My skin around the eyes just recently got sensitive from my retinol product. I use emu oil when it was red and itch. This oil is great for rash, insect bites, eczema and as moisturizer. I have a friend who has the skin like yours, she got eczema on her jaw. She told me she used Avene (French line skincare) and then switched to cheaper Australian brand (she lives there). Over there Avene just like EL, Clinique, Lancome, with the counters in dept. stores. In US I think you've to mail order them. She uses creamy cleanser. If you're bored with Cetaphil cleanser (I don't like this, leave a film on my face and don't take off makeup very well), maybe you can try Aveeno Baby Creamy Cleanser or PC cleanser for dry skin (they said it's better than Cetaphil). But if you've no problem with Cetaphil cleanser and lotion/cream, I'd say better stick with them. For your body, try Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash and Lotion, Cottage Shoppe Body Wash and Body Butters (they use high percentage shea butter), Chelmsford Herbal Soap Co. body wash. The other good one is Vaseline Intensive Care lotion for dry and sensitive skin. HTH www.cottageshoppe.net www.csoap.com

Dorm washers are the worst. Thank God, I could remove the totally gunked-up detergent drawers on the Speed Queen washers I used in the UK to clean them out before using the machine. These also did a fairly okay job at washing and rinsing. And, we didn't have to pay for the washers and dryers - it was included in the rent, I suppose. My girlfriend was not so lucky. The Maytag Neptune front loaders did a horroble job at everything. She ended up hand-washing some *special* stuff in order to avoid catching whatever was floating around in those nasty washers. I'd recommend posting over at automaticwasher.org. Lots of folks from the UK there. If all fails... there are always those portable washers that look like twin tubs with one side for washing and the other one containing a spinner. These machines aren't that large, not that expensive and can be sold once she finishes her studies. Best of luck. Dorm washer are the worst... Alex Here is a link that might be useful: Super Forum

Patann, I hope you have a humidifier of sorts in your home with the temps below freezing. That right away will help on so many levels. With that said, the amount of oils in a lotion plays a big part of it. Unfortunately, most formulas are proprietary with mentioning the AMOUNT of oil in the lotion/cream formulas. They only list ingredients in order of the most to the least. Try to look for something with the 2nd ingredient an oil of some sort followed by water. For my dry skin, I always use something that has 25% - 30% oil of some sort in the formulary. Glycerine is excellent on the skin as it draws moisture from the air and to your skin throughout the day. Dimethicone is added to formulas mostly for slip and to leave behind a silky feeling. It does very little in adding moisture to anything (and I feel should be avoided in hair products as it builds up on your hair and over time actually keeps moisture from absorbing into your hair. If you have ever detoxed your hair from it, and your hair feels like straw as soon as you strip that out you will know what I am saying. Paula is a huge fan of cones and there is a lot of debate over them in the formulary industry. They are cheap and not needed in hair products unless you have very course and curly hair). Cones can be good in hand creams however, at a higher amount because it works like a silicone glove if you are a nurse or someone that washes their hands often. For really dry hands have you tried Camille Beckman products? I haven't purchased her creams in years but they work wonders on my 84 year old mothers hands. Since I make my own products, I haven't tried much of what is on the market today. However, I do remember liking the Kiss my Face Olive and Aloe products. It was a good all over head to toe formula. Now days I use unrefined shea butter or EVOO on my wet face most of the time. I keep it simple as the less ingredients on the face the better IMHO. Basically, a very basic formula is all you need for your body. Even basic cetaphil or eucerin cream will work for dry hands and body but since they are heavy in mineral oils they will sit on top of your skin much longer than something made of different oils. If you want some luxury, LUSH puts out some nice body creams. Or you can just stick with something as simple as keeping baby oil or even shea oil, safflower oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, etc. in the shower and putting that on your entire body while rinsing off. Here is a link to Camille Beckman hand creams. You can sometimes find them in Hallmark stores. If you have a LUSH near you the smitten hand cream is nice along with the dream cream. Their url is www.lush.com Here is a link that might be useful: Camille Beckman

Pat I only have the CeraVe moisturizing cream..I don't have the healing ointment. I have been thinking abiut it though for my dry cracked heels. I had two very tiny samples of Aquaphor healing ointment that I've been using the past three nights. I smear it on my heels and wear old socks that I cut the toes out of I can't sleep with my toes covered...anyway this stuff is working so I figure an ointment instead of cream is what I need. I suppose I'll try the CeraVe ointment lol. I'm really happy hubs saved all of his old white cotton socks with holes thru the years because I'm not washing them lol...its wear and toss. Haha I bought a pumice stone today and ill soak later and scrub with it than apply ointment. Pat my mother swore by ointments instead of creams or lotion and if she ran out she used vaseline. Her skin including elbows, knees, and feet were as smooth as a child's when she passed at 73. Same with her sisters they all had beautiful skin. Someone told me to try Corn Huskers but though I've seen it in stores I haven't a clue what it is. Oh and while I'm here I mentioned Aldi night face cream in one of these posts..Lacura...well its all I've used besides Dove on my face for two weeks and I have developed 5 sores on my face...they are healing fine but it had to have been a reaction to the Lacura. I tossed it.