Hand Cream Heroes
As someone who has long suffered with dry hands, I’m always on the lookout for that miracle tube that I can slather on before bed one night and have perfectly moisturised hands for the next week.
Unfortunately, despite spending a small fortune on various hand lotions, I’m yet to find something that works quite that well. But these products are the closest contenders I’ve found. Here are the two that I reach for when my hands are in need of serious TLC.
Overnight: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Mains
If you’re not too familiar with La Roche-Posay they have an amazing story that in very summarised form is based upon the healing properties of the spring waters of La Roche-Posay (a real town in France) treating some serious skin concerns like Eczema way back in the 14th century. Since then, they’ve integrated modern, break-through science with their traditional roots to create products that many GPs, Dermatologists and skin therapists swear by. The Cicaplast range is described as their ‘barrier repair’ range and its main objective is to soothe, protect and heal the skin.
Although the hand cream can be used at any time – and as often as needed – I prefer to use it at night because it is quite thick and I don’t find it soaks in especially quickly. Having said that, it is the most effective, and quickest working, hand cream that I have come across. It has no fragrance or essential oils which is key for me when my hands have passed dry and have actually cracked (cute, I know, but it happens…) and the combination of Shea Butter, Glycerine and Niacinamide (water-soluble Vitamin B that among its many skills is great as strengthening a weakened skin surface) create a perfect treatment for my distressed hands. You can find it here: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Mains.
Day: Nivea CoQ10 Hand Cream
If I’ve forgotten to put La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Mains on overnight, or I need a hydration boost during the day, I reach for this. Old faithful Nivea delivers the goods with this fast-absorbing, lightweight cream complete with Coenzyme Q10 (research points towards CoQ10 as smoothing the skin and having the ability to improve skin hydration) and it has a built-in UV filter. Perfect for daily use! Find it here: Nivea CoQ10 Hand Cream.
I’ve been buying this for years and although they’ve changed the packaging a few times, (which I seem to collect and keep in various drawers around the house) the formula has remained just as effective despite a few ingredient tweaks. This is the most readily available and affordable cream I’ve repurchased, plus it has that nostalgic Nivea scent that all their products have.
Extra Tips:
- Apply a thin layer of hand cream when you first hop in to bed. Wait 10 minutes or until it feels like it has really started to soak in before applying a second layer. A pair of cotton gloves (available in the cleaning aisle of the supermarket) will help keep the cream on your hands instead of all over your sheets.
- Do you have a hydrating face serum you really love? Adding a couple of drops of a hyaluronic acid serum to a small amount of hand cream can give your hands a super boost of moisture.
- Wear rubber gloves while cleaning or doing the dishes. Hot water, dishwashing liquid and cleaning sprays are an essential part of a hygienic home and they do a great job at their intended purpose, but they often have a lousy effect on your hands. Limiting their exposure to your skin can make a huge difference in your hand health.
- Find a hand cream you like. It sounds basic but if you enjoy using something, you’re more likely to stick with it. Whether that means finding one with a gorgeous scent, or an overpriced one in a pretty tube to live on your desk, it doesn’t matter. My favourite fragranced creams are the Lanolin Rose Hand Cream and the Innoxa Lavender Hand Cream, both smell great and work really well too.
