Winter Essentials #3 - Dry Hands?

Dry winds, cold water, exposed to the elements - your hands often bear the brunt of the cold weather. Dry hands are especially common in winter and even more so if you're prone to symptoms of sensitive skin like inflammation or eczema.

 

I happen to be a hand cream enthusiast and use hand cream at every chance I get but I do  know plenty of people who have hand-issues, especially when their work involves water or chemicals, like hair dressers, nurses etc.


How to combat the issue:

• You should use hand cream immediately after washing your hands so having some beside the soap in the bathroom and kitchen isn't a bad idea! 
• When your going to bed use a rich formula that will soak in overnight leaving you with well moisturized palms in the morning.
• Keep a tube of hand cream in your bag!

Along with my handbag, my bathroom and kitchen, I also keep some on my desk in work, in my car and on my bedside locker... OK, I know that sounds a little obsessive compulsive but I suppose dry hands is a pet peeve of mine. I cant stand it.

My Top 5  


I have tried out a tonne of different hand creams at this stage... Here some of my favorites.

Clarins Hand & Nail Treatment

This one is at the top of my list, it has everything I love packed into a cream! It is emollient-rich with soothing Sesame Oil and Japanese Mulberry, and quite literally forms a "glove" that shields your hands from the elements while softening and comforting dry, chapped, irritated skin. The big bonus for me with this is that it helps strengthen nails and condition cuticles too!

Soap & Glory Hand Food

This is up there for me too, and its actually a close toss up between this and Clarins for the top spot on my list. There is not a lot that needs to be said about this non-greasy formula, drenched in the Soap & Glory original pink smell it's a dream to use

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

This is one of my regular airport purchases. Enriched with 20 percent shea butter, this rich, creamy balm smells like the coconut oils and almond extracts that its made with. Although a bit pricy it is a great product.

Aveda Hand Relief

Aveda products are known for using flower and plant essence to create effective skin products. Their hand cream provides relief by bringing together hydrating plant emollients, exfoliating fruit acids and anti-oxidants.

Aveeno Skin Relief Hand Cream

This is great for using a night, its a deep nourishing treatment with a non-greasy formulation. Some people find that skin can chap around the knuckle area and can prove really painful, using this at night can really help with this. Perfect for leaving on the beside locker!


TIP
My number one tip with using hand cream is to try to incorporate it into a routine throughout your day... If you wash your hands in work make it routine that you use hand cream as soon as your back at your desk, or just before your turning your beside lamp off! This applies to any beauty related ritual... once its in your routine, its not going anywhere!

Thanks,
Ashley

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