How to help heal eczema... our take on what works!

For those that may not know, Julie’s daughter Bea suffered with eczema as a child (read more about our story here). We tried everything to heal her skin; from prescribed steroid creams to products labelled pure and simple, to baby products and high-end skincare. Nothing worked until Julie turned to alternatives made from natural, simple ingredients, sourced from her kitchen. Going through that journey helped equip us with the information we needed to help Bea's eczema.  So here’s our take on what helped heal her dry and inflamed skin.

1.

Firstly we kept in mind products with artificial chemicals which will slow down the healing process and maybe even cause harm. Eczema causes the skin to become extremely sensitive, so we tried our best to only use natural, hypoallergenic ingredients. Read all about some of the simple, effective ingredients that we use as a company in last week's blog here. We found high street shower gels, shampoos and baby products can often contain harsh ingredients - even those labelled as simple. We really can’t stress enough how important it was for us to read the product labels and check that there were no harsh ingredients that disturbed the skin’s natural PH. We found prescription emollients tended to have chemicals that made Bea’s skin inflamed and sting – listen to what your skin is saying. As much as possible we want to be repairing the damaged moisture barrier with products that will be soothing when applied.

2.

Aim to keep stress to a minimum. This is easier said than done, but trying your best to lower cortisol levels will help aid your journey towards healing your skin. All over the internet there are brilliant ways to lower cortisol levels. Some people take ice baths (for the brave!), others prefer to do meditation and prayer, some like Pilates classes. You know what works for you. Prioritising more time out in nature is a great way to de-stress and a big help on your healing journey.

3.

One of the BIGGEST things that had a huge effect on Bea’s skin was changing her diet. Eczema is a form of inflammation in the body and there is growing research to suggest that sugar, wheat, and processed foods can lead to inflammation in the body. We do suggest trying to limit these foods as much as you can and, where possible, eat whole foods as much as possible. Not only will your skin almost certainly heal but you will feel so much better for removing sugar, wheat, and processed foods. Try it for a month and see the difference - brighter eyes, brighter skin and brighter you!

4.

And lastly, we suggest using a nutrient rich yet mild oil-based body butter like our 100% natural Lavender Hand Balm on the affected areas. You could also try a really simple moisturising bar to wash with like our Oat and Almond Soap. These both have mild yet mighty ingredients that will help aid your skins regeneration and health. Did you know that 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed into your blood stream un-filtered? This highlights the importance of choosing high quality gentle ingredients for your body. It takes at least 28 days for your skin to renew so if you do decide to go ahead with the above it’s worth trying it for more than 6 weeks to see the full results. It sounds like a long time, but 6 weeks flies by, and the results will be worth it.

5.

Finally, Julie stopped using fabric conditioner in the washing and did an additional rinse to remove any laundry soap residue. This was to ensure Bea’s skin didn’t come into contact with chemicals on her clothes or bed linen.

For those that need immediate relief we suggest trying the
Love to b eczema miracle bath. It works wonders:

~ Take a small muslin bag or clean sock, fill it with two handfuls of organic rolled oats (renowned for having epic anti-inflammatory properties) and add them to your chosen bag. Tie the top and place in a jug of boiling water and leave it for 24hrs.

~ Run a warm bath (not hot to avoid irritating the sensitive skin). pour the jug of oat milk into the bath with 1/2 a teaspoon of either olive oil or sunflower oil. A pump of our Lavender Body Oil is optional.

~ Whilst in the bath use the soaked bag of oats (or sock!) directly on areas that need it most, squeezing it out and washing the milk over affected areas. Soak in the bath for as long as you need, but at least 10 minutes. This will provide the best relief for itching and calm the inflammation.

~ When you come out of the bath re-hydrate the skin with a natural balm. We have heard wonderful things from customers using both Lavender Hand Balm and Lavender Body Oil on their affected skin.

The very best of luck to you in healing your skin. It isn't always possible to completely heal eczema and it can be a long journey . But keep going - we are firm believers that your body wants to do all it can to heal itself, given the right conditions!

Lots of love and encouragement
Julie + Bea

A little disclaimer – we are not medically trained . However, all of the Love to b products mentioned above have proven their efficacy over the years. This blog is based on our own experience with eczema.

Find further reading on eczema, the different types of eczema, treatments and triggers here.