Review: Pai Geranium and Thistle Moisturiser

Pai Geranium & Thistle MoisturiserPrice: £22 for 30ml
Rating: 4 Hearts
Link: http://www.paiskincare.com

IngredientsPurified water, geranium water*, jojoba oil*, corn-based emulsifier, thistle oil*, borage oil*, vitamin e, manuka oil*, rosemary antioxidant*, geranium, juniper*, lavender*

Usually I go for products exclusively for oily skin but as I’ve been experiencing a fair bit of dryness on my face lately, it’s been a good time to try a moisturiser for combination skin.

I’ve seen Pai Skincare in my online travels and read some very positive reviews, so it’s exciting to test one of their products.
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Still Here Folks!

Apologies for my absence in posting the last couple of months. I’ve had a few small (but annoying) bouts of ill health and have been a bit depressed about my skin. Feeling a lot more positive now though as I have a consultation with a private dermatologist next week.

I still have a rash on my right cheek, though it has changed due to some drastic intervention on my part. About three weeks ago, I was feeling really low and wondered about using my prescribed corticosteroid on it. I was worried the doctor would just throw another emollient at me, so I did some research online instead and found that five days was a safe maximum to use the stuff.

I applied a tiny amount in the morning and noticed an improvement after only one day. After the full five days, the rash was barely noticeable. I was chuffed to bits! I then switched back to a regular moisturiser and was thrilled to find it wasn’t getting worse again, however, the area was almost unnaturally smooth which was very weird.

About a week later (last Thursday) I woke up, looked in the bathroom mirror – and nearly fainted. The area was bright red and covered in pimples and had a horrible thick and scabby texture to it. I was intending to go into town that day, but no amount of makeup would cover it and I was too horrified to go out looking so awful. It was so bad that I even had a panic attack and my hubby decided to book  me an emergency appointment with the GP.

They could only fit me in at the end of the day and then I had to wait half an hour. This turned out to be a complete waste of time as the doctor was unsympathetic and chastised me for taking the corticosteroid. Turns out I have “Steroid-Induced Acne”. I then asked him for the referral to the private derm and he refused, telling me I needed to take tetracycline antibiotics for at least four weeks first and possibly up to six months!

So, I left the surgery and promptly had another panic attack in the car park. I didn’t bother collecting the prescription as I have no desire to go on long-term medication without a proper in-depth consultation. As the GP was very rushed and didn’t bother asking about my extensive history I was not comfortable with his treatment recommendation.

Anyway, fortunately the private derm has agreed to see me without a referral. I just need to remember as much of my medical history as possible when I attend. 

I’ve been using Sudocrem on the acne for the last three days now and it’s clearing up very nicely. Now there’s only a pale red patch, the pimples have gone. I’m using a natural moisturiser at night to (hopefully) prevent the eczema coming back. With any luck, by the time I see the derm my  face will have cleared up and I’ll only need to speak to him about my long-term eczema and seborrheic dermatitis.

I’ll keep the blog updated with my progress, in the meantime I have an overdue review coming up for you over the next few days. :)