HAVE YOU USED THESE BEFORE?

So now I'm hoping if you visit my blog to help me with some of these products.
Have you used any of these before and did they work for you?

EMUAID

• I found this draft post I had and this product was part of this post I wanted to post.
• If you have tried this before, let me know if it works for you and how you used it. Such a small jar so cannot seriously be used on the whole body right?

DUPIXENT

• Recently I was referred to a dermatologist who recommended that I take Dupixent to treat my eczema. 
• I have doubts about adding another "possible" cure or relief substance in my body which can potentially cause more and different problems for my body just so I can have better looking skin and less itching.
• I'm not sure I want to do that. I have enough problems coping with eczema. You know what I mean?
• Also, I'm not sure if he just wants me to try the new drug which help some people to help me or for another willing subject to try a new drug to "hopefully" help alleviate my symptoms. It's the look in his eyes. The dismay when I told him my concerns about taking a drug that may cause new issues. It's not a risk I was willing to take.
• I guess if I really felt that he truly cared about me as a person, I may have considered it a little more but it was the lack of care. The lack of accountability and compassion. That is what kills me. I'm a human being with an issue. Not a subject.
• I can live with what I have right now until it become unbearable and I cannot move or something but I'm not going to be super vain and want to do it just so I can wear short sleeve or no sleeves clothing.
• My partner doesn't want me to take it either and he knows how my skin looks. I am so super grateful he is so loving and caring, plus he looks past superficial appearances. He doesn't like me to suffer from the itching, rash skin and flaky skin either but he agrees with me that I should not introduce anymore chemicals into my body.
• What are your thoughts? Is there actual a dermatologist out there that really cares about their patience. I mean just having to go to him to see him gives me stress with the lack of care he gives for my well being. 

Oolong Tea for Eczema Relief?

It's been awhile but nothing much has changed except recently when my eczema flare up lasted longer than I desired.

A few things I realized for 2018:

• I ate a lot of sweet delicious oranges during my skin flare up and after stopping for a week, my rash seems to be less red.
• Paprika intake in a soup recipe I followed may have also contributed to the rash. However, I thought paprika is supposed to be good for me. :(
• The weather has been really dry I think this winter. The office environment also dries out my skin and if I am lazy and did not spend enough time in the morning to moisturize my body, my skin gets so dry that I feel it is pulling. With the eczema rash, it feels like it would if I had a sunburn. Moving around, getting up and down from my seat was really painful.

Trying a few things starting this week:

• I mixed together a salve from raw shea butter, lavender essential oil, witch hazel oil and tea tree oil. 
• I use it on my rashed skin area after a couple of days after applying my steroid cream. The salve seems to help with moisturizing and at the same time heal any broken skin due to my scratching.
• If I can avoid using steroid cream I will.
• I think after I finish with the shea butter I may use Vaseline as the base. 
• Will provide an update after a month.
• Going to start drinking Oolong tea. 
• I remembered reading and hearing from my parents that Oolong tea is good for your health.
• So I Googled it and found an article. It says the tea is good for your skin and eczema as well. :) I'll drink it moving forward to see if it helps. :) Supposed to be good for managing weight loss.
• Hope it's true. Borrowed this picture from organicfacts.net
• 
• Continue using Kiehl's products. They are still working well for me. However, I've switched from the Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm to the Ultra Facial Cream. The balm was too rich for me, can you believe it? I was developing whiteheads on my forehead and cheeks. Now, I use the Ultra Facial Cream and it moisturizes great and my whiteheads are diminishing. I use Witchhazel to help to diminish the whiteheads.

Back to keeping my skin healthy. :)

See you soon.

2016 Year End Skin Regime Post

WOW, it seems again I have left my blog untouched for a full year. But no worries, I do have exciting news for eczema and general skin maintenance lovers. :)

2016
This year has been a year of new things for me. I've started to take my vacation when I am supposed to no matter what and really enjoyed my time and distressed.

Has it helped my eczema? It kind of did, I still get really dry skin.  Depending on my stress level due to work or my own personal stress levels, I do still get flare ups. The key is to stay moisturized of course. It's when I am lazy, my skin get too dry and my rash begins.

I've continued with some of the products I always go to when I have flare ups to decrease any further allergic reactions and I have discovered a new regime to help me maintain my hydration. Here they are:


VASELINE

No matter what, this is a must to have at home. It does the job to keep my skin moist. It's a bit greasy but it does not cause any allergic reaction and it does not sting my skin when I do have a rash.

Works best when applied after a shower when my skin is still damp. Builds a barrier so that my skin does not dry up, and my skin dries up real quick without any moisturizer.



