seen it in stores, maybe it's available near you in the U.S.

Mangosteen Fruit/Juice

Hmmm, have you tasted a mangosteen? It's a delicious tropical fruit. I was first introduced to this fruit during my stay in Singapore. It takes a bit of skill to break open the skin to get to the good stuff inside. If you are not careful the purple colour just inside of the skin will stain your clothes. So I recommend that you don't eat it wearing anything white!

I just read that this fruit is supposed to be good for Eczema sufferers but it didn't do much for me. I only eat one to three at a time because I was a bit allergic to it. (If you've been reading my other updates, you know I'm allergic to a lot of food. :p) But some are testifying that it improved their Eczema. Check out the site to read more...

Tortuga - Super Emollient Lotion - Update

Just a quick update on how I am really in love with Tortuga lotion from Keys now. It smells great and because the bottle is not very big, I have decided to choose this all-natural product to hydrate my face as well as managing the redness that occurs with my super sensitive face!

I just finished the bottle I order awhile back and just order a new bottle. This time it should last a lot longer for me because I was using it before for my body as well. This is another reason why I like this product so much. I'm not allergic to it and I can you is almost everywhere! Not the eyes though I just read. So I ordered the eye cream trail size to try. :)

So happy I have decided to stick with this product for it's super natural ingredients. It just gives me a peace of mind knowing that at least I am using some products that are natural and safe for my body. Whatever you put on your skin gets absorbed into your system as you know.

Eczema and Food Allergies

I've been reading on the internet about relationship between eczema flare ups and food intake. It's not news to me because my dermatologists have always told me that food can cause flare ups. When I was working abroad in Singapore, a dermatologist asked me to eliminate everything that I am allergic to. Well, he discovered that I was allergic to almost everything except for probably rice or potatoes!!!

I love to eat and I love all types of food so guess what? I couldn't do what he asked me to do. Especially when I was so busy with work, I didn't have time to journal and figure out what triggers my flare ups and then when I find out what it was to eliminate it completely. I would still eat what I know I'm allergic to but in very, very, very small portions. I was in Asia, so how can I not enjoy seafood??!!! Crab, shrimps and lobsters tasted really good there; however, I would just eat very little of it so that I won't break out. I always have my anti-histamine pills with me just in case I feel the effects.

In any case, the most allergic reaction I had was to YEAST. When they did the allergy test on my arm it swelled up like a balloon and slowly covered all the other test areas on my arm. Which means I shouldn't drink any alcohol or each any food with yeast. Which would mean bread! I LOVE bread! The next was wheat! So there you go...how am I supposed to not eat any bread or pasta???! I love these to staples. I'm glad at least I can eat rice and especially potatoes with no issues! I love potato.

When it comes to seafood I really need to watch it. A month ago I couldn't help myself and ate quite a lot of lobster that my boyfriend's dad made. He uses ground beef in this dish as well and it TASTE SO GOOD!!! I couldn't help myself, but what a mistake. Double whammy! Allergic to lobster and beef!!! I'm still paying for it now.

Once a flare up happens and scratching happens it's hard to manage. I'm not sure how long it is going to take to get those stupid open wounds to heal. I scratched so hard that my arm is now covered with wounds that is taking a long to time heal. But now I'm using a combination of Witch Hazel and Polysporin and I can start seeing the healing process happening. I tried using the medicated cream for my wounds but then remembered that I'm not supposed to do that. Plus, it didn't work anyways. The medicated cream only worked on my rash not my wounds.

I finally took a picture of my arm so that I can show before and after pictures, but it's been about 3 days now and though I can see improvements, there's still a ways to go. I'm not going to eat lobster again for a long time! Tonight, I looked at the shrimp dish and did not dare to eat even one. :( Thank goodness the rest of the dishes were very delicious...one of them being spinach. I love spinach.

Anyways, I'm also drinking green tea and will continue to drink at least two cups each day. It's supposed to be good for your skin. And every week, I would drink the cerasee tea as well. More liquids I drink the better for me I think. Oh by the way, my biggest issue as well is that if I don't make sure I drink something other than pop, I would drink pop all day except for coffee in the morning. I read that too much sugar is not good for your skin either so I think I better start buying soda water or some other carbonated drink. My addiction really is to the carbonated part!

