My stomach emits loud, rumbly noises if I don’t eat breakfast. So to avoid embarrassment, I always make sure to I eat a big bowl of oatmeal every morning if I have time. But recently, I’ve been thinking about another type of oatmeal: colloidal oatmeal, which is the active functional ingredient in many eczema relief lotions and creams. (Note to self: Investigate the difference between lotions and creams.)

I first heard about Kiehl’s in high school, when one of my classmates (who had the smoothest, most beautiful, blemish-free skin) told me that she was a big fan of Kiehl’s products. I didn’t think much about it at the time, until my sister mentioned it to me a few years ago. She recommended Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, and when I tried it, I liked the nice eucalyptus scent. It makes you feel like you’re doing something healthy, like drinking green juice.

I’ve had eczema since I was a kid. Most of the time, thankfully, I can keep it under control by putting on lotion as often as I can—especially at night. Actually, everyone in my immediate family either has eczema or psoriasis, so we were always trying out different lotions at home, hoping we’d find the one that solved all of our skin woes. Ointment, cream, or lotion? Scented, unscented, naturally scented? Runny, creamy, greasy? Big brands, generic brands, hippie/indie brands?…