It's way too early for mentions of Rudolph! (Kleenex Balsam Tissues)

Member Name: i_am_joy

Product:	Kleenex Balsam Tissues
Date:	17/07/09 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Kind and gentle, soft, strong, will prevent a sore and red nose during a cold or hayfever season

Disadvantages: Not as absorbant as other tissues

My daughter suffers from Hayfever and always has a packet of tissues in her bag during the summer months, when I mentioned how a recent very minor cold had left me with a sore nose she handed me a packet of Kleenex Balsam and sung their praises so loudly (and for so long) that the next sneezing fit I had I reached for them instead of my usual 'whatever is on offer' packet.

This was around six weeks ago and I can honestly say I'd never buy another brand of tissue again. Kleenex claim that these tissues will help to prevent a sore and red nose thanks to the added Calendula balm, they can also help to soothe your nose if it's already sore as the balm will leave a 'micro-fine layer of Calendula' on your skin.

Having looked up Calendula on the internet I can tell you it's a species of marigold which can be found throughout the Mediterranean and in certain Middle Eastern countries. It has several medicinal uses, with the most pertinent useage relating to this review being it's anti-inflammatory properties and also the fact that it can help to soothe irritated skin.

The tissues themselves are 2 ply and of an average size, albeit slightly thicker than most tissues on the market. I have found them to be strong and durable, I have not had a single tissue rip or tear during normal useage and they keep their shape very well. My granddaughter actually left a tissue in her pocket which inadvertently went through the washing machine and thankfully the tissue didn't shred into tiny white bits to coat the laundry, just sort of mushed up on itself into a ball.

I originally used these Kleenex Balsam when my nose was already in a bad state; the skin was sore around my nostrils and also at the sides and tip of my nose, it was looking chapped and every time I used another tissue it was being made worse. I instantly noticed how much softer these tissues are compared to other brands and was pleased to find that although I could feel there was some kind of balm used the tissues didn't feel slimy or wet.

There is a slight sheen to the tissues which is presumably the effects of the balm, this serves to make the tissues extremely soft and they feel so gentle on irritated skin. Unfortunately this sheen makes the tissues less absorbent than other tissues I have used; if I may go into a little detail here, if you have a particularly 'wet' cold then you will need to be aware that these tissues will not soak up as much of the mucus as tissues which have a rougher surface. I mention this in particular for hayfever sufferers as when my daughter is having a bad pollen day the by-product of her sneezing is very liquid, much thinner and totally different to what you can expect when you have a cold.

This causes no problem to me as I generally use my tissues to dry sneeze into or just to wipe my nose if it's feeling a bit tickly or if I need a quick blow (which isn't often as blowing my nose tends to make my ears pop!). I have found the Kleenex Balsam tissues to be kind every time and last fortnight, when again I suffered a minor cold, I was impressed with how unaffected my nose was by the whole business.

I suffer with eczema on my body but luckily have only a tiny patch on the edge of my nose which is roughly half the size of a five pence piece, it's this patch of eczema that suffers the most when I am constantly wiping my nose due to a cold and usually results in a painful sore developing which is made all the worse by the fact that such an unsightly skin problem is so visible on my face. Miraculously even after three whole days of wiping with these tissues the eczema hasn't been irritated in any way and actually looks to be in better condition which I can only put down to the balm in the tissues as I have made no other changes to my skin care procedure.

Kleenex Balsam tissues are slightly more expensive than other tissues on the market, but not horrendously so and they certainly won't break the bank. A pack of six pocket sized packets (containing 9 tissues each) will cost around £1.30, while a box of 90 tissues is £2.13 in Sainsbury's.

Summary: The best tissues on the market, I shall never change from this brand.