I confess. I've been stealing the Man's beauty products.
A waxy cold cream, this is one of the most basic products on the UK and Irish markets. Boots also do an own brand one. The same stuff (by assorted other manufacturers) is available in the US, usually from the pharmacy end of drugstores: just ask for "emulsifying ointment" or "emulsifying cream."
Very like Ponds Cold Cream, and similar primary functional ingredients, but minus the Ponds scent. And even cheaper. Also quite like the Cetaphil gentle cleanser, but in solid form, waxier, and minus scent and parabens. The base ingredients, incidentally, are the same as in many more complicated cleansers.
I've been using this when my skin's being really fussy, upset, reactive, hormonal; I may go over to using it more regularly. I wet my face, then scoop out a small amount of the Ointment - about 1 inch diameter - rub between hands, and then massage over face and neck. Then rinse off, using a washcloth (plain cotton, the very standard type). While it forms a film on the surface of the skin, this does NOT mean that it prevents the absorption of anything else or that it's occlusive or comedogenic: quite the contrary - I've found that moisturisers sink in better (and there's quite a bit around on the derma-web on this).
I also used this when I was an infant and small child, as part of dealing with eczema. The Man has been using this since childhood on his sensitive, delicate (and otherwise lovely and smooth) skin, and it was re-prescribed in adolescence for calming acne.
BUT not a good idea if your skin is unhappy with mineral oil in its various guises, or sodium lauryl sulfate. Its other minuses are cosmetic: the basic and unappealing packaging - but you can always decant - and some people might not like the texture. NB this stuff is NOT aqueous cream: that has a lighter formula, but usually contains preservatives (phenoxyethanol, parabens) that may cause irritation in some people.
Cost: under GBP/EUR 5.00 / USD 10.00 for a 500g/I lb. tub. Also available in 100g. pot.
INGREDIENTS: white soft paraffin 50% w/w, liquid paraffin 20% w/w, emulsifying wax (cetostearyl alcohol, sodium laurilsulfate [sic], purified water). continued >>