Skin Care

This is the medicated and dermatological skin care shelf — the treatment side of skin rather than the cosmetic side. It sits under Medicine and it holds dermacare creams and ointments, scar care, eye care, face scrubs and exfoliators, serums and essences, and the moisturisers formulated for specific skin conditions.

Looking for everyday cleansers, moisturisers and sunscreen? Those are in the Skin Care section under Health and Beauty.

What Belongs on This Shelf

• Dermacare creams and ointments for named conditions — fungal infection, eczema, dermatitis, bacterial skin infection.

• Scar care — silicone gels and creams for healed scars and stretch marks.

• Acne treatment rather than acne cosmetics.

• Eye care and targeted serums.

• Exfoliators, which are treatment products used two or three times a week and not daily.

Using Medicated Skin Products Safely

• A steroid cream is not a general-purpose cream. Strong topical steroids thin the skin with prolonged use, and used on a fungal infection they make it dramatically worse. They are for a named condition, for a stated number of days, on a doctor’s advice.

• Skin-lightening products bought from unregulated sources can contain mercury or strong steroids. Both cause lasting harm — thinning skin, rebound darkening and, in the case of mercury, kidney damage. Buy from brands that publish their ingredients.

• Patch test everything. Twenty-four hours on the inner forearm before it goes anywhere near your face.

• Introduce one active at a time. Retinoids, acids and vitamin C used together, or started together, is the most common cause of a barrier that stings at everything.

• Sunscreen is not optional with any of these. Most treatment actives make skin more sun-sensitive.

Genuine Products

Much of this catalogue is imported, and imported shelves are where fakes and repacks appear. Whoever you buy from, these are worth checking:

• The seal. An intact shrink wrap or safety ring is what tells you a product has not been opened.

• The batch number and expiry printed on the pack itself, not on a sticker over it. A sticker covering the original printing is the commonest sign of a repack.

• A price far below everyone else’s is information — sometimes a genuine clearance, often a fake or something close to expiry.

If what arrives does not match its listing, tell us. We would rather take a return than leave a wrong description standing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before a skin treatment works?

Skin renews itself over roughly a month, so six to eight weeks is a fair trial for most things and three months for scars and pigmentation. Anything promising results in days is describing an irritant reaction, not a repair.

Can I use an exfoliator every day?

No. Two or three times a week is right for most skin. Over-exfoliating produces exactly what people are trying to fix — redness, tightness, flaking, stinging and often more oil.

Is a fungal rash the same as eczema?

No, and they are treated in opposite directions — an antifungal for one, often a steroid for the other. Using the wrong one makes it worse. If a rash is spreading, weeping or not improving in a week, see a doctor rather than trying a third cream.

How do I know the product is genuine?

Check the seal, the batch number and the expiry printed on the pack itself rather than on a sticker over it. Everything we sell is sourced to arrive sealed and within date, and if what you receive does not match the listing we will put it right.

How much shelf life will it have?

We stock to arrive well within date and do not knowingly ship anything close to expiry. If you need a specific minimum for a particular order, ask before placing it and we will check the batch.