Hands On...

I am such a girl. A girly-girl. I love lip stuff, and makeup, and dresses and stilettos. I am also never without hand cream. Hand cream is a MUST. Simple. Signs of ageing are most visible on your hands and neck. I'd say more so than the eye area, especially with great eye products, and botox and all those fancy things these days. Exciting.

I've been using different hand-creams for 6 years now, so I am kind of experienced. I'm the crazy chick at CLICKS reading all the labels, sniffing tubes of hand-cream, laughing my head off in the store because of some of the claims of these cosmetic products, and asking the store assistants why there aren't testers and/or samples. Ha ha ha. I wish I could tell you which hand creams are the best for you, but everyone has different preferences when it comes to moisturizing and anti-ageing mediums, so I'll try my best. Some women hate hand-creams, because it feels oily or "doesn't make a difference". People who suffer from hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) hate having to put on hand cream, or anything for that matter.

One thing to note is SPF. You have to find a hand-cream with sun/UV protection. It is worth it. If you're ok to use your regular sunscreen as a hand-cream, that is great, but know that it is solely sun protection. You cannot expect a sunscreen to reduce signs of ageing and/or sun damage. If you prefer something that has a better scent and/or is multi-purpose, give these a try:

Sh'zen Perfecting Cream SPF 30
I'm currently using this little gem. It contains Japanese Rice Bran Oil, Silk Extracts, Hazel Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Grapefruit, Aloe and Green/White Tea extract, which contribute to the lovely aroma. It smells great! It has an SPF of 30, and has anti-ageing properties. I sometimes use it on my feet too. Warning: This isn't a quick-absorbing hand-cream, unless your hands are super dry. Having said that, it is not excessively oily either. I've also noticed a difference in my nails and cuticles. My cuticles are much more flexible, and I don't need to push them back as often as I used to, and my nails are much brighter than before.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Hand and Nail Treatment
This is quick-absorbing. I often applied it twice, accidentally because I forgot I just applied it. There is almost no sign of it after you've rubbed it in. It's very light and has a light scent, too. It contains Sweet Almond oil, Algae extract. Licorice extract, Vitamin C and also has an SPF 15.

Nivea Q10 Plus Age Defying Hand Cream
I don't love the Nivea, but I really like it. It's thick, and a bit oily, but it smells lovely, and I noticed the difference in the appearance and texture of the skin on my hands after about 3-4 weeks. Thank goodness I have such patience. I'd also be very interested to try their Pure and Natural (right) hand cream. 95% of the ingredients are of natural origin and is paraben-, silicone-, mineral oil-, and colourant-free. I haven't seen this in stores yet, but will keep an eye out for it. How exciting.

Oh So Heavenly
This is super affordable and there's a variety. Available at Clicks only. My favourites are from the Happy Hands Hand Creams: Sweet Solution and Soft Touch. You can probably try them all. They often come in packs of smaller tubes. Ideal for those who love tiny hand bags and clutches.

Now that you have some options...be more hands on.

Miss B