Review: Aveeno Active Naturals Lavender Lotion

As someone suffering from eczema, I'm constantly on the search for something that will make my skin look and feel a little less like the Sahara desert. A lot of the time, over the counter lotions and creams don't cut it. But this Aveeno lotion pleasantly surprised me!

Scent. This is the first thing I look for in any lotion or cream. If it's going on my skin, it absolutely has to smell good. I will not settle for something that has a smell that I can't stand, and I'm not too big on unscented lotion. The lavender scent is the most calming thing I have ever smelled in my life. Lavender can be overwhelming sometimes, but this lotion has a very soft fragrance; a blend of lavender and baby powder. The scent does exactly what it promises - relieves stress.

Formula. One problem that I find with a lot of lotions is that the formula is too thin or watery to be effective for eczema. Worse yet, others are too greasy and sit on top of the skin rather than soaking into it. The Aveeno lotion is perfect. It is a nice, thick formula that doesn't feel heavy. It blends into my skin easily and actually soaks in instead of just lying on top of my skin or evaporating into thin air.

Moisture. I almost could not believe how well this moisturized my skin. Even on top of my eczema outbreaks, the usually scaly skin was soft and felt a little calmer. No, I'm not saying it treated the eczema in any way, but it certainly gave me a little relief. Eczema typically itches, and if it isn't itching like crazy then it's tingling because you're trying not to scratch it, or it's burning because you scratched it too much. The Aveeno lotion may not have made the bumps go away, but it was like a breath of fresh air for my skin. It stopped burning and stayed calm for hours. I was floored by how well it worked for non-prescription lotion. Again, it's absolutely no replacement for medicated ointment, but it will give your skin a nice break if you haven't got any on hand.

Cons. The bottle is way too small for the price you pay. I paid about $13 USD for a 12-ounce bottle, which breaks down to $1 per ounce. I may go as far as saying it is a good enough product to be worth a little extra money, but I would rather this come in a bigger bottle so that I don't have to fight to get every last bit out.