My skin around the eyes just recently got sensitive from my retinol product. I use emu oil when it was red and itch. This oil is great for rash, insect bites, eczema and as moisturizer.

I have a friend who has the skin like yours, she got eczema on her jaw. She told me she used Avene (French line skincare) and then switched to cheaper Australian brand (she lives there). Over there Avene just like EL, Clinique, Lancome, with the counters in dept. stores. In US I think you've to mail order them. She uses creamy cleanser. If you're bored with Cetaphil cleanser (I don't like this, leave a film on my face and don't take off makeup very well), maybe you can try Aveeno Baby Creamy Cleanser or PC cleanser for dry skin (they said it's better than Cetaphil).
But if you've no problem with Cetaphil cleanser and lotion/cream, I'd say better stick with them.

For your body, try Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash and Lotion, Cottage Shoppe Body Wash and Body Butters (they use high percentage shea butter), Chelmsford Herbal Soap Co. body wash. The other good one is Vaseline Intensive Care lotion for dry and sensitive skin. HTH

www.cottageshoppe.net
www.csoap.com

Try using one of those scrubber balls made from nylon netting. You ought to try to figure out what is causing your allergy. Switch laundry soaps, and do an extra rinse cycle. I am sensitive to some soaps and cosmetics. My sisiters and I have awful reactions to Clinique. I am also sensitive to some foods, so I eliminate them or limit them. If you can find real olive oil castille soap, that is great to use for bathing. I have found a Greek version in some discount and health food stores--Kiss My Face (yup, that's what it's called.) I do like the feel of Cetaphil on the face--so smooth.

I am really struggling with my skin. I don't have rosacea, but I get really red cheeks, and inflamed feeling...prickly heat. Dermatologist said it is sensitive reactive skin.

I am going to try the phytomer accept line of skin care. Has anyone used it? I will post after I try it for awhile.

Hi Sheila,

I was just reading your post again.

Using exfoliants while your skin is reactive (if that is what is going on) may not be a good idea. Get it under control and then exfoliate.

Exfoliating will make your skin look much better and eliminates that dull look. Basically it is helping the skin cells shed faster than they normally do by removing them. There are many products available to do this, but some are very irritating to sensitive skin.

Sometimes if you can get the overly sensitive skin under control first and then you can use some of the products that bothered the skin to begin with.

Oily skin and dry skin aren't necessarily the same thing. A good esthetician might be able to stear you in the right direction for products. Sometimes taking something like flax seed oil helps the ithcy skin. It has helped me a lot.

My skins over sensitivity is something I've developed in the last couple years, and the stuff the dermatologist is giving me isn't doing much good (mine isn't eczema, but that is what the medicine is for). I'll keep you posted on how my skin is faring with the new products I got.

1) smack your dermatologist for treating you like a hypochondriac.
2) slices of cucumber will 'cool' almost any irritation (unless you're specifically allergic to them )
3) aveno colloidal oatmeal baths help the itchies a lot

oil glands are also triggered to rubbing or irritating the skin- so touching it as little as possible is a good thing- switch to the washcloths for infants, and change them every other day to keep them from collecting icky stuff.

keep a journal for your skin- how it looks/feels compared to relative humidity (and remember- raining outside does not humidify dry air in the house much during the winter)

grapeseed oil (or regular almond oil for massages) applied after the shower seems to help deal with the 'ash' of dead skin cells, and locks in moisture

attack this from the inside as well- cut back on salt, tannins, and caffiene, increase your liquid intake, consider adding a tablespoon or so of flax seed oil to your diet...

and then go back, and smack your dermatologist again.

When I was a kid, we all had allergies in the family. Finally the doctor suggested skipping the bath soap and using oatmeal. Mom cooked oatmeal, poured it into a baby pillowcase and knotted the case. Then she put it in the tub as it filled with water. We used the pillowcase with oatmeal filling as a washcloth. Boy, it was fantastic on our skin. If you are desperate, try it. No soap.

I have dealt with sensitive skin since college. I've had eczema and am allergic to all perfumes. In the last year my skin on my nose started swelling and I might have rosacea. I decided to try a new skin care plan after I did a lot of research online and I'm blogging about my experience each day so that I have a record of what works/doesn't work, and to hopefully help someone else who struggles with the same thing. I've dealt with redness on my face for the past few years.

Here is a link that might be useful: Skin Care Plan for Sensitive Skin