Oilatum

Oilatum Gentle Hydrating Face Cleanser 150 ml

A daily facial cleanser from the Oilatum dry skin range. The pack is a white 150 ml squeeze tube that stands on its own cap, printed Gentle Hydrating Face Cleanser and For Dry Skin, with Oilatum's own line across the front of the tube: fragrance free, hydrates as it cleans without irritation.

It is built for skin that is dry, sensitive or eczema-prone and that reacts badly to ordinary soap. It lifts dirt, sunscreen and sweat. The face is left feeling comfortable rather than squeaky and tight, which is what most people with dry skin are trying to avoid in a cleanser.

What the pack states

• Gentle Hydrating Face Cleanser, for dry skin, 150 ml
• Fragrance free
• Hydrates as it cleans, without irritation

How to use

• Wet the face with lukewarm water rather than hot water, which increases tightness
• Squeeze out a small amount and massage it gently over the face in circular motions
• Rinse thoroughly with water
• Pat the face dry and follow with a moisturiser while the skin is still slightly damp
• Use it as often as you would any daily face wash

Good to know

If you are avoiding a particular ingredient, read the panel on the carton or the crimp of the tube. Oilatum does not publish an ingredient list for this cleanser anywhere online and the product is not listed on the brand's own sites, so nothing should be assumed from the rest of the range: the Oilatum body wash and the Intense Hydrating Cleanser are separate products with their own, different formulas. Being fragrance free, it suits men after shaving as well as anyone who reacts to scented washes. It fits the usual Oilatum routine of cleansing and moisturising straight afterwards. Avoid the eye area, and rinse with water if any gets into the eyes. If the skin is broken, weeping or clearly getting worse, ask a pharmacist or a dermatologist. Close the cap after use, keep the tube out of direct sunlight and away from heat, and keep it out of reach of children.

Oilatum Intense Moisturising Cream 475 g

The Intense tier of the Oilatum range, and the strongest moisturiser the brand makes, in a large 475 g size for skin that is very dry as well as eczema-prone. Oilatum describes it as fragrance free, fast absorbing, non-greasy and long lasting, with 24 hours of moisturisation, and says it is made to withstand the extreme conditions of the Middle East and especially air-conditioned environments, where outdoor heat and constant AC both pull water out of the skin. It works on the face, the body and the hands, for men and women alike.

The brand states that the cream is dermatologically tested, approved by the British Skin Foundation, recommended by healthcare professionals, and clinically proven to help maintain the skin's natural barrier. Across its range Oilatum also states that its products are hypoallergenic and fragrance free, vegan with no animal-derived ingredients, and not tested on animals. Intense sits above the Daily range, where the Gentle and Rich moisturisers live, so it is the step up when a daily cream is no longer holding.

Key ingredients, as Oilatum publishes them for this cream

• Natural oatmeal, the ingredient the brand leads with for very dry skin and the one it credits for the soothing feel
• Ceramides, barrier lipids of the kind skin makes for itself
• Pro-vitamin B5, panthenol, which leaves skin feeling softer

Those three are the whole of what Oilatum names for this cream. The longer list in the Oilatum FAQ is a range-wide answer, and the brand says its key ingredients vary by product, so nothing beyond these three should be read into this formula.

How to use

• Apply to the dry areas as often as required, and particularly after bathing or washing
• Massage gently into the skin until it is absorbed
• Apply within a few minutes of showering, while skin still holds some water
• Reapply on the hands after washing them
• Concentrate on the driest patches, such as shins, elbows and knees
• Use it regularly rather than only on the worst days

Good to know

The 475 g size is a home and family size rather than a travel size, and it dispenses through a pump. Being fragrance free, it is easy to use after shaving, hair removal or a day in the sun. Pair it with a soap-free cleansing routine, as ordinary soap makes very dry skin feel tighter. For external use only. If skin is broken, weeping or clearly getting worse, ask a pharmacist or a dermatologist. Store below 25 degrees, away from direct sunlight.

Oilatum Rich Moisturising Cream 450 ml

The richer cream in the Oilatum daily range, in a large 450 ml pack meant for whole-body use and for more than one person in the house. Oilatum presents it as its rich formula for very dry and eczema-prone skin, yet describes it as rich, fast absorbing and non-greasy with long-lasting moisturisation, so clothes can go back on without a film. It can be used on the face, body and hands by both men and women daily, and the brand lists it as suitable for all ages and all skin types.

