We tried loads of hand creams – and these are some of the best
If you’re anything like us, you’re washing your hands about three million times a day at the moment and the result is probably less than sexy.
Yes our hands look like the bottom of a barnacle-covered boat too. So we’ve pulled in a huge range of hand creams to test. Ones that you can buy online if you can’t get to the shops. Here’s some of our favourites… and we’re kicking off with the men!
The Bluebeards Revenge Cooling Moisturiser £9.99
It’s not just women washing their hands (it had better not be!) so this is a nice one for chaps. Perfect for everyday use. A vegan-friendly blend of prickly pear, fenugreek and jojoba oil, with a masculine scent.
www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk
ClarinsMen Active Hand Care £17
A man’s hands are also susceptible to dry cuticles, redness and painful chapping. This non-oily cream is great for smoothing out roughness and irritations. The first hand care treatment formulated specifically for men, it’s not going to make anyone unused to hand cream feel weird. Really light touch with good results.
www.clarins.co.uk
Lyonsleaf calendula balm £10.95
An unfragranced balm that’s perfect for men and women, made with pure plant oils, organic beeswax, home grown herbs and nothing else. 95% organic/wild harvest. Great for very dry skin and gardeners’ hands / working hands.
www.lyonsleaf.co.uk
Hand cream – also for chaps
Balmonds Intensive Hand Cream £10.99
A really nice hand cream with natural ingredients, perfect for those working in care etc. The cream is especially useful for those who need to wash their hands often throughout the day, or who come into contact with harsh detergents, allergens or irritating chemicals. These can leave skin sore, dry or cracked, and can aggravate conditions such as hand dermatitis, psoriasis or eczema. Care workers, health professionals, gardeners, climbers, mechanics, parents… this one’s for you!
www.balmonds.co.uk
ESPA Bergamot and Jasmine Hand Lotion £19
Ah the smell of ESPA products. Moisture rich and deeply hydrating, this is a beautifully light conditioning lotion to nourish, protect and soften. It’s got a luxurious blend of pure essential oils including bergamot and jasmine. Love it.
www.espaskincare.com
Chanel La Crème Main Texture Riche £45
As with all Chanel products, this feels like a real treat. It’s a rich composition but not heavy, and we like the shape of the container – really smooth without any sharp corners! It’s the kind of cream that works miracles overnight and it’s got a lovely floral scent.
www.chanel.com
Mavala Hand cream £15.45
Specially formulated for dry, damaged hands and protection. Its composition blends moisturising marine collagen and allantoin, well-known for its soothing properties, to soften dry skin and prevent roughness and redness. A light product that penetrates and hydrates skin, leaving a non-sticky film which protects hands from daily aggressions.
www.mavala.com
Dermalogica Barrier Repair cream £42
This is a fairly sturdy hand cream. Velvety moisturizer helps fortify sensitized skin with a damaged barrier. And this unique anhydrous (waterless) moisturizer helps shield against environmental and internal triggers that cause skin stress. Great for outdoor working too.
www.dermalogica.co.uk
Epionce Restorative Hand Cream £26
Great barrier repair properties. Gorgeous smell and luxurious texture that is very effective at relieving dryness of the hands and improving the appearance of your skin. It contains a unique blend of active botanical ingredients such as raspberry, apple, rosa canina, flax, date, meadowfoam and safflower. Restores moisture and softness and relieves cracked, rough texture.
www.epionce.co.uk
Amanda Harrington Ultra Balm £16
This is usually recommended for use as a tan barrier but with super dry skin happening everywhere, it’s a great really deep balm option. Nourishing, protecting and replenishing universal rescue cream that soothes extra dry areas of the skin. Infused with Sweet Almond Oil and Cocoa Butter, which deeply moisturises the skin, and refreshing Aloe Vera.
www.amandaharrington.com
Dr.PAWPAW Original Balm £6.95
Meet DR Paw Paw, the original balm you can’t live without. Well, that’s what they say anyway. It’s a really rich, fairly heavy balm that can be used for everything. So if we tell you it’s appropriate for lip balm you’ll get an idea of its richness. Feels super luxe when hands are very dry.
www.drpawpaw.com
Elemis Sea Lavender & Samphire Body Cream £28
We always love Elemis, and this is a nice one for up the arms and stuff as well as hands. It’s packed with lovely smells and absorbs nicely. Use it all over really but less suitable for really dry hands.
www.elemis.com
CBVit Active Hemp Body Butter £29.95
For all you CBD nuts. This rich and luscious body butter is infused with organic hemp seed oil. Intensely moisturising for all skin types. The Body Butter contains 200 mg CBD.
www.cbvit.com
land&water Body Lotion £19
Uplifting citrus makes this a nice thing to rub all over too. Combines mood-boosting grapefruit and orange with calming mint and linden essential oils to soften day-worn, sea-splashed skin. Really nice mixture, nice feel.
www.land-and-water.co.uk
Skandinavisk Fjord Hand Cream £20
The blurb says this richly moisturising hand cream is made in Denmark with 99% ingredients of natural origin, including 20% certified organic and 56% local spring water, plus 1% of their SKANDINAVISK fragrance. What we say is that it smells of apple and pear blossom and is a light and fruity number to apply to the hands.
www.amazon.co.uk
Lotil hand cream £3.27
For 100 years LOTIL has been regarded as a super cream and given 10/10 by everyone that uses it. We couldn’t do this feature without including it – it’s one of our all-time favourites. One of the best things about it is the non-greasy aspect, as well as the price. Bargain.
www.weldricks.co.uk
Lush Handy Gurugu £9
As everyone knows, Lush isn’t a brand to engage with if you’re looking for subtle scent. But this is a lovely cream with a high butter content: shea, cashew and almond butters are blended with pumpkinseed and an infusion of rose water and rose absolute. Slather on at night and let it work its magic.
www.uk.lush.com
Goldfaden MD Hands To Heart £35
If you’re looking for something with a dermatological or anti-ageing angle, this is for you. The hand cream is packed with anti-aging ingredients such as CoQ10, niacinimide, glucosamine, retinol and potent hyaluronic acid.
www.spacenk.com
Time Bomb Hand-To-Hand Combat Cream with coconut oil £15
The uber-hydrating, mini-mani in a tube. This is deeply hydrating but not too greasy. It’s got magic hyaluronic acid in it too, which is never a bad thing. Coconut oil gives it a nice instant hit.
www.timebombco.com
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