KIEHL'S PRODUCTS

The following are products I ended up buying coz I ran out of lotion during my trip to Asian. I went to Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan. When I left Korea and on my way to Japan, I had to make sure I got my moisturizer for my face or I'll be in big trouble. I was desperate and went into the Duty-Free shop before my flight. I was with my friend and she got the store lady to help me and the store lady recommended me to use the Kiehl's Nurturing Baby Cream For Face & Body. 

She said that I will not be allergic to that, so I bought it. It is the best. Expensive for the size but it worked really well in the humid weather, and also now in the winter. I only have to put it on once a day and it lasts the whole day long!

At the same time that I got the cream for my face and body, I also got the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm for my face...just in case. And I am so glad that I did, it really moisturizes my skin, and a little goes a long way.

So after the two purchases, and as soon as I got back to Toronto, I went and looked for other products that may help me. Check them all out here.

The Hydro-Plumping Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate, I put on first, then I put on the Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm and the Creamy Eye Treatment.

The BEST. Oh my goodness, the eye treatment stopped the skin around my eyes from peeling. Yes, people, it is true, the skin around my eyes was so dry, it peeled. It was the worse part of my face to handle. The corner of my eyes used to split...that is how dry it was. No more flaky skin falling off my face anymore.

I have also purchased other products in the baby range. They all work really well!!!  I think this line of skin product is working well for me, so I'll continue using it. But like all products, sometimes you have to change once in awhile. I don't know why but somehow, products stop working as well after awhile. Let's see how long this line will last for me. :)

Okay, it's almost dinner time and being new year's eve, I better now spend some time with my lovely man!

Happy New Year, 2017 to all.

Hope this coming year will bring you much skin relief and hope this update may help you keep hydrated and less allergic.

Just so you can see my skin, no filter. No flakes, WOOT!!!

Peace, 😆😋💓

Prednisone v.s. Protopic, Cream v.s. Lotion 

Well, it has come to this again. The new dermatologist I went to seek a diagnosis on my eye issues with eczema. I didn't know what exactly it was but it has been so dry and flaky for almost a month now. I would have one good day when I am not at work and then because of the dry air in the office it drying happens even when I try to moisturize during the day. Doesn't help when colleagues think I'm obsess with looking at myself. They don't really understand the feeling of the tight feeling I have and having the need to look what the heck is up with skin around my eyes. When I see that's is dry and cracked I'm freaking out. What the hell can you put around the area without affect the inside of my eyes. Too much moisturizing seem to build protein from within. There was no winning there.

Biggest mistake was to stretch my skin to make the tight feeling go away. I only split the corner of my eyes and holy cow that hurt. Not to mention I know nicely created more wrinkles. Aaargh.

Anyways, I know if I take the Prednisone pill my skin will miraculously clear up and that is all of my skin, not just around my eyes. But there are side effects for taking Prednisone, it's basically instead of applying the steroids directly to the affected areas you are not ingesting the steroids and it's going to work on your entire body. I've taken this while I worked in Asia and let me tell you that it works. But it also create problems with your body. Especially if you are female, yeast infections comes every time I take them. It could be because of the place I was in, where it's pretty humid in the first place but it's not fun having to see one doctor and ending up seeing another type just because I want the easiest way out of the other.

I took the prescription but I think I need to hold out and see if applying the Protopic will help. He said that I could try to use that first if I am adverse to taking the Prednisone, it's my choice. Well of course it's my choice, I hate to create another known problem from taking the prescription. I've been there many times and it's the worse circumstance. Who needs two problems.

I'm taking the weekend to religiously apply a thin layer where my eyes are affected. It's not a steroid cream so it won't thin my already very thin skin around my eyes. I wanted to see and hear the Dermatologist tell me what I can put around my eyes and eyelids before doing it regularly and he said putting the Protopic will be okay. He also talked about moisturizing and taking lukewarm baths. We all know this already but who has the time to take a bath these days. I guess I really do need to make the time for ME. The interesting recommendation was to use the Aveeno oil NOT the oatmeal powder. I knew that didn't work for me but I guess they know that now too. That powder just makes me itch more.
The other recommendations were Oilatum bath oil and Alpha Keri oil. I like the Oilatum, and the Apha Keri oil I've used before and it smells great but I think I'm a bit allergic to that one.

And get this, Vaseline Petroleum Jelly was one of his choice of recommendation to moisturize with. One of my friends is really against people using it but yet that is the only thing that really keeps my body moisturized, especially after a shower or bath. Especially when my skin is at it's driest and flaky. Once I get over that flaky stage I would switch to use CeraVe Cream or Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. The key is using cream...he said not anything that you can pump out like lotions because lotions contain too much water. He actually he also recommended Lipikar Baume...I've used that and I like it but it's kind of pricey.

