Here’s another review of a product from the Cicalfate range. 

This product’s formula contains Pierre Fabre’s patented blend of minerals and sucralfate, which I discussed in my Cicalfate products review. According to their trials, the combination can reduce symptoms of eczema. The base of the cream is mainly mineral oil with some other emollients. The product is fragrance-free and suitable for all skin types. 

I’ve bought this cream because I’ve wanted to put it to the test. My hands are one of few areas on my body where I still get eczema flare-ups every year, the same zones around the same time, usually winter and early spring. And this winter, my hands were even drier, as, during the pandemic, I use many various hand sanitisers with little to none of hydrating ingredients at public places. My hands suffer a lot during the pandemic. When I was gathering information for my last review of Cicalfate products, I got intrigued by this product, and I decided to buy it. To say it shortly, it does work on eczema. Within days it helps with reddening, cracks, and hardened skin; at least that’s what I get on my hands, but it’s a terrible hand cream. Let me explain why.

I don’t like many moisturisers (body and face products) with mineral oil, as they just sit on my skin and do not hydrate it. That’s the case here as well; the hand cream doesn’t absorb. And when I use it underneath cotton gloves, it doesn’t hydrate my hands at all. Glycerine-based creams plump up my skin, make it soft and pleasant to touch – this one doesn’t. It also leaves a powdery film, I reckon it’s the patented mineral mix, similar to the residue left by powdered latex gloves. It’s not the nicest feeling. I usually apply this hand cream before sleeping, and the first thing I have to do in the morning is to wash my hands. Otherwise, I feel like I may soil everything I touch. So I am not a fan of this hand cream. 

Overall, this moisturiser works well for eczema symptoms, but my favourite hand creams (LRP & SVR, CeraVe) help with the problem too. If you want to try the patented mineral mix, I’d recommend getting the Cicalfate Lotion and applying it to the affected areas on top of a product of your choice. 

Ingredients:

AVENE THERMAL SPRING WATER (AVENE AQUA). MINERAL OIL (PARAFFINUM LIQUIDUM). MYRETH-3 MYRISTATE. PEG-45/DODECYL GLYCOL COPOLYMER. DIMETHICONE. ALUMINUM SUCROSE OCTASULFATE. OCTYLDODECANOL. PEG-7 GLYCERYL COCOATE. ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE. GLYCERIN. BEESWAX (CERA ALBA). CETYL ALCOHOL. COPPER SULFATE. DIMETHICONOL. DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE. GLYCERYL STEARATE. MAGNESIUM SULFATE. PHENOXYETHANOL. SODIUM BENZOATE. WATER (AQUA). XANTHAN GUM. ZINC SULFATE. (avene.co.uk)

The Cicalfate Hand Cream retails for about €10, available from all of Avene’s stockists worldwide.