Now that I have more time on my hands, I need to be careful of what I eat. I will buy more vegetables, fruits (not citrus or strawberries..again allergic), avocados (love them), fish (not salmon...it does have histamine).

I'm going to stop eating the cornflakes with 2% milk, I think I'm itchy because I eat that just before I go to bed. I love cereal but I don't think I can have it, and not too much milk either. *Sigh*, it's so depressing but I have to figure out better food to satisfy my love for eating! Why do I have to allergic to so many???!!!

Well, I hope I can show before and after pictures of my arm soon. When that happens it means my wounds all cleared up. Yipee! Spring is coming and I can't have that exposed. People stare and ask does it hurt! They mean well but it upsets me. Hopefully if what I do to get myself healed will work for others. Till then...

Complex 15 Daily Face Cream

While I want to make sure I manage my dry skin, I need to manage my budget right now so I need something for my face that I can use every morning and night without spending too much. It's fine when my income allows me to buy whatever I want, but I need to keep the economy in mind and make good decisions on my expenses when it comes to skin care.

I went through my drawers a few days ago and found two tubes of Complex 15. Yeah, it's obvious that when I buy items I use it for awhile and then forget about it when I find something else. I'm glad I found them though because I'm almost out of my La Roche-Posay Cicaplast cream and want to save it for special occassions until I get my next job. I picked a bad time to quit my position late last year but oh well, it had to be done for my own health and well being. That's more important in life.

Anyways, I have been using the Complex 15 daily face cream for about 4 days now and it's keeping me moisturized. It feels really like and watery when you put it on but it does get absorbed and my face look good. I don't put any make up on when I'm at home or just walking around the neighborhood. The cream works well on my face and neck and I put some above my eye lids because I'm really dry there. It does the job but I have to reapply on my lids after a few hours. I'm not sure why I am so dry there. I wonder if it's the new eye cream I have been using. I'll talk about that later. I want to see how it works on my eyes. Right now I'm not quite sure what to say yet because AGAIN, I found it in my drawers and started using it again. I know I just bought it recently but forgot I had it because I tend to just throw all my stuff into my drawer and forget about them. :p

For my face the Complex 15 cream really works well, it feels really fresh once I put it on. The closest thing I can compare the feeling to is the way your skin feels when you splash fresh cold water on your face. That's how it feels and the fresh feeling stays for hours. I like it.

It's ...

• Hypo-Allergenic
  Unsecented
  Oil free
• Lanolin free
  
  ...which is fantastic and fits my criteria for my skin care! You can buy it at Walmart or you can also go online and buy it from well.ca. Again, this website does not charge shipping for those within Canada. I loved that about this website and it seems to have most of what I need. So I know where to go if I really need it and can't find it in the stores around me.
  
  Try it if you like light lotions for your face because it's really light but it also keeps your face moisturized for a long time!
  
  I'll keep using this till it runs out. Another good thing about this cream is that I can fit this one in my handbag when I go out because it's in a tube form not a dispenser pump! It's also under $10 so yipee!

Witch Hazel - Great for cuts

Okay, when people say communication is key in a relationship it's true, because I've been looking to buy witch hazel for awhile now and guess what? I was just going through the medicine cabinet and discovered that my man actually had a bottle! If only I mentioned to him earlier that I was looking for it, I would've been able to use it much earlier!

I read that it's good for speeding up healing process of cuts and broken skin and I wanted to try it to see if it works. For me, when I scratch too hard my skin breaks and I know it takes me weeks and weeks to try and get the wound to heal. My scraps and scratches doesn't heal as fast as other people for some reason. It's gross I know but that's the truth and I'm always looking for ways to help me manage my own skin issues! So, I must say that it really does work. It cleans the wound up and then it dries it up a bit so that it starts to heal. :) I'm happy I was able to use it to help out with the healing process. The issue is sometimes I don't know if I should treat it like eczema or not. I mean, I did scratch because my skin was itchy from the dryness or eczema but once it's broken I'm treating it like any other scrape. I'll see how it works out and report here again.