It's Saturday so last night I took my anti-histamine Atarax which makes me drowsy but I guess it does calm me down and let's me sleep through the night. Taking two pills was recommended when I really have an attack, but then don't bother thinking I'll wake up for anything after that. Aaaaah, the pleasure of not having to wake up for anything on the weekends (other than your own social and family life calling).  Stress is just everywhere, if you are not working and getting stressed, your family likes to stress you out whether they know they are doing it or not. All I want is to be stressed free, but it seems in order to be stressed free you need to not have feelings and empathy. That's not me, I'm too empathetic and too emotional.

So, I've decided to take the longer approach for now and see what happens with Protopic and Vaseline to moisturize around my eyes. We'll see what happens. If it still does not work...THE PREDNISONE.

Anyways, I know if I take the pill, I'll clear my rash within a few days...however, the side effects and another one is that my face will blow up like a balloon. Chubby or Michelin face is what my colleagues in Asia would call me. :( Nice. NOT.

I will provide an update on my progress with this and hope that my Protopic and Vaseline approach works.

Ciao for now.

Happy 2013! Before I start working again and have no time to post...as you can see from my 2012 entry of only one!  I want to share with you a few products I've been using for 2012 and they have proved to be very helpful.

1. CeraVe moisturizing cream 
I really like this cream, it does not sting my skin even when I have a flare up and it's necessary for me to use a cream to moisturize my very dry skin. It's about $22 -$25 for a 453g/16oz tub. I notice my skin being more supple after a couple of days use. :) Well.ca sells it online if you want to check it out here. 


2. Lipikar BauemAP by La Roche-Posay
This body balm was recommended by these ladies who saw how dry my skin was during a really bad eczema flare up. So amongst other lotions and creams they recommended this balm for my body. I was going into Shoppers Drug Mart to get my CeraVe moisturizing cream but they told me to use this one it's better. Well, I did buy it and did use it and it's really rich but when I had a flare up it did sting a bit. So, not that it's not good but I would not recommend using it if you have a rash flare up. It was also expensive but I forgot how much it cost...maybe because it was too expensive and I didn't want to remember? Hee hee. The bottle I bought was a 400ml and it's probably around $27 or so but since it's not as effective as CeraVe for me, I still have a bit left and use it when my skin is not red with rash patches.

3. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra
Okay so this one I do recommend for prepping the skin before moisturizer and I bought it actually for my really dry and flaky eyelids. Last year my eye lids got so dry and flaky it was driving me INSANE. It was so dry it cracked as well and oh my goodness, what do you put on your eyelids? Well, the ladies recommended me to this lotion because they said I could use it around my eyes and eyelids. It works, but as a primer before something else. The fact this Vaseline is what I put on thereafter and is the only thing that keeps the dry flakes away! Not going to lie, this little bottle of 40ml is not cheap...but comes in handy!


4. Eau Thermale Avene -Thermal Spring Water
This I use to spray on my face before applying any moisturizer...just helps with the absorption of the moisturizers I use. You may not need to use it but because my skin is so dry this mist of spring water helps dampen my skin and gets it ready for moisturizing! And I have one at home and one at work. The office is so dry so sometimes I spray a mist on my face and it wakes me up and helps just before I put on more moisturizer during the day.

5. Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser
I love, love, love this cleanser for my face. It really calms my itchy face down and I think at the same time it moisturizes while I clean my face!!! Some times I use it as a body cleanser. Again it's not cheap but the bottle lasts a long time, you don't have to use a lot of it. The texture is so slippery it works well when you want to give yourself a facial massage...it's awesome!
 


So, that's all for now but I think I'll still be using these products for awhile yet since I still have a lot of it...expect for CeraVe cream, I run out on that faster than the others. And always, have Vaseline petroleum jelly with me ALWAYS. My friend recently was very upset when another friend of mine and I mentioned that we use Vaseline petroleum jelly but the fact is this is the only product that really gets rid of the stubborn dry flakes from my face and lips sometimes. And the only product that gets rid of split, dry cracked lips.

Hope you are able to keep the eczema flare ups at bay! I'm keeping it at bay as much as I can but honestly the best way is to NOT each stuff you should not eat and MOISTURIZE regularly!

Hazelwood and Eczema

Hmmm, I just came across a few blogs regarding hazelwood and how it helps those who have eczema. Something about eczema suffers may have too much acidity in their system and hazelwood takes away the acidity to help clear up the rash.

Well, I'm a sucker for natural remedies and so I just bought online a hazelwood necklace...what could I lose really? I mean, it looks pretty good to just wear as jewellery. I bought this one. :) I also got a bracelet with a mixture of Amber, as Amber is supposed to help with any aches and pains. Worth trying out I think.

