These days we understand more about what causes some people's skin to be sore and chronically inflamed. Atopic dermatitis is used to describe the hereditary condition, where the word 'atopic' means that the skin is not in direct contact with the allergen, yet still gets 'dermatitis', meaning skin that is red, itchy and swollen.

Natural skin care products take their essential ingredients from grains, herbs, roots and flowers. These essential ingredients are combined with naturally occurring carrier agents, preservatives, surfactants, humectants and emulsifiers. Such carriers can include natural soap, natural oils and pure water.

The result is a natural skin care product that is based on botanical ingredients. By this we mean ingredients that currently exist in or are produced by nature. No synthetic chemicals are involved, and the products are processed so that the integrity of the ingredients is preserved.

As the largest organ of the human body and our barrier to the outside world, the skin takes a lot of punishment, including exposure to sunlight, dust, wind and airborne chemicals and infectious microbes. There are two main reactions of the skin to such environmental influences. The first is that the skin can get red, sore and irritated. The second is that an uncomfortable feeling of dryness and tightness can occur in the skin. Indeed, as sufferers of atopic dermatitis know, the skin can become red and swollen on its own, even without any of these influences.

As a popular ingredient in skin care products, rhealba oats when applied to the skin has a number of benefits. It has a soothing and moisturising effect, so that taut, dry skin becomes hydrated and more comfortable. It has a naturally anti-irritant effect which restores a feeling of well-being to sore, sensitive skin.

Rhealba oats will restore balance even to the most sensitive skin, soothing even quite bad cases of atopic dermatitis. These oats have also been found to promote healing of the skin through epidermic activity and cell regeneration.

The skin can be come irritated and sore for a number of reasons. For a start, there are some people who have naturally sensitive skin. This category includes people with a fair complexion, who have skin which tends to be prone to sensitivity from time to time.

Their skin can become red and irritated even on exposure to mild sunlight. They may also often experience uncomfortable feelings of tightness in their skin.

The second main category of skin-type is intolerant skin. This includes people who are prone to eczema and rosacea. The slightest external stress factor causes their skin to heat up and redden. Their skin will feel irritated and sore.

The third category is the person with hyper-sensitive or allergy-prone skin, typified by sufferers of atopic dermatitis. Here, an acute allergic reaction in the skin can be triggered by a fragrance, a preservative, or perhaps a sun filter in a skin care product. The type of allergic reactions could include itching, redness, skin eruptions and rashes.

The trend for natural skin care products has resulted in the emergence of a number of companies that make natural products available to the public. The best suppliers will have websites where you can see the different types of products, read about them, and order online.