‘Sophie La Girafe’ protection cream

During my last pregnancy I was really suffering with dryness at the sides of my mouth and no matter what I tried, I simply could not get it to shift. Everything from Vaseline to Chapstick to Carmex – nothing worked. Eventually I took myself to the doctors and after having my blood tested and the results sent through she immediately diagnosed me with something called ‘Angular Cheilitis’. It can be due to a number of things, however mine was due to my poor iron levels and, of course, the immunosuppression that happens during pregnancy.

When I got it again this time round, I knew exactly what it was. I skipped the doctor appointment and booked myself in for a blood test straight away. It came back negative, and so I assumed I was either getting a coldsore, or that the weather was playing havoc with my skin. Again, nothing worked – it maybe helped for a day or two, but then it’d come back with a vengeance.

Last week it had gotten so bad, that I just sat there and cried. You don’t always feel your best during pregnancy as it is, so to be lumbered with this as well, I just felt totally miserable. I was waking up 4 or 5 times a night to moisturise it, applying this and that just to try and get some relief. I didn’t want to kiss my other half, or my little boy because my lips were so wet with some sort of balm. I had 7 cracks on one side of my mouth and it had started spreading across my face. It even looked as though it was weeping where it was so swollen and red, like an angry red. I decided it was probably time to visit the doctor again.

After I came out of the appointment she had prescribed some creams, and had ordered a second blood test, but the said cream I could only apply twice a day at most and had to use a barrier on top, such a Vaseline, which I didn’t want to use.

So, after being very lucky to be sent some ‘Sophie La Girafe’ protection cream (and having been reminded so), which I had accidentally put in the recycling bin, I decided if it was good enough for babies, it was good enough for me. Let me tell you – miracle stuff! I hadn’t even known they did a cosmetic range, I had only known about their Sophie teether, which Toby was very much a fan of!

This little tube of loveliness has been everywhere with me for the best part of 48 hours and I’ve been applying it when I feel I need it to the side of my mouth. Here’s what I love about it:

• Completely non sticky. You don’t even remember you’re wearing it!
• Unlike Vaseline, it doesn’t make the affected area look shiny, so it doesn’t draw attention to the side of my mouth (which was a big thing for me; I was completely paranoid everyone was staring – quite like when you’ve got a huge spot)
• You don’t need a lot – a little really does go a long way
• It smells so good. I really like skin products that are organic and have a purity about them, which this does, and it’s not overpowering at all.
• Not only does it soothe the skin, it allows it to breathe as well. This won’t clog your skin up, or make you feel like you’re wearing a thick layer of it unlike some other lotions and potions.
• This is obviously a baby product, so I’ve been trying it out on Toby too. He has a bit of dry skin at the tops of his arms and this, even in the lastday, has made a huge improvement.

There’s so many things this product does, and this is just one of the ways it helped me. I will definitely be making sure we don’t runout of this stuff!

If you want to try it out yourself, Sophie La Giraffe products are widely available in Boots stores. You can also visit their websites at www.sophielagirafecosmetics.com or http://www.sophielagirafe.co.uk!

J x