Wicked Wednesday: Battle of the Hand Creams

Spring may be only three weeks away but this does not mean that the weather stops being cold and drying. I still find myself reaching for my tube of hand cream as many times as I normally do in a day during mid-winter. If you haven't been using hand cream, it's never too late to invest in one. You will need it a lot if you work in an environment where the air-conditioning/heater is drying or if it involves you washing your hands countless times in a day. I've put together a list of hand creams that I have tried; they are arranged from my least favourite to the most.

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

Claims: Soften hands; minimises age spots; and strengthens nails

Retail: AUD$40 for 100mL

Packaging: 4 out of 5

Review: I was given a 50mL tube of this product by a friend. I was really keen to try it out until I opened up the tube. It had a strong fragrance that is typcial of body/hand creams and it made me sneeze. I am not a fan of products with artificial (added) fragrances because they either irritate my nose or gives me headaches. That aside, I think this hand cream keeps my hands from drying up for half the day before I have to reapply. I do have spots/pigments on my hands but I don't think I've used this cream consistently enough to see any improvements. The cream is smooth and easy to spread but it takes a while to absorb into the skin.

Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream

Claims: 12-hour hydration; strengthens moisture barrier against environmental stressors; and conditions cuticles and nails.

Retail: AUD$32 for 75mL 

Packaging: 3.5 out of 5 

Review: I got the sample version of this hand cream as a gift from another friend (people seem to love giving me hand creams, don't they?). What I really liked about this hand cream was that it's fragrance-free, plus it's allergy-tested. I found that it makes my hands smooth and soft immediately after application, which I really liked. The downside of this product is that I found myself reapplying it every couple of hours. Perhaps it was because it was a particularly dry and cold winter. So for me, the "staying power" was poor. Other than that, I was happy with it.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Hand Cream SPF 15

Claims: Contains all the goodness of the original cocoa butter formula for your hands with sun protection.

Retail: AUD$4.20 for 60g

Packaging: 4.5 out of 5 

Review: I'm using this hand cream currently. What I really like about it is that it contains SPF. We often neglect our hands when it comes to protecting them from the deadly UV rays of the sun. The hands often age the fastest, apart from our faces and necks because they are exposed most of the time. It has a scent (which I believe originates from the cocoa butter) but it isn't foul, just tolerable. The cream is thick and harder to spread but I think you need no use as much per application compared to other hand creams. Because it is so "solid", it feels like it takes a while to absorb into the skin. I apply this very early in the morning before I head out the door and it lasts me till the evening.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

Claims: Helps heal and protect dry or dehydrated skin; anti-oxidizing vitamin E helps nourish hands.

Retail: AUD$12 / AUD$39  for 30mL / 150mL

Packaging: 4.5 out of 5

Review: I love this little tube of heaven! I've only tried it a few times (whenever my mum lends hers to me) but I just know that it's the perfect hand cream for me. It has a lovely subtle scent and the perfect consistency: not too thick and not too fluid. All you need is a very tiny amount and it moisturizes your hands immediately and effectively. My skin feels smooth and amazing, like it has just returned from a day spa! It also lasts most of the day. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of these once I empty my Palmer's hand cream! 

I hope this post has given you an idea on what to look out for if you're shopping for a hand cream. If you already have/use hand creams, what's your favourite? Do share by commenting below.