Eczema Skincare Routine: Caring for Your Skin at Every Age

A good eczema skincare routine is usually a simple one. From the teenage years through adulthood and later life, caring for eczema-prone skin is largely about protecting the skin barrier, maintaining moisture and reducing unnecessary irritation.

Exactly what that looks like can change over time.

Teenagers may be trying to manage eczema and breakouts at the same time. Adults might be navigating makeup, active skincare ingredients, stress and busy routines. Later in life, increasing dryness can mean skin needs more moisturising and gentler cleansing.

Rather than trying to build the perfect multi-step routine, start with the essentials and adapt them as your skin changes.

Start with the basics

For eczema-prone facial skin, three things form a useful foundation: gentle cleansing, regular moisturising and sun protection.

Choose a mild, soap-free cleanser and use lukewarm water. Hot water and vigorous scrubbing can contribute to dryness and irritation.

How frequently you need to cleanse depends on your skin and lifestyle. Once daily may be enough for some people, while others may cleanse morning and evening.

After washing, apply a fragrance-free moisturiser. Creams and ointments generally provide more barrier support than light lotions, which can be useful for particularly dry skin.

Applying moisturiser while the skin still retains some moisture after washing can help support hydration.

Sunscreen and eczema-prone skin

Sun protection remains important throughout life, particularly under New Zealand's strong UV conditions.

Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that your skin tolerates and that you are comfortable using regularly. Fragrance-free products formulated for sensitive skin are a sensible place to begin.

Some people with eczema prefer mineral sunscreens containing ingredients such as zinc oxide, although no sunscreen formulation will suit everyone.

If you are unsure how your skin will react to a new product, consider testing it on a small area first.

Teenage skin: when eczema meets acne

Teenagers can find themselves trying to manage two very different skin concerns at once.

Acne products often focus on removing oil and exfoliating the skin, while eczema management generally focuses on maintaining moisture and protecting the skin barrier.

Using aggressive acne treatments across eczema-prone areas can therefore cause problems.

Start gently. A mild cleanser and suitable moisturiser provide a good foundation.

Avoid harsh scrubs and be careful with exfoliating acids or strong acne treatments, particularly on areas affected by eczema. Persistent or painful acne alongside eczema is worth discussing with a GP, dermatologist or other healthcare professional.

Introducing makeup

If makeup becomes part of the routine during the teenage years, introduce products gradually.

Look for fragrance-free formulations suitable for sensitive skin where possible, and pay attention to how your skin responds rather than assuming that a "hypoallergenic" or "natural" label guarantees a product will suit you.

At the end of the day, remove makeup gently and moisturise afterwards.

Your 20s, 30s and around 40: don't let skincare trends overwhelm your skin

Adult skincare can quickly become complicated.

Retinoids, vitamin C, exfoliating acids and other active ingredients are widely promoted, but eczema-prone skin may not tolerate them well.

You do not need an elaborate routine simply because you have reached a particular age.

Gentle cleansing, moisturising and sun protection can remain the foundation. If you want to introduce an additional active product, doing so one at a time makes it easier to see whether your skin tolerates it.

Burning, persistent stinging, redness or worsening eczema are signs to reconsider the product rather than pushing through in the hope your skin will "get used to it".

Makeup removal without stripping your skin

Sleeping in makeup isn't ideal for eczema-prone skin, but neither is aggressively scrubbing it away.

Use a gentle cleanser and avoid excessive rubbing. Makeup wipes can create friction and some contain ingredients that may irritate sensitive skin, so they may not be the best everyday option.

Heavier makeup and water-resistant products sometimes require an additional cleansing step. If so, keep the process as gentle as possible and stop if your skin begins feeling stripped or sore.

Apply moisturiser once you have finished cleansing.

Mature skin: when extra moisture matters

As we get older, skin tends to become drier and more fragile. For someone already living with eczema, those changes can make dryness more noticeable.

You may find yourself reaching for moisturiser more frequently than you did when you were younger.

Richer creams and ointments can provide more barrier support than lighter lotions. Cleansing may also need to become less frequent. For some people, a gentle evening cleanse followed by a simple rinse in the morning is enough.

Ingredients such as ceramides, glycerin and hyaluronic acid are commonly included in moisturisers to support hydration, while petrolatum can help reduce moisture loss.

Don't focus on a single "hero" ingredient, though. The entire formulation matters when you have sensitive skin.

What should you look for on the label?

For eczema-prone skin, fragrance-free, soap-free and suitable for sensitive skin are useful things to look for.

Fragrance-free is particularly important because fragrance can irritate sensitive skin.

Be aware that "unscented" and "fragrance-free" do not necessarily mean the same thing.

Unscented products may contain fragrance ingredients designed to mask other smells in the formulation.

Also be cautious with products marketed as natural or organic. Essential oils and botanical extracts can still cause irritation, despite coming from natural sources.

A simple routine to come back to

When skincare starts feeling overwhelming, strip it back to the essentials.

Morning: Gentle cleanse or rinse → Moisturiser → Sunscreen

Evening: Gentle cleanse → Moisturiser

Your individual routine may need additional steps depending on your eczema and other skin concerns, but these basics provide a useful starting point at almost any age.

Try introducing new products individually rather than changing several things at once. If irritation develops, this makes it much easier to work out which product might be responsible.

Your skincare needs can change over time

There is no single eczema skincare routine that will work for everyone forever.

Your skin at 16 can behave very differently from your skin at 35 or 65. Weather, hormones, lifestyle, stress, ageing and changes in eczema itself can all influence what your skin needs.

The aim isn't to have the longest routine. It's to find a simple approach that keeps your skin comfortable and supports its barrier.

If facial eczema continues to flare despite your usual care, becomes painful, affects the skin around your eyes or is interfering with everyday life, talk with your GP, dermatologist or another qualified healthcare professional.

Skincare can be an important part of eczema management, but it does not replace medical treatment when treatment is required.

This information is general in nature and is not intended to replace individual medical advice. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your individual circumstances.