Cooling, soothing miracle cream (Care Aqueous Calamine Cream)

Member Name: mrsgladwin

Product:	Care Aqueous Calamine Cream
Date:	03/07/09 (180 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: See review

Disadvantages: See review

After having a lovely day out with hubby and bambino yesterday, I noticed that I had managed to get sunburnt, despite smothering myself in sun cream. I therefore reached for some ultra cooling miracle cream. No, not after sun, my trusted aqueous and calamine cream.

It's pretty much what it says on the tin, aqueous cream mixed with calamine. Aqueous cream on its own it renowned for its moisturising properties whilst calamine is synonymous with soothing itchy, irritated skin. So mix them together and what do you get? A miracle cream.

This miracle stuff comes in a rather uninspiring white tub which when opened reveals a pink-ish cream. You apply it in the same way you would apply any type of moisturiser; just liberally spread wherever it is needed.

Like I said, on this particular instance, I used it on my sunburn. I slapped it all over the effected area and instantly began to feel the effects. You can feel the calamine soothing and cooling the area and completely taking the heat out of the burn. I always use this when I'm sunburnt (which is rare, I'm usually obsessive with my sun cream!) and have never peeled which I put down to the moisturising properties of the aqueous cream. The cream itself is quite thick, a similar consistency to a body butter, but I found it easy to spread and it absorbed easily, without leaving me a sticky mess.

The beauty of this product is its many uses. I work in a pharmacy and we recommend it for children (or unfortunate adults!) with chicken pox along with an antihistamine. Calamine lotion is well known for being used for chicken pox but can be quite messy and leave a "chalky" residue where it is left. The beauty of this cream is that you can spread it everywhere, rather than dab, and the action of applying the cream is soothing in itself. Due to calming nature of the cream, it can prevent infections being caused by excessive scratching. My friend used it with her little one when she had the dreaded pox, and said it was a God's send.

It can also be used on rashes and insects bites or any other minor skin complaints providing the skin isn't broken. The only cautions are to those sensitive to phenoxyethanol or any other ingredient in the cream, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding should contact their doctor before use.

I paid £1.25 for a 100g tub from my local chemist (the one where I work) and think it's up there with Sudocrem as one of those must have creams for minor skin complaints.

Advantages :

- Many uses
- Inexpensive
- Soothing
- Moisturing
- Really works!

Disadvantages:

- Smells a little chalky but that can be expected of something containing calamine

Summary: Ditch your aftersun!