So I'm not sure when I'll get my delivery but I'm getting excited to start this testing and hoping it may help me keep my eczema breakouts in check. This winter weather is not helping me at all. I just put on some lotion and all I've done thus far is scratch it off. I need to stay moisturized but it's hard, I can feel the heat suck all the moisture out of my skin. My man put on the humidifier for me as he knows I get really dry and itchy without it. So sweet.

Anyways, I was so excited about this find, that I needed to record it here and to keep whoever is following me in the know. :) I will provide an update this as soon as I get to use it. Some people are saying the results are like within 24 hours of wearing it. Who knows, may help.

Oh and by the way, HAPPY 2012!!! xoxo.

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.

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.

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. :)

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!)

Not affected by Beef tonight?!!

It's been 3 hours since I had my dinner with ground beef and my face seems fine.
I did get an itch around my right corner of my lips during the dinner but it's not itchy anymore.

So now I'm wondering what else I ate last night that might have triggered off my eczema! The only thing I did different yesterday was the Beef pasta, so it's a mystery.

On to another topic...I was just searching the net again on Eczema and there are so many site talking about this skin condition and some claiming there are cures. There are no cures man, let's just face it. It's going to be a life long skin management to ensure that the rashes and the itching doesn't get out of hand. The worst feeling is having dry, flaky, red, itchy and stingy skin and ALL OVER YOUR BODY. The thing is that once the flare disappears someone who doesn't know you might not even know you have Ezcema if you didn't scratch so hard that your skin bleeds and leaves a scar. That's why people who claim they know how it feels to have Eczema really pisses me off.

"Don't scratch!" Yeah, easy to say and hard to do buddy!

Anyways, I have been itchy on and off today. I've decided to stop using the Shea Butter all together and concentrate just on the Curel and my medicated cream. I must use the meidcated cream once I see red skin because if I don't it just gets worse.

I'm going to search some more about "Cure your eczema" by Janet Simpson. She claims by following her system for 14 days you'll get rid of your Eczema. But she's going to charge $29.95 for her advice. I'm still wondering where else I can get to look at what she is claiming to be working for thousand of people. I'm not going to spend money on just advice baby!

Shea Butter

Okay I just posted my first blog on what helps me hydrate my skin and keeping it moisturized. And since my first blog, I've tried 100% Pure Shea Butter because, I like to have other options to hydrate my skin in case the other lotions run out in stores for some reason. (And they do, I couldn't get Curel for a bout a week because they didn't have the non-fragrant one on the shelves.)

So after a week of using Shea Butter, I must say that you HAVE TO use it right after taking a bath. Even if your skin is very dry this butter is really greasy, but if you use it right after taking a shower/bath, the butter works really well and doesn't leave a greasy fill.

I think I may use this butter only once a week because though it is a good moisturize and it's pure, I still find that Curel doesn't irritate my skin. I did scratch a bit when I used the Shea Butter this week. I wasn't really diligent on using it right after my bath so the greasy feeling is probably why I scratched.

I would recommend this butter for those who are not so sensitive because I am SUPER sensitive to products.

Okay more later. I'm also thinking of trying new clothing materials and be deligent about only wearing materials that won't irritate my skin. I think everything has to work together in order to control the undesirable itching that comes with Eczema and dry skin.

Moisturing Is Important to Keep Ezcema at bay

I've had eczema all my life from a baby till present day. If you are an eczema sufferer then you must know how hard it is to find the right products that won't irritate your skin. If your baby is affected by this irritating skin condition then I hope my trial and errors with products will help you find the right product for yourself or your child.

Basically, I've tried many products and when my eczema flairs up the only product that keeps my skin moisturized and does not irritate my skin is Curel-Continuous Comfort -fragrance free. (Make sure you do not buy the other variations. Only the the Fragrance free worked for me.) It gets absorbed very quickly and does not leave any oily film on your skin. ( You can get this product at any drugstore. Shoppers Drugmart, Walmart, PharmaPlus etc.)

When I was younger my dermatologist used to recommend Keri Lotion, but that never worked for me. Aveeno products usually do not work for me either. I'm so allergic to so many ingredients and certain lotion textures irritate my skin.

As I am getting older, I want to ensure that I'm using the proper creams/lotion on my face to keep my wrinkles at bay and to smooth out my flaking dry skin. My dermatologist suggested that I use the brand La Roche Posay. I'm just about to receive the a shipment of the product Cicaplast. The sample I used really worked. It was so instant, it amazed me. I only used it once and it's been a week since I've tried it --once - and it's still working. So I'm excited to start using the product regularly. I'll provide more updates on this product at a later date. :)