It's that time of the year again folks! The biting cold has come upon us, forcing our beautiful hands to bury themselves deep within our pockets for warmth and protection against the chill. That, or we just wear gloves. Unlike most of you though, unless it's as an operatic fashion statement, I actually don't wear gloves that often during the winter season. I like the feel of the cold, especially if it's snowing- I like to really immerse my palms in the frost. Dangerous, I know, but what can I say? I revel in the cold season. Plus, it saves me having to take my gloves off every time I have to send a text or skip to another song on my iPod (damned touch screens!)- that is, if I have any feeling left in my fingers. That said, I do make sure that my hands are protected at all times, and that means only one thing- HAND CREAM.
The cold weather notoriously dries out the skin to the point of chapping, splitting and roughness, so one must always be armed with at least one high performance cream to soothe, moisturize and repair the skin after the daily assaults of Jack Frost. Plus the more you take care of your hands, the younger they will look in the future. After all, if I'm going to be an ice queen, I'd rather have a soft touch and pretty fingers ;)
So without further ado, here are my top picks for Must Have Hand Creams this winter. Rest assured I have tried and tested them all for years and years, and their consistent high performance is what makes me repurchase not only during winter but all year round. In no particular order, here we go!
L'Occitane en Provence Shea Butter Hand Cream, £19 for 150ml- L'Occitane has quite a range of hand creams but out of the lot this remains my favourite. Its a no BS, nourishing hand cream that incorporates the moisturising properties of Shea Butter (20%), coconut and almond oils. The fragrance is subtle but creamy, and the texture lovely and rich- a perfect soothing cream for dry skin that sinks in rapidly to replenish moisture. Non-greasy but gives you enough emollience for a pampering hand massage before bed, leaving the skin soft and comfortably hydrated.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment, £25 for 75ml- Out of the group, this is the most recent one I've tried. I'm a big fan of the Eight Hour Treatment range (but the original EH Cream, not so much -.-) and it was all started by the lip balm. This beautiful gel cream delivers wonderful results, creating a silky moisture barrier that helps soothe and soften weather-exposed skin. It does take a bit more time to sink in, so it makes for a wonderful bedside staple but during the day, a little goes a long way. It doesn't have an overpowering fragrance either which is good.
Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, £20 for 100ml- This hand cream was my gateway product into the brand. It's a lovely hand cream that helps keep the skin hydrated while it gives anti-oxidant benefits by way of Sesame Oil. This cream also helps reduce the appearance of dark spots thanks to the Japanese Mulberry extract, but that's something I have yet to attest to. After all I'm only 23 and if genetics are any indication, age spots aren't a usual occurrence in my family so I don't expect them anytime soon. However I can say that the cream does help stregthen nails- I am prone to chipping and breaking but my nails are always nourished and in tip-top shape when I use this cream (pre- and post-manicure go-to!) I'm not sure if there has been a change in the formula because the recent ones seem to sink in faster and aren't as emollient in comparison to what I've had before (and this is in between the repackaging period it went through). It's a good thing though if they have tweaked it, which means this is perfect for use during the day if you're on the go. If not, maybe my tube was just old.
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, £15.50 for 100ml- HANDS DOWN (hey!) my favourite all-purpose balm as of late. I was never an Eight Hour guy, but LRP's Cicaplast Balm is doing everything I expected EH to do and better. You can use it on your lips, your face, and body. The balm contains 5% Panthenol (Vit. B5) which soothes and comforts, and Shea Butter and Glycerin which softens and plumps up the skin. The beauty of this balm is that not only does it address almost all dry-skin related issues, but it is has antibacterial properties which help protect skin with minor grazes and burns and is formulated for people who suffer from sensitive and irritable skin. For me, this is the ultimate Repair + Protect cream on the market today.
Neutrogena Norweigan Formula Concentrated Hand Cream, £3.85 for 50ml- I remember my mum using the original hand cream when I was very young and since then I have had it as a staple in every bag I own. This little tube, now concentrated, is handy, effective and really cheap- everything you need without too much this or that. You only need a small amount to really soften dry, and chapped skin thanks to its high concentration of glycerin (2nd in the list.) If its formulation really is made to withstand Scandinavian climate, then a winter in England is child's play in comparison. I have yet to come across disappointment from this range.
The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector, £10 for 100ml- This hand cream is Body Shop bread and butter. Absolutely one of their bestsellers and with good reason. The Community Trade Hemp Seed Oil is rich in fatty acids which helps in soothing extremely dry skin, and creating a moisture barrier to keep hands hydrated even under the harshest conditions. If you have tough, dry skin that is prone to splitting and cracks, or if you suffer from eczema, this should be your desert island product. I know a lot of hairdressers and builders buy this tube by the dozen due to their lines of work. It is a thick and rich cream, almost like a balm actually, and you only need a little with each use. One thing I will say about this product is the fragrance. It's got a weird, herby (! *.*) smell to it that at times can be a deal breaker, but the smell remains trivial as it is high performance AND effective. You can apply liberally if you like to use moisturising gloves overnight almost as a masque for the hands. It's no surprise that whenever this hand cream goes on half price at TBS, people flock to stock up three tubes at a time! *Having serious flashbacks of working for TBS*
What are your winter hand cream staples?
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