I think it would help if I could take some photos of my skin before and after to show how it works and what it worked on! So far I think it works because it actually helps me not to scratch the scrapes. Till then, you might want to see if it works for you.

Curel - Fragrant Free Lotion Reins Supreme!!!

This is the ONLY lotion that does the job for my dry skin.

As I've mentioned in my previous entries, I have tried to look for other lotions as back ups and guess what? They don't work as effectively as Curel. The Tortuga Super Emollient Lotion was good and natural but it was 100ml and in no time it was almost gone! And it was expensive compared to the price for Curel, plus I had to order it online from the U.S.

One of my close friends know that I use Curel and that i had issues getting the Fragrant Free version. So whenever she knows the lotion is on sale or when she see it available at Walmart near her place; she would contact me. Well last week the lotion was on sale at Walmart for $5.77 for 600ml bottle. Needless to say, with all the problems I had looking for the lotion near my place, she helped me stock up! I just realized that I must have this lotion in stock at all times.

I only have to put on the lotion once when I get up and then again after I take a shower before bed. It's just amazing for me. My skin looks 100% better on the first day I put it on.

I know that Curel has other versions as well and I bought the Post Menopause version for my mom and my aunt. My aunt told me that it was really good and not sticky and she loves it. I'm sure you've heard of Keri Lotion right? I mean, my dermy recommended that lotion to me when I was a little girl, and I hate it now as I hate it then. It went on so greasy and it never gets absorbed, especially when my skin was so dry. My aunt didn't like Keri either and when I recommended Curel, she hesitated thinking it would be the same texture. Well, Curel is her choice for a body lotion now. :)

So this is just an update to remember to stick to what works for you and don't be tempted to try anything new without having it near by.

I wish I could still find a product that is:
1. Natural
2. Easy to get
3. Moisturizes without reapplying
4. Reasonably priced

So for now my Curel meets three out of my four criteria for a good product.

You are what you eat - Triggers

Okay, I did something so stupid a few days ago and I'm still paying for it today! I have no will power when it comes to food. I love eating and curse the day I discovered seafood. I love seafood and seafood is definitely one of the triggers that causes my eczema flare ups. Trying to recover from it takes many days later after eating what I'm not supposed to.

I took a picture of the dish before I ate it because it looked so delicious and it was a treat from my man's dad. He is such a great cook. Normally I would just eat one or two pieces and I'm fine, because right after I would take an antihistamine to stop the itch. But nooooooo, I ate almost half the dish and I loved it. The worst decision I made because now I'm still suffering from my actions!

Check it out. It's lobster tail with beef. Maybe it was the combination that made it even worse. I'm telling you it was so delicious -- but bad for me. Very bad.
I will have to practice more will power because this kind of stuff was unnecessary. Now I'm of course using my medicated cream and I'm still itchy as hell. The antihistamine is kind of working. I feel drowsy even though it's supposed to be non-drowsy. Drugs affect people differently my doctor told me when I told him about how I get affected by non-drowsy medication. He said that just because it say non-drowsy it doesn't mean you won't get drowsy. Some people do ---and I'm one of them. Nice!

Anyways, I just wanted to share this and to warn not to give in and eat something you are not supposed to. There are consequences! Live and learn, I'll never do this again! Back to one to two pieces...but not for a long while. :(

However, I thank goodness I did find that Kiss My Face olive soap because even though I was rashy, the bar soap did not sting. In fact it helped. Plus, I now alternate between using the Pure Shea Butter mixed with vitamin E and Olive Oil mixed with vitamin E. Works pretty well.

Kiss My Face - Olive Oil Soap

I was running out of the La Roche-Posay bar soap and wanted to get something that is cheaper and natural.

Found out from Skin Deep and Good Guide website that this soap is really good. You know olive oil is good for your skin. The only ingredients listed for this soap is Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Sodium Chloride.

Simple.

It's a big fat bar, so I cut it into manageable pieces. :) It's great. It's moisturizing and the best part is that it does not sting. So even if you have a rash you won't have to worry about being uncomfortable using this soap.