Key ingredients

• Shea butter, the rich emollient that sets this cream apart from the lighter products in the range
• Ceramides, barrier lipids of the kind found naturally in skin
• Pro-vitamin B5, listed as panthenol

What the brand publishes

• 100% of test users agree it intensively nourishes skin
• Targets 5 signs of dry skin
• Clinically proven to maintain the skin's natural barrier
• Rich, non-greasy and fast absorbing, with long-lasting moisturisation
• Dermatologically tested, endorsed by healthcare professionals and approved by the British Skin Foundation

How to use

• Apply to the areas that need extra moisture, as often as required
• Use it within a few minutes of a shower or bath while skin is still slightly damp
• Give extra passes over elbows, knees, shins and heels, which dry out first
• Apply morning and evening during winter or in heavily air-conditioned rooms

Good to know

The 450 ml pack is the value size of the range and the practical choice for a family routine rather than a handbag. Oilatum publishes no fragrance-free or hypoallergenic claim for this cream in particular; those, along with vegan and not tested on animals, are statements it makes about the range as a whole. Use it alongside a gentle wash rather than ordinary soap, which strips more oil from dry skin. If skin is cracked, weeping or getting worse, ask a pharmacist or a dermatologist rather than continuing on your own. For external use only. Keep the pack closed, out of reach of children, and store away from direct heat and sunlight.

Oilatum Gentle Moisturising Cream 100 ml

A daily moisturiser from the Oilatum dry skin range, made for skin that feels tight, rough or flaky in Gulf heat and after long hours under air conditioning. Oilatum describes it as fast absorbing, non greasy and long lasting, for use on the face, the body and the hands by both men and women, and lists it for daily use. The brand states that it targets five signs of dry skin, that ninety per cent of test users saw an improvement to the feel of their skin, and that the cream is clinically proven to maintain the skin's natural barrier.

Key ingredients

• Ceramides, the lipids that form part of the skin's own barrier
• Pro-vitamin B5, listed on packs as panthenol, for softness and comfort
• Rich emollients, which is how Oilatum describes the softening base of the formula

What Oilatum publishes about it

• Targets 5 signs of dry skin
• 90% of test users saw an improvement to the feel of their skin
• Clinically proven to maintain the skin's natural barrier
• Dermatologically tested
• Approved by the British Skin Foundation
• Recommended by healthcare professionals

How to use

• Apply gently to the areas that need extra moisture, as often as required
• Smooth it over slightly damp skin after a shower so there is more water for it to hold
• Keep the 100 ml pack in a bag, a desk drawer or the car for hands during the day
• Layer it over a serum in the evening when the face feels tight
• Use it as part of a plain daily routine for the whole family

Good to know

Oilatum describes its range as hypoallergenic and fragrance free, so it sits well under makeup and after shaving, and the fast-absorbing, non-greasy texture is what makes it workable on the face and on the hands during the day rather than only at night. The 100 ml size is the easy one to carry. Pair it with a soap-free wash rather than ordinary soap, which strips more oil from already dry skin. If skin is cracked or weeping, or dryness keeps coming back, speak to a pharmacist or a dermatologist. Store away from direct heat and sunlight, and close the pack after each use.

Oilatum Gentle Moisturising Lotion, 250 ml

The lightest of the Oilatum daily moisturisers - the range runs lotion, gentle cream, rich cream - for dry and sensitive skin that wants hydration without weight. Oilatum describes it as fast absorbing, non greasy and long lasting, for daily use on the face, body and hands by the whole family. That makes it the practical choice for the morning, for large areas such as arms and legs, and for anyone who dislikes the finish of a heavy cream in the heat. The Middle East range is positioned for the region's extreme conditions and for long hours in air conditioning.

Formulated with

• Ceramides, the lipids that belong to the skin's own barrier
• Pro-vitamin B5, panthenol
• Rich emollients, which are what leave the skin soft rather than tight once the lotion has sunk in

That is the brand's own ingredient statement for this product, word for word. Shea butter and oatmeal do appear elsewhere in the range - shea in the Rich Moisturising Cream, natural oatmeal in the Intense Moisturising Cream - but Oilatum names neither for the lotion, so neither is claimed here.

The published figure

Oilatum publishes a 105% increase in skin moisturisation after 20 minutes for this lotion. It is the brand's own measured claim and it is the number that separates the lotion from the rest of the range: a light texture that still delivers, rather than a light texture that does less.

How to use

• Smooth over clean skin morning and evening, and more often if the skin feels dry
• Apply within a few minutes of a shower or bath, while the skin is still slightly damp
• Work it in the direction the hair lies rather than rubbing hard
• Step up to the Rich or Intense Moisturising Cream on hands and rougher areas if the lotion alone is not enough

Good to know

Dermatologically tested and recommended by healthcare professionals, approved by the British Skin Foundation. Oilatum describes the range as hypoallergenic and fragrance free, vegan and not tested on animals. For external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes. Stop use if the skin becomes irritated. Keep out of the reach of children and store away from direct heat and sunlight.

