How To Find the Best Eczema Cream For Your Needs 

One in every ten people experiences eczema at some point in their life. So if you, too, are troubled by dryness, itching, and other uncomfortable symptoms, you can cure eczema with the right eczema cream.

The pharmacy aisles are loaded with hundreds of products that claim to relieve eczema, but you do not know which one to select. Honestly, so many options can be a baffling thing. Which products will genuinely help ease discomfort related to eczema?

In short, minimalistic and bland products with a short list of ingredients are best for eczema. Therefore, we have prepared a detailed guide to help you find the best eczema cream for your condition.

What Types of Eczema Products Are Available?

The best product for someone with eczema would be what feels best on their skin. Undoubtedly, the ingredients in eczema products vary. Before you start analysing the labels for ingredients, it might be a good idea to explore the types of eczema products available.

Eczema products come in four broad categories: lotions, creams, oils, and ointments. Lotions are spreadable products that are best for absorption into your skin. However, because they are absorbed so quickly, the effects of lotions are shorter than other options.

Creams have less water content than lotions and contain more oil. Heavier in consistency, creams take more time to sink into your skin, but you will not have to worry about reapplying them frequently. Ointments are the way to go if you want a product that will lock maximum moisture into your skin. Ointments contain a high amount of occlusives and are greasier than creams and lotions. Spread a layer of ointment on the affected areas and allow it to do its job. Even though ointments last well, they often transfer to bed sheets and clothes.

Skin oils are another commonly available type of eczema treatment. You will find options such as rose hip oil, argan oil, and tea tree oil. Some people may get results from these, but oil is typically the least recommended for eczema.

What Should You Look For in Your Eczema Cream?

Once you decide what type of eczema product is best for your skin, it is time to assess based on the ingredients on the label. Clearly, some components are better than others for sensitive skin.

Broadly speaking, you need to look for three categories of ingredients in your eczema products. They are emollients, humectants, and occlusives. Emollients repair the skin, and humectants moisturise, while occlusives lock the hydration and moisture in.

All three of these are commonly used for eczema, and some ingredients may even do double duty. For example, coconut oil doubles as both emollient and occlusive. So let’s have a look at what ingredients are considered suitable emollients, humectants, and occlusives for eczema products.

Emollients for Eczema Products

Emollients have healing properties. These ingredients soothe and soften the skin. In addition, they fill cracks in dry skin and repair from within. Usually, emollients are fats. As you might know, fat is essential for strengthening the skin barrier and helping it repair.

Products with emollients can restore natural fats in your skin. Some emollients are considered better for eczema than others. They are cocoa butter, coconut oil, fatty acids, shea butter, and ceramides.

Humectants for Eczema Products

Humectants always help attract moisture to the skin. They draw and bind with water from the air and from within the skin. Some good humectants for eczema include vegetable glycerine, aloe vera, and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) derived from plants like lactic acid and glycolic acid, and hyaluronic acid. However, humectants can cause burning and stinging when applied on their own, so it is best to select eczema creams that combine humectants with soothing emollients and occlusives.

Occlusives for Eczema Products

Occlusives have sealing properties. They keep hydration and moisture in your skin intact. Good occlusives for eczema are coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, and mineral oil.

What Ingredients Should You Avoid For Eczema?

When choosing creams for eczema, you need to be picky. There are plenty of products that might be soothing, hydrating, and beneficial to individuals with regular dry skin, but the same products might not be suitable for eczema. In addition, people with eczema have susceptible skin. So, they should always steer clear of skin products that may contain any allergens.

One of the first ingredients to avoid for eczema creams are fragrances. If it smells good, it is not for you. When picking a product for your eczema-prone skin, check the label carefully and look for the words fragrance-free, even if they are natural or organic products.

Essential oils may offer relief from eczema to some people, but it is still advisable to avoid them as you can develop an allergy over time. Lanolin is another common allergen you should consider avoiding. Sodium lauryl sulphate has a reputation for worsening eczema. Even though it is a common ingredient in many aqueous creams, it can cause redness, itchiness, and stinging.

Using organic products is any day better than using chemically made ones. Indeed, there are many benefits of opting for organic vegan products, but try to avoid botanical-heavy organic products with strong scents.

Our Recommendations

Natural Aid’s All Purpose Calendula Cream

Calendula, or pot marigold, is one of the most effective healing herbs. It contains plant-based antioxidants and a high quantity of flavonoids. This herb can fight not only bacteria and viruses but also inflammation.

No wonder Natural Aid’s All Purpose Calendula Cream is perfect for anyone with eczema. It has skin repairing and antimicrobial qualities. This cream can heal all external wounds (including your eczema-related wounds) faster by boosting oxygen and blood supply to the affected areas.

Apply Natural Aid’s All Purpose Calendula Cream topically three times a day to clean the affected area.

VMV Hypaollergenics - Grandma Minnie's The Big, Brave Boo-Boo Balm

If you have little ones in the house, VMV Hypaollergenics Grandma Minnie's The Big, Brave Boo-Boo Balm is a must-have. Great for babies of all ages, this balm is the remedy for all sorts of scrapes, wounds, and cuts. It is also the perfect solution for dry cuticles and eczematous patches.

The balm is made with coconut-derived monolaurin and has antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoal properties. It soothes, moisturises, softens the skin, and does not dry it. The balm is also an effective treatment for chapped lips, painful lesions, flaking skin, and raw nostrils.

Botani’s Olive Repair Cream

Botani’s Olive Repair Cream is an intensive anti-ageing moisturiser you can use both day and night. This cream is ideal for sensitive, dry, and ageing skin. The Olive Repair Cream offers deep hydration. It has a high concentration of olive squalene, which helps heal dry and damaged skin.

The formula used is highly penetrative. It promises long-lasting moisture and softens signs of ageing like wrinkles and fine lines. It is the perfect solution for anyone with mature skin who is struggling with skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

Botani’s Phytoseptic Natural Antifungal Skin Cream

Phytoseptic natural antifungal skin cream by Botani is a multipurpose cream that contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. While the name suggests it’s meant to treat fungal infections, it is also effective in relieving symptoms of eczema and dermatitis.

The organic cream will nourish your skin and reduces itching, redness as well as irritation of the skin. This cream is the ideal solution to chapped and sore eczema patches.

Best of all, its hypoallergenic formula makes it suitable for very sensitive skin. It can be used by pregnant women and also babies to treat their nappy rash. Golden seal, a perennial herb, is the main active ingredient in the cream that has been used for centuries as a treatment for skin disorders.

Conclusion

Are you tired of trying to find an eczema treatment that works? With so many options in the market, it is easy to get confused. Plus, what works for one person might not work for another. To narrow your search, select products based on the ingredients. Ingredients like cocoa butter, coconut oil, vegetable glycerine, hyaluronic acid, and mineral oils are good for eczema. If you know you are allergic to any ingredient, avoid products that contain it. In addition, avoid products with fragrances.

If you have tried a lot of eczema creams but still couldn’t find the right match, explore the suggestions in this guide. These natural creams are ideal for even the most sensitive skin types.