I love it and I found it at Walmart for $3.97. If you want to try it and you can't find it at the drugstore then you can also go to Well.ca. The website is selling it for $4.69 but it's online and you can order it with free shipping if you are in Canada.

Olive Oil and Vitamin E

I was desperate last night for some face moisturizer. I had some Vitamin E oil that I bought awhile back but it's so thick, it was just so hard to apply on my face. So I went online to see if I could mix it with olive oil. I knew I had olive oil at home and I've already been told it's good for your skin. I've used olive oil in the past but didn't find that it worked at keeping my skin moisturized.

Well, guess what? I poured some olive oil into the glass jar containing what's left of my vitamin E oil and mixed them together. The mixture went on so smoothly and it kept me moisturized even after I went out to walk my dog for 15 minutes. I usually come back and my face is dry. I think the olive oil helped with the absorption of the vitamin E and the vitamin E kept my skin soft. I didn't put any make up on my face today and it looks like i did. Weird. But I like it. :)

So I think I stumbled upon something that works for my dry skin in the winter baby! And it's cheap and natural. I'll run out later to get more vitamin E, but I might get the capsules so I could break them when I need them. I read that when exposed to air vitamin E doesn't really have any benefits. I'll have a look when I get to the drugstore. So happy. :)

By the way, my Tortuga Super Emollient Lotion came by post today! Yipee. Can't comment on this product yet, but so far so good. I put the lotion on my hands and it smells so good! All Natural so it's the fragrance from the different oils. I'll give my feedback on how it works for me after a few days.

Magnesium Sulfate Epsom Bath Salt - I Got It !!!

Okay just a very quick update to let you know that I got the Magnesium Sulfate Epsom Bath Salt today. So excited. For $5.49, I got myself a 2kg bag. I'll take a picture of the bag tomorrow.

I didn't take a bath today because I wasn't sure if I wanted to plunge right in so fast. It is salt afterall...it's going to sting isn't it?! I got a rash on my upper arms and thighs. It's due to the dry and cold air..for sure. I haven't been using Curel because I still couldn't find any and Lubriderm as I said earlier is not really working. It actually stings when I put it on, so I haven't been really moisturizing enough for the past 2 weeks. Not to mention my panic attack about the "white petrolatum" and the "parbens" in both Curel and Lubriderm. I'm still waiting for my new lotion to arrive via the mail.

So I put 5 teaspoons of the bath salt in a container and fill it up with water. Just when I was about to finish my shower, I soaked a sponge into the mixture and just applied it over my body. I must tell you that when I sponged over my skin where I had my rash, it didn't sting at first but it did sting after a bit. And by the way, if you want to try what I did with the sponging first, DO NOT have your shower turn to HOT. It has to be lukewarm. If it's hot you are going to feel the sting from the salt for sure!! I learned by trail and error. Ouch.

After applying the mixture I used my towel to pat myself dry. I did feel the sting in my skin where I had my rash but after 1 minute it subsided and it actually felt really good. I feel really relaxed and the sting/burning sensation didn't really hurt at all. I actually liked the feeling.

I had to use Lubriderm because that is the only lotion I have right now and after half an hour I'm not itchy or anything. I'm just feeling really relaxed. So, for now I'm going to stop and continue tomorrow. I'm sleepy. :)

I'm going to continue using this method until Friday, when I'm going to take the bath. And I hope by tomorrow I get my new natural lotion.

See you.

Magnesium Sulfate Bath Salt, Keys Tortuga Super Emollient Therapeutic Lotion and Eczema

Magnesium Sulfate Bath Salt

I've been reading up on more skin care for eczema and it seems magnesium sulfate is good for the skin. You can find it in bath salts.

When I was in Singapore, my masseuse told me that swimming in sea water is good for my skin. She was an Indonesian woman, who by the way was the best masseuse I've ever...and I mean EVER...had!!! I still haven't found a place in Toronto that beats any massage you would get in Asia!

Anyways, I'm going to go out and get me some magnesium sulfate bath salts and will see if it improves my skin condition or not. I just need to make time for the bath routine though. I'll let you know how it goes after a few weeks.

