While dry, cracked hands are hardly top of our Coronavirus concerns, it’s not exactly a pleasant sensation either. Rigorous hand washing is the recommended thing right now (and do keep doing it). But antibacterial soap can be drying and strip skin of its natural oils. Add to that, slathering on antibacterial hand gel, which has a high alcohol content to kill viruses. Suddenly the best hand creams are more than just a luxury.
Skincare is normally so focused on our faces that it’s understandable if you’ve never given your hands a second thought.
But right now they’re in need of some TLC. Especially as they lack the daily dose of nourishing oils, serums and moisturisers that we treat our faces to. So pop a hand cream in your bag and apply straight after washing your hands for 20 seconds.
Another bonus: the mood-boosting effects of massaging a hand cream into your skin. According to the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, pressure receptors under the skin, when stimulated through massage, increase activity in the vagus nerve. This, in turn, affects the nervous system and can have a meditation-like calming effect, slowing down your heart rate and reducing cortisol levels.
And let’s face it, we could all do with a bit of calm during these uncertain times.
So keep your paws soft and supple with one of the best hand creams below.
Best hand cream for dry hands
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, £21.50
Few things are more uncomfortable than hands and fingers so dry they start cracking. To combat it, this potent 20% shea butter lotion nourishes sore digits in seconds and, best of all, won’t leave them feeling greasy.
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Best hand cream for age spots
Beauty Pie Super Retinol Anti-Aging Hand Treatment, £6.50 for members
By now we’re all well rehearsed in the benefits of retinol for turning back the clock on ageing skin. This hydrating hand cream contains a micro-encapsulated version. The retinol is slowly released into the skin to tackle uneven pigmentation without irritation.
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Best hand cream for eczema
Gallinée Probiotic Hand Cream, £11.90, Lookfantastic
If you have eczema, the last thing you want to do is apply a product that will worsen or irritate it further. This contains probiotics to support your skin’s microbiome and keep it as healthy as possible. It’s also incredibly soothing so even the fussiest skin will be appeased.
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Keep scrolling for a few more of Team Marie Claire‘s greatest hand cream hits.
The post The best hand creams to tackle the harshness of hand sanitisers appeared first on Marie Claire.
