Summer Skin Protection

During the summer, I definitely think about skin care a lot more because of increased exposure to two elements--sun and water. I definitely think the jury is still out on how much sunscreen actually protects skin, but when your arm starts to hurt because of the intensity of the sun, you know you have to do something. I've been wearing my driving gloves and making sure I have extra hats in the car wherever I go, but still, it's hard to know if I'm doing anything to help my skin since I'm still brown all over. Sometimes when I'm in the passenger seat I will plaster the window with random sheets of paper so that only the space for the side view mirror is exposed. Not safe driving conditions I'm sure but Stewart says he prefers that I don't end up a shriveled-up prune like so many SoCal residents when I get older.

Summer also means increased exposure to water because (1) you swim more (at least my family does) and for longer periods at a time, and (2) you're taking more frequent showers because of the heat. I've found that too much exposure to water leads to dry, itchy skin. H is especially prone to it and if I don't cover him with anti-itch lotion from head to toe after his nightly shower (I know, people with dry skin should shower less frequently but when you've literally been rolling around in the mud, that really isn't an option), he gets so itchy that he will itch in his sleep and break skin. I've tried many different kinds of lotion and have found that all-purpose moisture lotions aren't good enough.

Curél Itch Defense Skin Balancing Moisture Lotion for Dry Itchy Skin seems to work well for the winner of my previous Curél giveaway, Amy Anderson (who blogs at Funny Yellow Mom). Amy says, "The Curél Itch Defense lotion that we tried out was very useful for us. My daughter is 3 years old and has had persistent eczema on her hands and arm folds for over a year and a half. While I used the Curél lotion in addition to another OTC lotion, it definitely seemed to help soothe her skin and keep the eczema under control." I guess that's why the Curél Itch Defense lotion was awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. The Itch Defense lotion "rebalances" skin in 4 ways, restoring its barrier function and ability to retain moisture, boosting moisturization and emollients to leave skin feeling protected, returning the pH balance to healthy levels and smoothing the skin's surface to minimize dryness and flakiness. Curél Itch Defense lotion is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin - including children's, having been clinically proven to help heal the symptoms of eczema on children as young as 6 months!

I will definitely be trying Curél Itch Defense lotion to help soothe H's dry, itchy skin as well as my own. After all, H inherited his sensitive skin from his mama. Hopefully using the lotion combined with the sun evasion techniques I've employed will help my skin avoid the reality of so many SoCal residents' bodies--looking old before its time!

I did not receive compensation for this post. I will receive a product sample to facilitate a future review. 

Curél Skin Advisor-GIVEAWAY

Congrats to #4 Amy Anderson picked by Random.org! 

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My son H and I have itchy skin. I know that stress is a trigger, but there must also be something in nature that triggers it because H recently had a very bad breakout after going to a park. There was a large overgrown hedge where he and three friends were have fun going in and out, pretending it was a fort. The attackers they were fighting off were ducks that waddled over from the nearby pond. That night, H started scratching and by the next day his whole body was covered with hives.

Lesson #1: Do not let your child play in bushes without examining first for poison ivy.

Lesson #2: Have OTC hydrocortisone on hand in case of sudden itches. Yes, that sounds funny.

Unfortunately I didn't have any hydrocortisone and I didn't want to treat it with anything until I figured out whether H had poison ivy or it was an allergic reaction. R and the other boys playing in the bushes didn't develop it so I determined it was an allergy. We finally went to the doctor after three days and it hadn't gone away using OTC treatments. The doctor prescribed a mild corticosteroid and it went away in ONE day.

All this happened shortly before I found out about the new interactive, online tool from Curél, the Skin Advisor that offers skin analysis and provides advice on common skincare issues. Dr. Sapna Westley, who currently serves as Assistant Attending Physician in the Department of Dermatology at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York City, partnered with Curél to create the Skin Advisor to help users identify and address skincare concerns like dryness, itching, allergies and eczema, to name a few. I learned from Dr. Westley that 10-20% of children have eczema, and many continue to suffer in adulthood. People don’t know what regimen is right for their skin and many times parents are also confused what they should be using for their children’s skin. 

Using the Skin Advisor is very straightforward. After you answer the questions, the Skin Advisor generates a customized analysis of their skin concerns as well as lifestyle tips and Curél product recommendations to treat those concerns. The advisor is very detailed, asking questions about skin type and very specific questions about symptoms people experience, just like Dr. Westley asks her own patients. The analysis generated is also very detailed and gives very useful tips and recommendations for people to start treating their skin. There is also a helpful allergen guide that people can navigate that can help target a specific ingredient that they can look for on product labels. 

For me, the Skin Advisor recommended Curél's new Itch Defense skin balancing lotion. I learned about habits that would help me stop itching, like hydrating twice a day. After you go through the Skin Advisor, the website also provides a coupon for $1 off so you can try the lotion recommended.

WIN IT! One of my readers will win the lotion recommended by the Skin Advisor or another Curél lotion of your choice. Contest period runs from Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 10:00 PM (Pacific) until Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 11:59 PM (Pacific). Enter by leaving the name of the Curél lotion recommended by the Skin Advisor or another Curél lotion of your choice, and leave your e-mail address OR sign in to comments using your Blogger ID, make sure your Blogger profile is public and includes your e-mail address. If you don't leave a comment that includes the type of lotion and your e-mail address or public Blogger profile, your entry will be disqualified. One entry per person. I reserve the right to extend the contest period. At the end of the contest period, I will utilize Random.org to randomly choose the winner. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and has 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, the lotion will go to the next place winner as decided by Random.org. This contest is open for US Residents only. Good luck!

I did not receive compensation for this post. I found the information useful and wanted to give my readers the opportunity to try the product.