Keys Tortuga Super Emollient Therapeutic Lotion

Meanwhile, I'm waiting for my bottle of Keys Tortuga Super Emollient Therapeutic Lotion to arrive in the mail. I found the description of this lotion from the Skin Deep website. It's supposed to be quite safe for the skin. This emollient contains ingredients like avocado oil, carrot seed oil and black cumin seed oil. I've read that black cumin is good for helping eczema so I was quite excited to have found this lotion with this ingredient. :)

I haven't tried it yet, so I'm crossing my fingers that I won't be allergic to it for some reason. And I hope that it's hydrating enough so that I wouldn't need to continuously reapply it throughout the day. The Lubriderm is just not doing the moisturizing job. I'm so excited. I think it's going to be here by early next week.


You can read about this product here: https://www.keys-soap.com/xcart41/product.php?productid=22&cat=2&page=1

Spectro EczemaCare - Intense Rehydration Cream

I forgot to mention this cream that was introduced to me by a friend of mine last year. I used it for awhile but for some reason forgot about it. Something must have happened for me to stop using it.
I think it's because unless my face is moist it's hard to put on.

This cream does work though. Since discovering the Good Guide website and the others on my favourite link list, I've submitted the product to the team to evaluate. It would be good if it comes back with a good review. I hope so.

Anyways, this cream is not cheap and so that's probably another reason why I didn't use it as much. I mean I can use a 100g tube of cream on my whole body at least twice a day. I'll go broke. So as a moisturizer for the entire body it's not a good choice. For affected areas it's good because it doesn't sting at all and it does the job for moisturizing and stopping the itch.

I just found my tube in my drawers and put it on my dry chapped fingers. Didn't sting and looks moisturized to me. I'll be checking with Good Guide on a weekly basis to see if they review the product. I really doubt though that it would clear eczema, but it definitely hydrates the skin.

Check out the product at this link: http://www.spectroskincare.com/eczema_care_rehydration_cream.aspx

Here's how the box looks like.

I'm going to start putting prices on these products so you can decide yourselves. My problem is I never remember how much I pay for things. A trait my man has a huge problem with. I'll start this and edit as I find out. :)

Medicated Creams for My Eczema

So I wanted to share with you on what medicated creams I'm using when my eczema flares up!
I say this because once I see that my eczema subsides, I stop using it and start using normal skin care products that I'm not allergic to.

I have been prescribed a lot of different types of steroid based creams for years. I don't remember all their names but now I wished I kept a list. In grade school, I remember having eczema flare ups and remember putting on hydrocortisone cream. It was like within a day the rash would disappear, but of course it would dry up and my skin would peel off.

Then in high school and university I remember using Betnovate cream. Now this cream is really, really potent. It dries up your skin after 2 applications and then of course it peels off.

I left Toronto to work in Asia for about 10 years. My two years in Hong Kong wasn't the greatest. In the first 3 months I caught some kind of skin rash that looked like chickpox or measles or something. So I went to the doctors and they gave me some medicine (don't remember what) and I was okay after a week. I also remember seeing a dermatologist in Hong Kong and he prescribe a cream that worked really well. I don't remember what it was called but all I remember was that he actually sells the cream and it was not prepared by the pharmacist. When I left Hong Kong, I should've made note of what I was prescribed but I didn't. Mind you it cost an arm and a leg! It worked so well, my eczema didn't flare up till I left Hong Kong for Singapore.

The worst of my eczema experience happened in my eight year stay in Singapore. It just got progressively worse. It was the humidity because once my eczema flared up my rash just would not heal properly. Then these round red bumps appeared on my legs and feet. Couldn't get rid of them no matter what I put on them. They just wouldn't heal. The doctor's didn't know what to do. So they start giving me steroid shots. I hated them because I gain weight on my face when I get them and I hated taking steroid pills too because they affected me the same way. PLUS...every time I was prescribed either the shots or the pills, I would have to book an appointment with my gynecologist as well. Because I always get a case of yeast infection after taking the steroids! It was a nightmare. The weird thing was that the eczema didn't affect my face as much as it did my body. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for that. But imagine you are so hot and you can't wear shorts or skirts without wearing tights??!!! And forget about swimming in the pool. In Singapore! That was me.

