Soothing Relief (Clinique Exceptionally Soothing Cream for Upset Skin)

Member Name: shroud

Product:	Clinique Exceptionally Soothing Cream for Upset Skin
Date:	14/03/03 (1237 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: soothes irritated skin, calms angry red skin and h brings blotchiness under control, helps skin heal

Disadvantages: expensive to purchase in one go

I am very careful what I use on my very sensitive skin. Occasionally, like most adults, I get dry flaky patches on my neck and face that get red and hurt like blue blazes. i also occasionally get those horrible red bumps on my face that feel like they are going to be a spot, but just are red, sore lumps that get bigger and redder. GRRRR

Of course, one of the first steps to maintaining good skin is to ensure all products you are using are compatible. If using a particular astringent to clean, and another brand to moisturise, and yet another to soothe irritation, you can be exacerbating your problem. Your astringent may be helping control your oily patches, but overstripping your skin's natural oils. You then apply your moisturiser, which soaks in and softens, but reacts to the chemicals left in your pores from the astringent resulting in redness and irritation. the pores can swell up deep within, and blaock off the moisture from reaching the surface. The blockage causes your skin to over react, starting the over production of oil to flush the pores out. You then get a oily skin type face wash and strip off more surface moisture. In desperation, you try creams and lotions to soothe the redness, but your daily regime prevents it from being effective.

The one way to be certain you are not going to fall into a vicious cycle is to either go to dermatologist or to a trained skin care specialist, such as at the clinique counter, and let them assess your skin. They will give you samples to try of the range they recommend and you can compare them with similiar products. With truly sensitive skin like I described above, however, I found it best to find one range, and stick to it. You end up not wasting your money trying product after product after product fruitlessly.

Now, having found your ideal range that are made to work together without interreactions, you can still encounter problems such as i do with the occasional patchiness and sore red l
umps. Or even a bit of heat rash or an insect bite. This lotion from Clinique contains hydrocortisone acetate, which is a mild topical steroid. It's purpose is to sooth the irrition so that the soreness flees, and tehs welling of the tissues (even that you can not see on a cellular level) goes down, allowing the skin to heal. You can get this as a stright cream from most chemists, but it is a bit strong ordinarily for delicate skin areas. Clinique dilute it down with other anti-irritants and antioxidants to aid in the soothing and speed up healing so that it works optimally on the delicate face and neck areas. The cream is 100% fragrance free, without the usual yucky non scent such things can have, and allergy tested to be hypoallergenic. It is not a substitute for a moisturiser, however, so you will still need to use the regular moisturiser that you have had recommended. It does an excellent job for what it is for, and I have even used it on upcoming spots and had them go away much quicker, as it reduced the irrition and allowed the pore blockage to clear without too much bother.

As for costs, 30 ml is £20, but remember, you do not use this every day, just as needed to help with skin flare ups and other passing skin annoyances, so it lasts and lasts and lasts. Do not use more than seven days in a row as directed, this has to do with the topical steriod precautions. I have had this particular jar for 2 years now, so I would say I have had my money's worth! It even helped soothe my shingles. AHHHH. Another fine product that I will stretch my pennies to keep on my shelf!

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