I could write a thesis on derma body lotions, but it would be as boring to read as they are to use. You know the ones – rows of near-identical white and blue family moisturisers for extra dry skin, smelling of nothing, feeling like lard and standing unhappily away from the fun aisles full of fruity, silky and whipped creams costing half as much.
The joyless, pricey pharmaceutical aisle is where we dryness-, cracked-, eczema- or sensitivity-prone skin types must shop, because a vat full of something more elegant would barely lubricate an elbow.
For us, I deliver good news: Mixa has landed from France, 102 years late. You may remember its UK launch and swift withdrawal some years ago (because of something boring about distribution). Now it’s back, in supermarkets, chemists and online – and it’s marvellous.
The products, mostly for the body but safe for the face, are colour-coded according to skin type. There’s Panthenol Comfort (purple) for itchy skin, Niacinamide Bright (yellow) for discoloured and dull skin, CICA Repair+ (red) for extra dry and scaly types, and Ceramide Protect (blue) for generally sensitive and compromised skin.
I have drained two whopping 400ml tubs of Urea CICA Repair+ Renewing Cream (£10) in the past month, and it has moisturised and gently exfoliated rough patches and weather-beaten limbs terrifically.
From the outside, and even at first whiff, the Mixa creams seem as boring as many of the others, but the textures – fine, ungreasy, elegant – will be a pleasant surprise to those of us for whom oily smudges on bedding and clothing are the norm.
Prices – from £6, depending on the stockist and offers available – put less strain on finances than many competitors, and better allow for the kind of lavish application us clinically dry-skinned consumers need.
Another derma brand applying more finesse to functional skincare is Cetaphil. Last month saw it branch out from its very effective problem-solvers (I adore the Gentle Exfoliating SA Lotion, £22 for 473ml, and Gentle Skin Cleanser, £11.50 for 236ml, to name but two) and into facial serums, one for morning, another for night. Advanced Defence and Repair & Renew serums (£26.50 for 30ml) use a potent antioxidant to help neutralise the free radicals that prematurely age skin, and contain the soothing, replumping and hydrating ingredients one expects from a derma brand. If your very sensitive skin reacts against potent actives, these are for you.