After being away from home for so long and my grandmother was not well, I decided to come back to Toronto. My family is here so my plan was always to come back, even though Singapore is so nice and sunny it was also very bad for my skin. I should have left earlier, but man Asia was so much fun and so warm. I love hot weather...but my skin didn't.

Anyways, back to what I'm using now for my eczema. My doctor recommended me to a dermatologist who then recommended Protopic tacrolimus ointment, .1%. I was to use it on my face especially because after all the years of using steroid based creams my skin is very thin. This cream is not a steroid cream and it works by manipulating the immune system. It won't thin my skin and because it's an ointment, it didn't dry my skin out like the steroids did. I use very little of it on my skin because it actually stings when I put it on. You have to be very patient not to want to scratch after putting it on. The sting and itch actually subsides if you close you eyes and relax. It has worked for me so far and I don't use much of it so that's good.

My doctor still prescribes Betamethasone Valerate Cream .1% for my body. It just works faster. And again, I only put it on when I have a major flare up. All this medicated cream really freaks me out because I know they are not good for me but yet I also know it won't go away if I don't use it. So my mission every day is to use other non medicated moisturizers to keep my skin moist. Dry skin is the worst thing you can do to yourself if you have eczema. That's when flare ups occur and the itchiness become unbearable!

I also take antihistamine 10mg when I feel really itchy..especially at night. It calms me down and I don't scratch as much. I hardly take that because I'm afraid my body may build an immunity to it and then I'm really messed up when I really need it.

I remember taking some antihistamine pills in Singapore and I think it was Zyrtec or something and it made me so "spaced out" nothing bothered me. This wasn't really good for when you're working. I remember people are talking to me and I'm watching their lips move but couldn't understand what they were saying. Or it was more like I didn't care to listen. I was walking in a dream. Suffice it to say, that's not good.

I've read about tacrolimus ointments and how it affects some people so I am cautious when I use this cream, or any other medicated cream. Like they say, too much of anything is not good!

Because I've used all these medicated creams, I try to stay out of the sun. I used to sun tan a lot when I was a teenager but stopped because I became really sensitive to the sun. I actually burn faster now. So I don't go out and deliberately expose my skin to the sun. If it's too sunny, I usually wear long sleeves or have one near me so that I don't get burned. The sun makes my skin itch actually and my skin turns red.

Well, that's it for today. I hope to find some organic moisturizers to recommend soon. It's taking me some time. I don't want to spend money on anything that might not do the job or may irritate my skin. :) Like I said before, I'm just allergic to a lot of stuff.

Cerasee Tea

I'm still looking for affordable organic skin care product and have not decided what to try yet. However, I wanted to share with you one herbal tea that my friend recommended to me. It's called Cerasee and it's from Jamaica.

The tea is said to have blood purifying effects and as a wash it helps clear out skin irritations. I haven't used it on my skin but have been drinking it off and on now. It is said to help with stomach aches and when I feel sick to my stomach I drink it and it usually works pretty much right away. I feel better within half an hour. I've been looking up this tea and here's one of the links describing the benefits of the tea. http://yew360.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=3&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=24&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

Well, I'm not going to lie to you, this tea is BITTER. It's not a pleasant tea to enjoy if you know what I mean. It's like Chinese medicine. It taste bad but it works! Well, I've heard the same about Buckley's too, but people swear it works.

Anyways, as a stomach calming and overall well-being tea I think it's working for me. If this tea is good for cleansing the blood and system then that's great too. All I know it's that it's natural so I'm happy my friend recommended it to me. It's nice to have friends who care about you and look out for you whenever they can.

I know it's superstitious to listen to fortune tellers but I remember once a fortune teller told me that I need to purify my blood. I heard that eczema has to do with the body's inability to eliminate toxins from your body. He could be right on that. But he scared me because at that time I was working abroad in Asia and AIDs was an epidemic and the first thing I thought of was that. But I assure you, I've been tested and am not affect with that.

I know that Green Tea is good for the body too and I drink that as well. I think overall drinking more liquids is good for you. I just need to really cut down on my Ginger Ale and Coke intake!!! Too much sugar drinks can't be good for me.

