Skinfix brunch at the Riding House Cafe and review

2 weeks ago I was invited to a brunch held at one of my favourite places to do breakfast, The Riding House Cafe, Soho, by Canadian Skincare company, Skinfix. With my little buddy Sasha in tow (I love companies that let you bring your little ones when you’re stuck on a week day!), we trotted off up town to find out more about their products. You see, this isn’t just any range of skincare, but one that focuses on both products for adults and children with eczema. 

Our family is one that unfortunately has members who suffer from the condition: Adam has been a life-long sufferer, who often gets sore hands, and Freddie has inherited this from him. When F was a baby, he’d flare up in patches all over his body, and now gets sore patches behind his knees and also on his hands. They can crack and bleed which makes him cry, poor thing. We’ve tried eliminating dairy from his diet which helped short-term, but it tends to be changes in temperature and also excessive hand washing that triggers flare ups. For F it’s been quite bad lately, I think because when we went on holiday to Disneyland we were doing extra toilet stops, and therefore a bit more hand washing throughout the day. 

To treat the condition, we’ve always used steroid cream, prescribed by the doctor, which is fine, and does work. BUT there’s always a slightly uneasy feeling of using heavy medication on the skin on a regular basis, which is why I was keen to see in the flesh what Skinfix had to offer. 

Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Skinfix is shaking up the beauty industry with its natural, clinically proven and dermatologist recommended skincare products for every member of the family. Whilst the company is based in Canada, the actual healing balm is an 100 year old formula, originating in Yorkshire, and the company are excited to bring it back to the UK. 

After brunching on delicious coffee, fruit and pastries (I think Sasha may have eaten a whole fruit platter to herself!), we were able to talk to the company and find out more about Skinfix, test out the products and also, most importantly, take some home to try out on the afflicted members of the family. 

So what do we think?

Freddie and Adam have now been testing a few of the products for two weeks- Adam the Skinfix Soothing Wash and the Skinfix Soothing Lotion, and Freddie has been trying out the Skinfix Baby Gentle Eczema Balm.

Adam was keen to try out the hand wash, as finding one that doesn’t irritate his hands has often proved tricky. Two weeks on, and Adam says that his hands are less cracked, and feeling less sore overall, also thanks to using the Soothing Lotion after every hand wash. 

We’ve been using the Gentle Eczema Balm on Freddie’s legs and on his hands, and I can honestly say that this has made a HUGE difference, I am very impressed and I’m hoping this means that we can keep the steroid cream for particularly bad flare ups, as the balm seems to be keeping the usual bouts well under control. The balm is quite greasy at initial application, but sinks in easily and I think it’s actually nicer to apply than a cream. The smell of the products is very earthy and natural (but not at all unpleasant), and this is because there are no yukky added perfumes in the products that could cause further irritation (you won’t believe how many things have added ‘extras’ in like this!).

The Gentle Eczema Balm is made of 98% natural ingredients, and is free of steroids. It’s also totally nut-free, as well as fragrance and gluten-free, so gives peace of mind too. 

If I had only one ‘negative’ about the range (and I’m being very picky here because I’m a definite fan!), it’s that it’s fairly pricey (£14.50 for the baby balm as an idea), BUT a little goes a long way. To be honest if a product makes Freddie and Adam’s skin improve their discomfort it’s a price we’re willing to pay, as nothing we’ve tried so far has worked quite like Skinfix has. 

As well as using Skinfix ourselves, it’s also prompted me to do some of my own research on eczema care, and also on the brand. I discovered that Skinfix have their own YouTube Channel, and found that this video is really useful when it comes to more info about eczema prone skin and keeping it healthy (I found this myself by the way, no obligation at all to include this in any way!).

The adult range is out already in all larger Boots stores, and the baby/children’s range is due out in June, so do hotfoot it down to your local one to get your mitts on some! 

I am SOLD on Skinfix now, and can’t wait until the range for little ones hits the stores so we can top up!

I was invited by Skinfix to their brunch and given some products to try out, under no obligation for a review. All words here are my own, and I’ve been so impressed I felt I had to share!

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.