My son and I have never lived in a climate quite like Beijing’s. Heck, we’ve never even lived in a place with four seasons, much less a city that endures bouts of air pollution, dust storms, catkins and other weather phenomenon that wreck havoc with our bodies.

When we first got here, I suffered from dry itchy skin and scalp, mild hives, and acne that still scars me to this day (another post on this at a later time). My child, who sadly inherited my share of skin concerns even at his tender age, similarly suffers from dry skin, bordering on mild eczema.

Thankfully, we’ve been able to find some products and routines to help with my kid’s dry, itchy skin here in Beijing.

Soapnut Republic is a Shanghai-based expat-owned business that specialises in safe, effective, environmentally-responsible products for personal care and home cleaning. Their PURETONIQUE personal care brand is allergen-free, and practically odorless and colorless, so there are no overpowering smells to offend any kid’s olfactory senses. While their popular Body Wash is currently out of stock, the good news is that the remaining two products are on sale at 35% off so one bottle of shampoo (300ml) is RMB 70 and conditioner is RMB 77.

Every night before bed, we’ve fallen into a routine where I give the kid a five-minute massage beginning with his feet, arms, and back. I use Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion which is readily available on the 盒马 Hema shopping app that promises 30 minute deliveries. Keeping skin moisturized (external) and hydrated (from within) is key to keeping eczema flare-ups in check. Recently with the implementation of online learning, we’ve started face massages too, especially around the brow and jawline. Just be gentle and use only your fingertips.

In all honesty, I never even considered using face wash for my child since I myself didn’t use face wash until I was a teen. That said, this brand comes highly recommended by a local friend whose 5-year-old loves this foaming wash because “it’s bubbly and he loves the smell”. You can use the picture search function to find this on TaoBao readily.

Look out for my follow-up article on my own skincare regimen to help deal with breakouts and other skin problems. Plus, I reveal a life-changing skincare procedure available here in Beijing!