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16 Of The Best Hand Creams To Soothe, Soften And Heal Dry Hands
Super soft hands in no time.
Hand cream - normally a key part of our self-care routines to give our hands a much-needed dose of nourishment, now, it's a daily essential thanks to constant use of alcohol-laden hand sanitisers and frequent hand washing (both a necessity, by the way).
'Repetitive hand washing can damage the integrity of the skin, causing hands to become dry, sore and irritated,' says Dr Susan Mayou, Consultant Dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic. 'If you have damaged the skin it becomes less effective as a barrier against infection so moisturising is essential (definitely don’t stop the handwashing!). Choose a good quality, nourishing hand cream to apply after washing and drying the hands - creams are much more effective than lotions. Aveeno, Neutrogena and Cetraben are all purse-friendly, effective products.'
Luxury manicurist Julia Diogo is also a fan of purse-friendly hand creams. Her top pick? Weleda Skin Food. 'It has always been a holy grail product for me and my clients,' says Diogo. 'I love using it during the winter months around the cuticles and backs of hands to help treat the skin if it’s really dry. It’s great to use at night with gloves to keep the moisture locked in.'
A session with Diogo will not only leave your nails in top notch condition, your hands will also feel noticeably softer. In her treatments, Diogo often reaches for Dior Gris Dior Body Creme. 'It’s a super hydrating creme with a beautiful luxury fragrance and feel to end a manicure service. Definitely a great product for anyone who fancy’s a splurge!' she explains.
Read on for the best hand creams worth adding to your online shop ASAP...
This heavy duty aromatic cream is a classic. It will leave your hands a little slippery, so apply in the evening and throw on a pair of gloves for baby soft hands in the morning.
Hand creams with in-built sun protection are especially handy considering body sunscreens are often greasier and too bulky to toss in our handbags. This one by suncare brand Hello Sunday is a pleasure to use, and fits nicely in the smallest clutch.
With every purchase of Nursem's product, British brand Nursem donates a month's worth of hand products to a nurse. It provides lasting hydration, without feeling oily on the skin. We love that there's an unscented version too.
Yes, this smells identical to the perfume (we've had curious colleagues asking 'who's wearing Portrait?') but the formula itself is just as beautiful. Luxurious creams are often on the heavier end of the spectrum but this sinks in quickly and leaves hands comfortably soft.
Aveda's super nourishing hand cream is packed with Vitamins E and A as well as exfoliating fruit acids and hydrating plant emollients for an ultra moisturising lotion that waves goodbye to dry, cracked hands.
REN Clean Skincare Atlantic Kelp And Magnesium Energising Hand Lotion
REN Clean Skincare Atlantic Kelp And Magnesium Energising Hand Lotion
If a thick, buttery hand cream is too much for you, then REN's lightweight lotion is the one. Enriched with Atlantic Kelp Extract and Magnesium PCS, this hand cream gives fingertips a good dose of hydration whilst the essential oil blend treats your other senses to a spa-worthy scent.
Margaret Dabbs London Intensive Hydrating Hand Lotion
Margaret Dabbs London Intensive Hydrating Hand Lotion
If anyone knows how to treat hands with some tender loving care it's Margaret Dabbs. This pro-loved hand cream is formulated with hempseed oil, seaweed extract, rock rose, white water lily and comfrey for a truly luxe hand lotion that soothes dry and irritated skin.
We can't decide if the pastel pink lighter style packaging is cute or totally random, but what we do know is that Glossier's squeezy hand cream is packed full of fast-absorbing moisturisers like coconut fruit extract to help hydrate dry hands without the greasiness.
Thanks to the ultra-moisturising duo of shea butter and coconut oils, ragged cuticles and rough knuckles don't stand a chance against Aesop's sell-out hand balm - and we can vouch for that. With added mandarin orange, lavender and rosemary leaf, it lifts the senses as it nurtures.
L'Occitane's thick whip takes hands toughened by water, weather and hard work and makes them supple and soft. With almond, honey and coconut it's as indulgent as it is nourishing.
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