My List of My Most Used Soaps & Lotions

On February 28, 2021
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A short list of my most used soaps and lotions for winter and pretty much all the time.

This post is not sponsored in anyway. I was not compensated for these items, I purchased them myself and just want to share my opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post.

I’ve been talking with friends a lot lately about lotions for dry hands in the winter. I don’t like to say I recommend these, because every product works so differently with every person. So instead, these are simply my most used and favorites. Aside from dry winter skin, I also suffer from extremely sensitive skin and possibly dermatitis or eczema, not real sure. So, many products and some scented products are instantly out for me. As much as I try to love essential oils, I cannot use them in anything that touches my skin. In a diffuser is fine. I’ve been through a gazillion products over the years (my friends have all reaped the benefits, haha, I give them away when they don’t work for me) and these couple items that I’m going to tell you about are the only ones that stick around permanently.

First up, is VaniCream. It’s rated a 2 in the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep website. This site rates the ingredients in skincare products. I’ve found it’s best if I stick to the lower numbers. The lower the number, the better rated, which for me with sensitive skin is best. Less and cleaner ingredients means less rashes and problems. I’ve used this for about 14-15 years. It’s hydrating without being greasy. You used to be able to only purchase it through a dermatologist. Now you can buy it at Walmart. It’s about $15. They have a bar soap, a cleanser and some other great products too, I just don’t have them available at my nearest Walmart.

This is the one I use the most if my hands are really bad. I use it daily as a great moisturizer even when my hands are fine and not irritated. But it is my go to during dry irritated times. Most Eucerin products rate fairly low at the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep website but I cannot find this exact one on there. It’s available most everywhere (Walmart, Target, Walgreens, all the places) and usually runs about $7-$8. Like the VaniCream it’s very hydrating but it might leave your hands just a pinch greasy feeling until it has a few minutes to soak in well. But when it works, I don’t care. I just wish this one had a trial size for my purse. Eucerin does have a lotion in a small bottle, but for me, I can’t use it consistently (causes irritation). I wish they had this exact one in a trial size. I’m just waiting until I have a small bottle with a refillable top, then I will have one.

Photo from internet, no known source. I’m am currently out and couldn’t get my own photo for you.

On to soaps. I’ve had some other soaps work well. Mostly Cetaphil and Eucerin brands with success. But my absolute favorite, and I use it head to toe, is a goat milk based soap from a company called Bend Soap out of Bend, OR. It’s a family based company. They created this soap to help their son’s bad eczema. This by far is the best I personally have ever used. It calms, hydrates and nourishes your skin. I will continue using it as long as they keep making it. I of course stick to the Oatmeal and Honey and Unscented. I have tried just about all and do use most of their products but I’m specifically talking about the soap today. It’s hard to describe but it just feels really good on your skin. Or that’s just me because I know how most other soaps are for me. So maybe this is how most soap feels to people with regular non-irritated skin. It’s sudsy, hydrating and really does nourish my skin extra. Unless you live near their area, you will have to order it online but their shipping is very reasonable. When I’m out and haven’t ordered and I have to use ‘regular’ soap, I only have about 2 weeks before my skin is screaming in pain from irritation. So I alone, will probably keep this place in business for the rest of my life.

They do have many other great products. They have a shredded soap. It’s their soap bars all shredded up. If you let them disolve in the bath for a body soak or the sink for a foot or hand soak, it’s amazingly hydrating. This is what helped their son’s eczema so I do the same when my hands are dry and irritated. Soak them in the shredded soap. Or just suds up the regular bar in the water.

Ok, Egyptian Magic is not a lotion or a soap. But I feel like it’s worthy of mentioning. It was a random purchase because I just kept hearing so many uses for it and that it was good. It is a 1 in the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep website. They say it’s used as a face moisturizer, an eye cream, a scar treatment, a hair mask, a baby cream, a shaving balm, sunburn relief and anything else you can think of. They say it also works wonders on eczema, skin irritations and redness, burn and wound relief.

I have used it on my hair, skin (exzema/irritation/dryness), lips, cracks skin around fingers and on burns. My opinion is that it IS what it’s cracked up to be.

For my hair, I don’t put it all over. I just used a very, very thin amount to tame frizzies. And sometimes at night on the ends of my hair as an overnight conditioner. Worked great.

It really does work well on irritated skin. Before bed I put some on, let it soak in and then put another light layer on. Can always tell a big difference by morning. You know those cracks around your fingernail that always happens in the winter, I think it cuts repair time way down on those.

When we were in FL, Ashlyn’s ankles and shins took a beating from the sand when she was body boarding. I didn’t have anything with me but this. A vaseline would have probably worked better to really create a barrier between her skin and the sand and water. Even though it would soak in to the skin quickly, we gave this stuff a try. Much to my surprise, it worked really well ! She was able to enjoy the rest of our stay there pain free and it took all the redness away.

The other thing it worked really well on was burns. I burned a small spot on my forehead with the curling iron and a small spot on my knuckle from touching the rack in the oven. Neither spot was very big. But Egyptian Magic took the sting out rather quickly. I won’t say instantly, but decreased it greatly. By the next day there was no sting left whatsoever. Neither spot blistered. Both healed way faster than they normally would.

I have also used this on cracked heels. Ok, I’ve been through many thick lotions and tried several of the creams specifically for cracked heels. None have truly worked (for me). Except this. My heels really are soft(er) and no longer cracked. I’ll spare you a photo of my feet !! Your welcome.

I’ll definitely be trying this on sunburns this year. We’ve never really found anything that really worked well before. This seems like it’s going to be a great product to have in the camper this year too.

It’s more like a balm I guess. It’s not thick like vaseline. It’s really thin and spreadable. And unlike vaseline, this stuff soaks in to dry skin. But until it does (only a few minutes) it will leave a greasy feeling. So you won’t want to play on your phone right after applying to hands. Also Egyptian Magic is available in most stores like Walmart, Target, etc. I got it at Walmart and it was about $13.