WARNING: If you have diabetes please be careful when drinking this tea. I read that it hides the right measurement of your sugar levels and that is not good. Also, I think you are not suppose to drink this if you are pregnant.
So that's it for today. I still have to talk about my medicated creams with you but I'm too tired to do so tonight. See you tomorrow.

Panic Attack

Okay, so I was searching online again for eczema relief products and discovered some disturbing information about ingredients used in the lotions I've been using and are working for me. I'm so torn now because they are working but some of the ingredients used are known to be toxic and is not good for your body. They get absorbed into through your skin and can then cause problems. :(

Aaargh, now I have to really look for totally natural remedies because I want to eliminate putting on lotions that may cause other problems for me. I know we can totally eliminate all the bad things in life but I'm going to lessen the amount of harmful substances my body intakes. So the search is on for creams/lotions to use on my skin again.

After reading that "white petrolatum" is not good for my body because it can cause cancer!!! This ingredient is on every product that I use including my medicated cream base, I'm sure. I know I need my medicated creams when I have a major flare up so I can't avoid using it but I'm determine to lessen the exposure to this ingredient as much as I can. So last night I started using the 100% Pure Shea Butter. That is purely natural so I feel better about using it.

I'll talk about what other medicated ointment I'm using later tonight after I come home from my dinner with my friends. This ointment is suppose to be better for my face because it's an ointment so it help hydrate and skin will it stops the eczema. It's not steroids so it's safe to use on my face to avoid the thinning affects on my skin.

Anyways, this is just a short update to let you know that I'll be searching for organic natural products to hydrate my skin now. For my body and my face. It's going to be a long search because I am so allergic to so many ingredients that whatever I choose will be products I can both tolerate and works for my skin. There seems to be a lot of these products out there. They are a lot more expensive than what you'll find in the stores but hey man or woman, our health is important.

I'm going to continue to use the Shea Butter tonight to see if I could make it work. Oh I mix in tea tree oil on spots that was itchy just to help and that also is natural. I know I'm freaking myself out but I just feel if I can keep it as natural as possible it's going to help me in the long run.

Before I head out I'm going to spray a bit of the Thermal Spring Water on my hands and put some of the Shea Butter on. It's freezing out there today and that isn't good for my dry chapped hands.

Later.

Lubriderm Lotion - Unscented Moisture

Just as I said before, I'm always looking for "backup" lotions just in case my favourite body moisturizer, Curel, is not available at my favourite store. Contrary to what my friends may think, I'm a frugal shopper, especially when it comes to necessities. :)

You guessed it, I wasn't able to buy my usual Curel body lotion, so I had to find something else. I've heard about Lubriderm from my friends before but never tried it because I'm always worried about anything scented. However, I saw this unscented lotion the other day so I bought it to try. Well, I had to get something. The Shea Butter was a bit too greasy to use other than after my shower. Plus, it was starting to make me itch. :( So sad about that by the way, because I really wanted to use something that is all natural.

Anyways, I've been using this Lubriderm lotion for about 4 days now and it's okay. 580ml and around $6. One thing I like about this bottle is that you can see how much you've used, that will help me keep track of when I should get more. With the Curel bottle, you can't see through it and that's why I am in this situation now having to use a backup. :( You've seen the commercials haven't you? It claims to help you change your crocodile skin to soft and smooth all day long. Or am I remembering another brand?

Moving on, I would say that when I first put the lotion on my skin felt and looked moisturized. However, it only lasts for about 2 hours for me, not like Curel where it was really 24 hours or at least 8 hours because I didn't need to put on the lotion again until after I shower.

As a backup to ensure I moisturize my skin without irritation, I would recommend Lubriderm for those of you with the same dry skin type as I have. However, if you are looking for 24 hour moisture...Lubriderm Unscented Moisture is not going to do it for you. Nevertheless, it is still a pretty good product for sensitive skin. So I'm glad I bought it and am using it until my Curel is once again available at Walmart!!! (I still can't believe there was nothing available for at least 3 weeks now at all the locations near my place!)