Beauty Shopper: Eucerin creams

What: The launch of Beiersdorf's Eucerin skin care line
The Expert: Dr. Andrea Schoelermann, M.D., Senior Medical Manager of Dermatology for Beiersdorf, based in Hamburg.
When: January 20th, 2004
Where: Hotel Le Germain, Toronto
Why: The opportunity to see how a dermatologist-recommended line could help my troubled skin.

Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1882, Beiersdorf has developed over 140 products in the Eucerin line. Tailoring its offerings to the Canadian climate and lifestyle, Dr. Andrea Schoelermann chose to showcase 10 products for its launch. Here's a look at the ones I sampled:

5% Urea Body Cream, $22
My dry and itchy skin has suffered from the cold of winter. So I chose a five per cent urea body cream for very dry skin. I must admit, the name of this product turned me off. What exactly is urea? Dr. Schoelermann explained that it is a natural moisturizer already present in healthy skin. I applied this rich cream after my evening bath. It smoothed-in easily and wasn't goopy. My skin felt very soft. When I shared this cream with a colleague at work, she was thrilled with the results. It left her skin smooth and minimized the rough bumps on her arms.

Q10 ACTIVE Anti-Wrinkle Cream, $29
This day cream was perfect for my combination skin. It is my favourite of all the Eucerin products. The cream contains coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that helps fight wrinkles and regenerate skin. Its texture is light and fluffy—it didn't feel greasy, instead, it left my skin dewy. It also has a natural butter and vanilla scent. The thicker Q10 ACTIVE Night Anti-Wrinkle Cream, $31, has the same fresh scent but was too rich for my skin. I'd recommend it to someone with very dry skin.

Q10 ACTIVE Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream, $24
Eye cream is the one product I can't live without. Years of squinting have left me with crow's feet around my eyes. I find some eye creams leave my skin red and irritated. Q10 ACTIVE Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream, however, is fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and suitable for contact lens wearers like me. My hopes were high. The cream applied smoothly and absorbed. Although the skin around my eyes didn't look instantly plump, after a week of using it I noticed a difference.

Eucerin products are available across Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart. Check out Eucerin.ca for full product listings and descriptions.