As a teenager and young 20-something, I was plagued by eczema. While it was quite severe, I was lucky in that it was pretty easy to cover up, as it was mostly confined to my antecubital fossa (the portion of skin on the inner arm that's opposite the elbow. Every day's a schoolday, wha'?)
Sometimes, though, I would have flare ups on my face, especially across my forehead and brow bone.
I eventually grew out of my eczema, but at the time Silcocks Base was my cleanser of choice. This thick, white cream still has a price tag of less than a fiver, and its big white plastic tub was possibly the least glamorous product receptacle I'd ever seen. Aesthetics aside, when warmed between the palms of my hands before application and paired with a warm, damp facecloth, it was very effective at removing make-up and helped soothe my irritated skin.
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House-hopping around the gaffs of family and friends recently without my usual cleanser (it wouldn't fit in my plastic carry-on bageen and I was damned if I was going to give Ryanair £60 for checked baggage), I've found myself using Silcocks Base again. It might be a low-budget buy, but it's a skincare staple in more bathrooms than you'd suspect.
One friend uses it in the same way I used to, but with a muslin cloth, and confided that she finds it suits her skin better than Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (controversial!) which she found left her with dry patches. The sister reckons that, left on for 15 minutes, it makes a deadly occasional face mask and preps skin brilliantly for make-up application.
Anyone else feeling the secret love for Silcocks Base?
