Persuading kids to wash their hands regularly isn't the easiest of tasks, and if your child suffers from dry skin then you'll know the misery of trying to persuade them to let you smother their skin with moisturiser. So when we were asked to review two new products for kids from leading skincare brand E45, I'll admit that I wondered how the heck I would persuade my kids to comply with this review.
Thankfully, I needn't have worried. I'm already a fan of E45's Nourish & Restore Lotion - I have a bottle permanently on hand beside the kitchen sink, but when my kids clapped eyes on the new Hand and Body Wash from the E45 Junior range they couldn't wait to try it out.
It's a clear gel full of tiny brightly coloured bubble beads which contain a rich mineral oil to gently cleanse the skin without drying it out. It's suitable for use in the bath, shower or as a hand wash and it's also hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested and perfume / soap free.
My kids completely love this product and it's no exaggeration to say that I never have to remind them to wash their hands after they've been to the bathroom anymore. I particularly like that this is a multipurpose hand and body wash, so they can use it to wash hands or take it with them into the shower. I certainly noticed that my kids seemed to take twice as long as usual in the shower once this arrived in our house, but anything that entices young boys into spending serious time washing is a good thing in my book.
The Junior Moisturising Lotion was less of a hit in our house, but only because my kids just aren't used to being smeared with lotion of any kind. Persuading them to wear sunscreen is something I have to psyche myself up for in advance. Having said that, they made way less fuss about using E45 Junior Moisturising Lotion than they do about any other skincare brands that I've tried on them. My children don't suffer from dry, sensitive or itchy skin, which this product is really designed to combat, so I can't comment at length on its effectiveness but after just a few days my kids were compliant when I suggested they squirt a bit of E45 on the odd dry patch of skin. They tell me this is preferable to other skincare brands because it doesn't feel sticky on their skin, doesn't smell yucky, and doesn't leave their skin feeling all gloopy. That's obviously a technical term.
Overall I'd recommend the E45 Junior range to any parent of a child who suffers from dry, sensitive or itchy skin, and I'd add that it's the sort of catch-all skincare range that's worth having in the house for those times when you need something gentle but effective to treat the occasional flare-up of dry skin.
Pros: Gentle but effective on dry skin. Affordable skincare from a reliable brand - hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested, perfume / soap free, and PH balanced. The coloured beads in the hand and body wash really appeal to kids, and encourages them to wash their hands.
Cons: You might have to wait longer to get near the bathroom if someone in your house takes a shine to using the hand and body wash in the shower. If your child doesn't suffer from dry skin then the moisturiser is a product you can probably live without.
Overall verdict: 8/10
Click here for details of where to buy E45 skincare products.
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