Oilatum Rich Hydrating Bath, 300 ml

An emollient bath soak for dry, sensitive and eczema prone skin, made to replace both the soap and the step that usually has to follow the bath. Oilatum's own statement for it is that it contains an emollient that reduces dehydration and gently cleanses and nourishes dry skin in one step, without irritation. It disperses through the water and coats the skin while it cleans, so the bath itself becomes the conditioning part of the routine. Suitable for all ages, for men and women, and for use on the face, body and hands.

What is in it

The brand gives this product one ingredient statement: it contains an emollient. No individual active is named for it, unlike the moisturisers in the range, which carry ceramides and pro-vitamin B5 on their own labels - so none is claimed here. What an emollient bath base does is disperse into the water and leave a light conditioning film on the skin as the bath drains, which is the whole mechanism of a bath additive of this type and the reason the skin is not left tight afterwards.

What the brand says about it

• Soothes, hydrates and cleanses - cleanse and nourish in one step
• Clinically proven to maintain the skin's natural barrier
• Soap free, for daily use, for hand, body and face
• Dermatologically tested and recommended by healthcare professionals
• Approved by the British Skin Foundation
• Made to hold up in the region's extreme conditions and in air-conditioned environments

How to use

• Always use it with water: either added to the bath, or applied to wet skin
• Add to warm running bath water in the amount given on the pack and swirl it through
• Soak, then pat the skin dry with a towel rather than rubbing it
• In the shower, smooth it onto wet skin and rinse it off
• Suitable for daily use

Good to know

Oilatum describes the range as hypoallergenic and fragrance free, vegan and not tested on animals. Emollient bath products make the bath and the floor slippery, so take care getting in and out, supervise children closely and clean the bath afterwards. For external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes and rinse with water if it happens. Keep out of the reach of children and store away from direct heat and sunlight.

Oilatum Gentle Hydrating Body Wash, 250 ml

A daily wash for dry and sensitive skin, made to be the everyday shower gel rather than an occasional one. Oilatum lists it for the face, body and hands, for both men and women and for all ages, and describes it as gently cleansing, hydrating and nourishing while helping to protect the skin's natural barrier, so skin is left feeling smooth and hydrated rather than tight. Heat outdoors and constant air conditioning indoors both pull moisture out of the skin over the course of a day, which is the gap a daily hydrating wash is meant to close.

Key ingredients

• Ceramides, lipids of the kind that belong to the skin's own barrier
• Pro-vitamin B5, listed as panthenol
• Glycerin, a humectant that holds water at the surface
• Rich emollients, the third element of the brand's stated formula
• No mineral oil and no silicone in the formula

What the brand publishes

• Targets 5 signs of dry skin
• 90% of test users would recommend the Body Wash
• Dermatologically tested and made for daily use
• Recommended by healthcare professionals and approved by the British Skin Foundation

How to use

• Use in the shower or bath on wet skin, with lukewarm rather than hot water
• Spread it with the hands or a soft cloth, avoiding loofahs and scrubbing mitts
• Rinse well and pat dry with a towel instead of rubbing
• Follow with an Oilatum moisturiser within a few minutes, while the skin is still damp

Good to know

Dermatologically tested, vegan and not tested on animals; Oilatum describes its range as hypoallergenic and fragrance free, which is why it does not compete with perfume and stays comfortable after shaving or hair removal. For external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes and rinse with water if it happens. Stop use if the skin becomes irritated. Keep out of the reach of children, close the cap after use and store away from direct heat and sunlight.

Oilatum Intense Hydrating Cleanser, 200 ml

An extra gentle cleanser for skin that is very dry or eczema prone and cannot take an ordinary face wash or shower gel. Oilatum positions it as a cleanser for skin that is extremely vulnerable, usable as a face cleanser or face wash for dry skin and equally on the body and hands, by men and women, every day. It is specially formulated for very dry and eczema-prone skin, and the Middle East range is built around the region's heat and long hours in air conditioning.

How it is built

This is not a foaming detergent wash, and the published ingredient declaration makes that plain. It is a short, lipid-led list: water, cetearyl alcohol, light liquid paraffin and petrolatum, carried by two mild emulsifiers, polysorbate 60 and PPG-5-ceteth-20, with a single gentle amphoteric surfactant, disodium cocoamphodiacetate. Citric acid and sodium chloride adjust the pH and the body of the emulsion, and phenoxyethanol preserves it. That is the whole declaration.

