My Favourite Hand Creams

Hello everyone! I thought this cold blizzardy day (in the GTA) would be an appropriate day to post a little blog on hand creams. My hands get extremely dry in the winter. They crack and also develop small itchy red bumps that are embarrassing, so I always do my best to keep my hands as moisturized as possible.  I also make sure to drink a ton of water in the winter, but that alone doesn’t seem to cut it. I thought I’d share with you my favourite hand creams in case you also suffer from dry hands and are looking to try something new:

 

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream  -  I fell in love with this hand cream after receiving a sample from SDM sometime in the fall. At the time, it was perfect for me! It has a nice texture and leaves behind absolutely zero residue. I mean zero! It seems to absorb instantly and your hands are immediately very soft. I purchased it this winter and I noticed that I was reapplying far too often. I started questioning whether it wasn’t making my hands more dry! I’ll definitely be trying this again in the spring! Apparently there is some ingredient in it that helps make your nails grow long and thick if used consistently. Lord knows, I definitely need help there! This 100ml tube retails for $33 at Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora.

Avene Trixera Selectiose Emollient Balm  – This cream is definitely my HG this winter. I purchased this on a whim from leguidesante.com for $13.69 USD, though they seem to raise their prices often. I bought it thinking that someone in my home would be able to use it on their face this winter, and then I read a review suggesting to use it on your hands. It has literally saved my skin! I apply morning and night, and my hands are so soft. No rough spots or itchy red bumps. Even this past week when we’ve had temps almost reaching minus 30 Celsius. I’m pretty amazed! It’s quite a thick cream and almost has the texture and smell of Elmer’s glue. If you can get past that, I’d definitely recommend this to anyone that suffers from dry hands. Amazing stuff! It comes in a large 200ml tube, and it retails for I believe $28 at Shoppers Drug Mart. Like I mentioned, you can also purchase this online from leguidesante.com, but be warned that shipping is very hefty from that site. I like to make big orders with tons of products so that shipping is worth it.

Avene Cicalfate Repair Cream  –  I also purchased this cream from leguidesante.com for $7.78 USD. The price has raised slightly since then. The texture of this cream almost feels like diaper rash ointment. You know that Penaten stuff? Yeah, like that. Less thick though. It works great at helping heal eczema, dermatitis, and I even dab it on pimples to help them clear up. Good stuff! I use it more as a spot treatment though. This comes in a 40ml tube and is $20 at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Shikai Borage Dry Skin Therapy Hand Cream – This was my favourite hand cream for years before discovering the Avene Trixera.  Here’s a little blurb from Skikai’s website about Borage:  Borage oil, extracted from the seeds of the borage plant, is a natural source of gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA), an important OMEGA-6 fatty acid which is required for healthy skin cell membranes. Without sufficient GLA, cells can't retain enough moisture. This can result in dry skin and other chronic skin problems.Borage oil penetrates deep, delivering GLA and its benefits directly to the cells. As a result, skin retains more moisture and is healthier. I love this cream! It does keep hands soft, and for years it helped keep my itchy red bumps away.  Then it stopped working. It still moisturized just fine, but wasn’t keeping me from getting eczema on my hands. I’ve read so many great reviews on this cream, and I know it’s one of the best out there. It’s cheaper than the other creams, so I’d definitely give it a try if you suffer from dry hands. It comes in a 73 ml tube and I believe I got my last one from Whole Foods in the US.  I’m pretty sure you can buy it from the Superstore, and they have it at well.ca  for 10.99.

Glysomed Hand Cream, fragrance free – Okay, who hasn’t tried this. It’s dirt cheap, in every store and works! What more can you ask for! This one isn’t enough for me during our cold winter’s, but for the rest of the year, I’m more than happy with it. I don’t have too much more to say about this, but I’m sure you’ve read or heard enough about it. If you haven’t tried, pick it up. Well.ca sells it for $3.69 for a 50ml tube. I’m sure it’s about the same price at your local Superstore or Walmart.

I should also mention that only two of these creams have a scent;  the faint smell of glue from the Avene Trixera, and the Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream has a distinct and strong smell. I don’t mind it, but maybe you would.

If you read all of this, you’re awesome! lol Thanks for stopping by. :)