You know that feeling when you've been out in the cold and your hands are so dry they catch on everything? Or when your elbows look like they've aged about forty years ahead of the rest of you? Winter skin is nobody's friend, particularly when you're constantly washing hands, dealing with endless washing up, and generally running about in the elements.
If your skin's been feeling a bit sorry for itself lately, there's a new arrival in the skincare aisle that might be worth a look. Aveeno has just launched its Skin Relief Repairing Ointment, designed specifically for those stubborn dry patches that regular moisturiser just doesn't seem to touch.
What Makes It Different?
This isn't your standard body lotion. The new ointment is formulated for targeted, intense moisturisation on those really troublesome spots. Think cracked heels, dry cuticles, rough elbows and knees. You know, all those bits we tend to ignore until they're actually uncomfortable.
The formula combines what Aveeno calls a triple oat complex (oat flour, oat extract and oat oil) with shea butter. According to the brand, this combination helps support skin's essential elements including hyaluronic acid, ceramides and proteins. It also includes glycerine, which is clinically proven to help hydrate and protect dry, rough skin.
Skin Relief Ointment helps hydrate and heal dry, rough skin.
The ointment promises 72 hours of intense moisturisation, which sounds fairly promising when you're dealing with skin that seems to drink up moisturiser and still feel parched ten minutes later. What's particularly handy is that it's designed to be multi-purpose. You can use it on your body, face and even your lips, including those painful chapped bits that seem to appear the moment the temperature drops.
Perfect Timing for Winter Skin
Let's be honest, winter is brutal on our skin. Between the heating indoors and the wind and rain outside, we're all walking around looking a bit weathered by February. Add in the amount of hand washing we do as mums (trying to keep everyone's germs at bay is basically a full time job) and it's no wonder our hands end up looking like we've been scrubbing floors with wire wool.
The ointment is fast absorbing, which is crucial when you're trying to sort yourself out between the bedtime chaos and collapsing on the sofa. Nobody wants to sit around waiting for product to sink in when there's a cup of tea going cold on the counter.
It's also fragrance free and formulated without petrolatum, lanolin, mineral oil or dyes. That's particularly useful if you've got sensitive skin or you're dealing with little ones who react to strong scents.
Where to Find It
The new Aveeno Skin Relief Repairing Ointment retails at €12.99 and you'll find it in pharmacies and grocery retailers around the country. It sits alongside the rest of the Skin Relief range, which includes body wash, body lotion, hand cream and a few other bits if you're looking to sort out dry skin from every angle.
The existing range covers most bases. There's the Skin Relief Body Wash at €9.99 for gentle cleansing that won't strip your skin further, and the Skin Relief Lotion at €10.99 for everyday moisturising. If you're after something lighter, the Body Oil Spray (€9.99) combines oat oil with jojoba oil for longer lasting hydration. And if your hands are taking a particular battering, there's a dedicated Hand Cream for €6.99.
There's also a Soothing Lotion with Menthol (€7.29) which includes menthol extract for that cooling effect on irritated skin. All of them are dermatologist tested and clinically proven, which gives you a bit more confidence when you're trying something new.
The ointment format is ideal for keeping in your handbag or bedside locker for those moments when you need a bit of extra help. Whether it's post shower dryness, wind burn from standing on the sidelines of football matches, or just general winter wear and tear, it's designed to give your skin the intensive care it needs.
Winter's hard enough without having to deal with uncomfortable, itchy skin on top of everything else. Sometimes it's the small things that make the biggest difference to how you feel day to day. If sorting out those dry patches means one less niggling annoyance to deal with, that's got to be worth something.
You can find out more about which Aveeno product might work best for your skin type over at www.aveeno.ie.
