I’ve seen many posts on line for people who have kids or are themselves experiencing dermatitis and eczema flare ups due to the increase in hand washing. I get it, I’ve had to use soaps that I’ve never used before when I am out and it’s caused an immediate reaction! We have to ensure though, at this time, that we are washing our hands often and we need to plan a little in advance to try and keep our skin in good condition. So I thought I’d share what I use in the hope that it might help others with sensitive skin.

First things first, hand wash. Look out for some kinder to skin hand washes like Childs Farm hand wash with grapefruit and organic tea tree oil, they also have a moisturiser you can use, which is safe for all the family to use and more cost effective too. You can find Childs Farm products in many supermarkets, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s have it, Boots and Superdrug, etc and you’ll find them in the baby aisle.

I personally use Eubos Liquid Washing Emulsion, which was recommended to me by my dermatologist abut 10 years ago when I had a serious atopic dermatitis flare up and I’ve used it as a hand wash and shower gel ever since (Childs Farm is the only other product I’ve used that has been fine on my skin). I always get Eubos online as it’s not available in the UK and opt for the refill pack as it works out a lot cheaper. This tends to last me at least 6 – 8 weeks as a little goes a long way! Just decant it into a travel sized bottle and pop it in your bag ready to use when you’re out.

As soon as I’ve washed my hands I apply a small amount of Avène XeraCalm AD Lipid-Replenishing Cream to keep my hands feeling soft and moisturised and it’s been working really well so far. Again, pop some in a travel sized bottle, so you always have it with you. You only need a tiny bit and it makes such a big difference. You might want to check Boots too as they often have special offers on Avene products. I’ve used Avene products for 10 years after the same dermatologist recommended it, this is by far the best moisturiser I’ve ever used and is worth every penny.

It may be a little trial and error in finding the right combination for you or your children’s skin and of course it can run a little pricey if you are a family washing your hands at this constant rate, so perhaps trying out store “own brand” sensitive skin hand washes might be a good place to start (hopefully you can find some in store, I know a lot are selling out very quickly), they tend to start around a £1 a bottle which isn’t too bad. As long as you have a good moisturiser to follow hand washing, you should be ok. I know how painful hands can get with an eczema/dermatitis flare up and wish you all the best and hope that some of these ideas may work for you too.

** This is not an advert for any of these products, just my own personal recommendations based on what I use on a daily bases.