It is summer all year round here in sunny Singapore, and to some it may sound like a dream. Well, to have it every day every year is not as great as you may make it out to be. It can go up to 30 degrees Celsius on a regular day here, and its sweatsville for many the moment we step out of the house. That, coupled with eczema inherited from my mum? That makes some days a living hell.
My skin gets aggravated easily, and what's more, I am (sort of) 'allergic' to water. Yes, water. Or maybe something in water, because ever since I was a kid, whenever I'd take a shower or spent the day at the beach, I'd get nasty rash patches all over my body, including my chest, stomach and legs. I haven't really bothered going to the doctor and have been living with this condition for as long as I can remember.
Here's where Melaleuca's Renew Intensive Skin Therapy comes into play. It isn't your basic everyday moisturiser. It is a lotion that "combines the moisturising power of glycerin and petrolatum in high amounts for superior moisturising benefits." Now of course every brand is going to say their product is super moisturising but how do the glycerin and petrolatum actually work together?
"Glycerin penetrates deep into the skin, nourishing and moisturising multiple layers of cells, and then the Petrolatum creates a protective barrier across the topmost layer of skin, sealing in the moisture and creating an environment where cells can return to a healthy state."
Picture from www.melaleuca.com
They even have a handy interactive diagram of the layers of skin cells that you can mouse over to find out more! So now that you've been introduced to this gem, let's go in-depth on how it performs!
I slather this on the moment I get out of the shower, when the rashes have just formed and are at its peak. The white, almost-scentless lotion spreads easily, and feels oh-so-luxurious on my skin, despite the simple and medical-like packaging. It absorbs into the skin fairly well, although it leaves a film (probably the petrolatum), so this may not be good for pants days. The film isn't in any way sticky or bothersome, and it actually feels good over my dry or red patches.
The truly magical quality of this product, however, is its ability to eradicate itchiness almost immediately. My rashes can get pretty bad, to the point where I cause abrasions with my scratching (I can't help it okay) and this helps stop my skin from being itchy just a minute or two after I put it on. I don't know what is it inside this potion that does it, but it does it!
Other uses I have found for this are:
After shaving cream for da pitz. Not the most appealing thing to talk about, but because the skin is so thin at your underarms, it can get irritated easily after shaving, and this works wonders! Just slap some on after shaving on dry underarms and you're good to go! Of course, this works for the legs too!
I have used this as a facial moisturiser for a period too, and it does almost the same thing as Cetaphil - gets rid of those pesky peel-y areas on the face! I use pretty intense stuff for my acne - prescribed by a doctor, no worries - and smoothing this lotion on my face soothes it so much! My mum has dry skin and she likes to apply this too!
I take about half a year or more to get through a whole bottle with everyday use, and I have gobbled up three or four bottles of this stuff already, so you can see how much love this has been getting! The only possible downside of this is that it doesn't come with the pump. Isn't that just frustrating? The pump has to be bought separately and although it isn't necessary, it helps a lot at dispensing the product quickly and efficiently.
Well, that lengthy post pretty much sums up my absolute adoration for this lotion! Melaleuca is a wellness company that sells other interesting things like bath bars and even shampoos, which I have also tried but that is for another post. (; Be sure to check them out!
