Balneum Cream for Dry Skin and Eczema REVIEW

AD – Balneum Cream gifted for review

I have suffered from dry skin and eczema for as long as I can remember. Of all the characteristics I wished I’d inherit from my Mother; her fashion sense, her long legs, or her ability to see the good in everyone, dry skin wasn’t one of them!! My Mum had terrible eczema on her hands, and as a child I remember watching her wince as she applied her smelly lotions before bed, desperately trying to get her itching and discomfort under control whilst her skin was chapped and broken. Now not only have I developed eczema, but sadly the girls have as well!

Luckily my eczema and dry skin doesn’t affect my entire body; instead there are specific areas which always seem to flare up, particularly when it gets hot or if I am feeling stressed. These areas include my hands, inner arms (at the joints) and the back of my knees.

My skin gets dry and itchy, red and inflamed, and the more I scratch, the worst it seems to get. I am incredibly self conscious of my skin and as such, try and cover the sore redmarks whenever I can. However, when the mercury rises and it’s the season for summer dresses and strappy tops, this is easier said than done – my unsightly red skin is hardly the blemish free summer vibe I would like to be giving off!

Having had eczema for quite some time, I have tried my fair share of creams and treatments, with varying levels of success. I was recently asked by Mumsnet to put a Balneum cream called Balneum Dry Skin and Itch Relief Cream to the test, swapping it out for my previous products for a period of four weeks. Read on to see how we got on!

About Balneum Cream

Balneum cosmetics offer a complete line of skincare products aimed to provide relief from dry and itchy skin conditions, and are suitable for families and children over the age of three. They work by rehydrating the skin, leaving it soothed and feeling nourished. Balneum have made it their mission to help you itch less and live more, whatever your lifestyle may be.

We were sent a Balneum cream called Dry Skin and Itch Relief Cream – which is available to purchase at most Boots stores and online, retailing at £12.99 for a 200ml bottle.

Balneum Dry Skin and Itch Relief Cream is a easily absorbed cream that reduces itching, and hydrates skin with the help of two active ingredients – lauromacrogols and urea. Lauromacrogols acts like a local anaesthetic, providing relief and reducing the uncomfortable sensation of dry skin in less than 5 minutes post application. Urea on the other hand is a natural moisturiser that helps keep skin hydrated; strengthening your skin and acting as a natural barrier against bacteria.

The brand state that using the Balneum cream regularly helps to lock in moisture and replenish much needed oils, keeping the skin moisturised for longer whilst relieving itchiness, dryness and discomfort.

Balneum Dry Skin and Itch Relief Cream is ideal for those with dry itchy skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.

Our Experience of Balneum Cream

I have been using Balneum Dry Skin and Itch Relief Cream for around 4 weeks now, swapping from my normal eczema cream, and applying Balnuem twice a day (morning and evening).

With the recent hot weather, my skin has been particularly bad of late, with the temperatures playing havoc with my skin and making me feel more insecure and itchy than ever! I have had large flare ups on the inside of both my arms, which look both sore and unslightly and they have really been getting me down.

My first impressions of Balneum were very positive. Unlike some creams for treating eczema which can smell quite medicinal, Balneum Dry Skin and Itch Relief Cream has an extremely subtle and natural scent, so after application, you are not carrying around a constant reminder of your skin condition.

It absorbed very quickly into my skin, with only a small amount required over the affected areas. I used Balneum immedidately following my shower as part of my morning routine and again just before I went to bed, dotting some across my arms and stroking downwards in the direction of my hair growth as recommended. The cream dispersed within seconds leaving just an ever so subtle sheen, and didn’t leaving me feeling sticky or clammy as a result.

By the end of the first week, whilst the redness hasn’t reduced as such, the itching symptoms had definitely calmed down, with me being far less aware of my skin than I would normally be. Whilst this doesn’t sound like huge progress, just removing the desire to scratch was a huge positive, as ultimately it is the scratching that was exacerbating how red and sore my skin’s appearance had been. With less scratching, I was also less likely to introduce more bacteria to my already sensitive skin.

By the end of the second week, I started to see a little improvement in how ‘angry’ my skin looked, and on particularly hot days when the itching started to return, I found that applying Balneum had an almost instant soothing effect.

Now at the end of week 4, I can now see a marked improvement in my skin, which although still has some redness, is far less angry looking and is reducing in it’s shade. Most importantly Balneum has been very effective in reducing the constant desire to itch and scratch. Whilst I do still have occasional flare ups, especially if I have been exercising or out in very hot temperatures, I find that applying Balneum twice daily really helps contain the symptoms and help keep them under control.

Overall, I am really very impressed, and will continue to use Balneum Dry Skin and Itch Relief cream to target my most troublesome areas.

*This is a collaborative post*