Answered by:
Alex, female, age 27, lives in Denver, CO and struggles with eczema
What are your top 3 skin concerns?
- Dry, flaky skin
- Itchy skin
- Red/rough/visibly irritated skin
What age did you develop eczema?
I’ve been dealing with eczema my entire life, since as long as I can remember. When I was little, my dad was vigilant about finding and treating flare ups, and he always pulled out the same white tube of steroid cream to spot treat, when needed. While it did work, when I got older and I learned more about the negative effects of steroids, I began a years long search for a more natural product that would still prove effective and deliver results.
What are your eczema triggers?
Change in environment and change in season are my main triggers. For example, given that my skin is extremely sensitive, when staying in a hotel using linens and towels that aren’t my own, I can almost always predict a flare up. Similarly, change in seasons causes my skin to react negatively both in the summer and the winter. In the summer, it’s due to sweat and sunscreen build up causing itchiness and irritation, and in the winter it’s mostly due to the dry, cold air and climate, especially here in Colorado. Stress also tends to cause flare-ups, as does anxiety surrounding upcoming change, conflict/turmoil, etc. It doesn’t take much, and it’s constantly something I’m dealing with in some capacity.
How is your day to day life affected by eczema?
Once I realized how many triggers were all around me, even in my own home, and started to understand the switches and changes I needed to make to calm my eczema, it became much easier for me to manage. Rather than dealing with constant flare ups, I’m now dealing with the occasional flare up which I’d much prefer! Some of these changes included swapping laundry detergent for a fragrance free detergent safe for sensitive skin, swapping out all scented lotions and natural oils for the CQuell Eczema Relief Cream and/or the CQuell Moisture Locking Balm, eliminating all products with fragrance and irritating ingredients in my facial skincare and haircare routines, and bringing my own linens to travel with, when able. It does take a bit more preparation as I’m never able to rely on hotel or gym products/lotions/amenities, but I love knowing that with a little planning, I can travel prepared with little risk of incurring a flare up while away from home!
What does your daily skincare routine look like? What specific products do you use and love?
I shower in the morning, and immediately apply either the Moisture Locking Balm or the Eczema Relief Cream post shower. I have two active flare ups right now, one on my neck and the other on my inner elbow crease, and I apply the Spot Treatment to each of those areas daily. I usually re-apply the Spot Treatment in the evening before bed, and often use the Moisture Locking Balm again on my hands and feet before bed as well to protect against the harsh Colorado weather and lock in moisture overnight.
Are there any ingredients you actively avoid when reviewing product labels to help you manage your eczema?
Yes, quite a few. I’ve learned from experience that packaging can be misleading and reading the ingredient list myself is an absolute must. In doing so, I make sure to avoid any and all perfume and fragrance, preservatives such as MCI and MI, surfactants, etc. in any products I bring into my routine. Luckily, CQuell isn’t formulated with any of these irritating ingredients.
What type of products did you use prior to the CQuell lineup?
I feel like I’ve tried them all! I’ve tried homeopathic remedies, all natural essential oil blends, over the counter moisturizers and spot treatments, various steroid creams, etc. and while some did provide immediate relief, I didn’t find lasting relief with any of them.
What is your favorite CQuell product and why?
I really love the Spot Treatment! It is a CBD rich, steroid alternative that really works, as it contains 200mg of CBD + CQuell’s nourishing Exclusive Cannabinoid Synergy (ECS) Complex. I use it at least once a day and find that I don’t need to use a lot of product at all for it to make a big impact in providing relief. It nourishes my skin yet absorbs extremely quickly for a very easy application. I also love that it’s small enough to throw in my purse or carry-on bag, as I regularly travel with this product and prefer to have access to it anywhere, at any time!
Have you seen a difference in your skin condition after using the CQuell products? What results have you seen?
Yes, I’ve seen a significant difference. My skin is much less dry and irritated overall, and the amount of time and product it takes to bring down a flare up has been greatly reduced. Since I struggle with skin that’s sensitive to many topical ingredients, even products labeled as ‘safe for sensitive skin’ or ‘all natural’ tend to irritate my skin and leave me itchy, red, and frustrated. Often, I feel a bit discouraged and misled by the brands packaging and labeling, as they never seem to deliver the promised effects. However, I never have that problem with CQuell’s products and truly trust the brand as I know they’re formulating with the most sensitive skin types in mind!
Are you comfortable talking to your friends and family about your eczema?
Yes, now that I’ve found a product line up and routine that works for me and is easily accessible for everyone else I recommend it to! For many, many years however, I was the only one I knew that suffered from eczema, and there weren’t many brands, if any, focused on formulating for this condition. As the condition and surrounding conversation has become more pronounced in our society, I, too, have gotten more comfortable sharing my experiences in managing my eczema. It also doesn’t hurt that the CQuell product line is extremely aesthetically pleasing with unique textures to each product, therefore fun to talk about and share with friends and family!
What is your strongest memory as it relates to your experience with eczema?
Years ago, on my first vacation with my now fiancé and his family, I had a terrible flare up on the 2.5 hour drive from the Algarve region of Portugal to Lisbon before catching our flight back to the US. We didn’t have any extra time on our drive through the countryside en route to the airport, but my incessant itching and red, visibly irritated neck that was getting worse and worse by the minute with all my scratching (I couldn’t help it!) forced us to detour and make a pit stop at a local pharmacy. I somehow managed to convey my symptoms to the local pharmacist, who handed me a steroid cream with the box/instructions entirely in Portuguese. I was so desperate for relief that I slathered it all over, and now wish beyond belief I’d had the CQuell Spot Treatment with me then to avoid the whole situation all together!
Any advice you’d like to share with others suffering from eczema?
Oftentimes, I felt as though my only option for immediate, lasting relief was a steroid cream. I would get increasingly frustrated as I spent the time, effort, and money to try brand after brand, product after product, with no real results to show for it. However, don’t give up the search. I didn’t, and am so happy the winding road led me to CQuell’s products as I’ll be using them for a long, long time to come!
I sincerely wish you all the best on your journey to calm, soothed skin! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or for any additional information on these products. I’m truly more than happy to discuss in further detail what’s worked for me, if you’re interested!