I don’t have eczema and I have never suffered with it, but when I heard the story behind new treatment product Selexir I was really quite moved. (I’ve mentioned my predisposition for crying, have I not?) I was sat face to face with Elena and Mirella, the founders of the brand, and Elena was describing how she had been absolutely disfigured by her eczema, which for many years had made the skin on her face red, itchy, swollen and flaky. She still seemed genuinely distraught about that period of her life, and I felt my throat aching a bit and had to stare quite hard at a point just beyond her head! (Old trick. Only works if you think about tax bills or pasta recipes at the same time – seems to neutralise emotion, for some reason.)

Elena went through hundreds of different creams before deciding to create her own and then, when friends and family started begging her to produce it, she joined up with her best friend, Mirella, and they set about turning it into a viable, sellable product. The clinical trial results were amazing – you can see some of the facts here – with skin left smooth, soothed and hydrated. Many of the volunteers had, like Elena, tried loads of different treatments for their severe skin dryness and in 100% of them there was a marked improvement. Good news for those at the end of their tether with flaky, itchy skin!

I have been testing Selexir on two zones (check me out with my scientific research!): chapped nose-skin and a deep graze on the back of my hand. Both areas reacted very well to the balm – the graze didn’t go through that itchy, scabby phase and it healed up really quickly! The flaky skin around my nose was gone in under two days. I couldn’t use this on my face “proper” as it would probably be far too rich (it’s a thick, thick balm, not a cream – think the texture of Eight Hour Cream, but it doesn’t stink and it’s not sticky) but those with eczema or tight, dry skin will want to slather it all over!

I have three 75ml tubes of Selexir Peace Balm for my readers to try – they are worth £99 each and will last for absolutely ages. I’d love for these balms to go to readers who genuinely suffer from eczema or very dry, itchy skin, so please be honest if you leave a comment below registering your interest. I’d also very much appreciate it if the readers who receive the balms write a short (or long!) post with their feedback and results. So, entry requirements: genuine eczema or very dry skin sufferer, willing to write me some feedback. Leave me a comment below before Saturday at noon (that’s the 3rd of November) and please only leave one comment each.

If you want to find out more about Selexir or ask Elena or Mirella any questions, you can tweet them @Selexir or find them on Facebook here.