In practice that means it lifts away sweat and dust with emollients rather than with soap, and leaves a thin conditioning film behind instead of the tight, squeaky finish that follows a normal wash. Worth knowing before buying: the film is mineral-oil based, so anyone who dislikes that feel should choose differently. Oilatum claims no named actives for this product, and the declaration contains no glycerin, no ceramide, no oat, no shea butter, no allantoin and no panthenol.

What the brand says about it

• Specially formulated for very dry and eczema prone skin
• For hand, body and face, and for daily use
• Fragrance free and dermatologically tested
• Approved by the British Skin Foundation

How to use

• Wet the face or body with lukewarm water and never hot water
• Work a small amount over the skin with the fingertips rather than a rough cloth
• Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a soft towel
• Apply a moisturiser from the range while the skin is still slightly damp
• Suitable for use every day, morning and evening

Good to know

Oilatum describes the range as hypoallergenic, vegan and not tested on animals. For external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes and rinse with plenty of water if it happens. Stop use if the skin becomes irritated. Keep out of the reach of children, close the cap after use and store away from direct heat and sunlight.

Oilatum Intense Moisturising Cream, 200 g

The cream from Oilatum's Intense range, made for very dry and eczema prone skin that needs more than a lotion can give. It suits the face, body and hands, for men and women and for all ages, and it is fragrance free so there is nothing added for skin to react to. Despite the weight of the formula it absorbs quickly and does not leave a greasy film, which matters when it is being reapplied several times a day.

Oilatum publishes 24 hours of long lasting moisturisation for this cream and states that it is clinically proven to maintain the skin's natural barrier. It was formulated for the extremes of the Middle East, including long hours spent in air conditioning.

Key ingredients

• Natural oatmeal (Avena sativa kernel flour), a long standing choice for easily upset skin
• Glycerin, a humectant that pulls water into the surface layers
• Petrolatum and liquid paraffin, which hold water in place at the surface
• Allantoin, for softness and lasting comfort
• Dimethicone, which leaves the finish smooth rather than tacky

How to use

• Apply to clean skin as often as the skin feels it needs, morning and evening at least
• The best moment is straight after a bath, shower or hand wash, while the skin is still slightly damp
• Smooth it in the direction the hair lies rather than rubbing it in hard
• Give hands and any rough patches a second pass through the day

Good to know

Fragrance free, hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested, approved by the British Skin Foundation and endorsed by healthcare professionals; Oilatum states that its products are vegan and not tested on animals. The full declared ingredient list is short and unperfumed: allantoin, aqua, avena sativa kernel flour, benzyl alcohol, cera microcristallina, ceteardimonium chloride, cetyl alcohol, dimethicone, glycerin, isopropyl palmitate, myristyl alcohol, paraffinum liquidum, petrolatum, sodium chloride, stearyl alcohol. For external use only, and if skin is cracked, weeping or getting worse, speak to a pharmacist or a dermatologist. Avoid contact with the eyes. Stop use if irritation appears and keep the pack out of the reach of children. Close it after use and store away from direct heat and sunlight.

Oilatum Gentle Cleansing Bar, 100 g

A soap free cleansing bar for skin that is dry, sensitive or eczema prone and finds ordinary soap leaves it tight after every wash. Oilatum describes it as an emollient cleansing bar suitable for everyday cleansing of dry skin, eczema-prone skin and sensitive skin, one that reduces dehydration while it cleanses gently and without irritation. It is made for daily use on the face, body and hands, by men and women and by all ages, and the Middle East range is positioned for the region's extreme heat and for long hours in air conditioning, both of which pull water out of skin.

What is in it

Oilatum names no individual active for this bar. Its whole ingredient statement is that it contains an emollient: a soap free washing base that cleans without stripping the surface, which is what stops the skin feeling tight afterwards. Where the brand does put a named active in a product it prints it on that product - ceramides and pro-vitamin B5 on the moisturisers, natural oatmeal on the Intense cream - and it does not do so here, so nothing further is claimed for this bar.

What the brand says about it

• Soap free, and contains emollient
• Cleans and hydrates, and is described as non-irritating
• For hand, body and face, and for daily use
• Dermatologically tested and recommended by healthcare professionals
• Approved by the British Skin Foundation
• Helps protect the skin's natural barrier

How to use

• Wet the skin with lukewarm water, never hot, since hot water undoes the point of the bar
• Work the bar into a light lather in the hands or directly on the skin
• Rinse well and pat dry with a towel instead of rubbing
• Follow with an Oilatum moisturiser while the skin is still slightly damp

Good to know

Oilatum describes the range as hypoallergenic, vegan and not tested on animals. For external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes and rinse with water if it happens. Stand the bar on a draining dish between uses so it stays firm and lasts longer. Stop use if the skin becomes irritated, and keep out of the reach of children.