The cold, washing your hands often with soap and water or sanitizing them with alcohol-based gels make the skin drier than usual. For this they are necessary hand creams that help restore the barrier effect on the skin, even better if with a rich texture and delicate fragrance.
The gesture of applying the hand cream becomes, in fact, a moment of well-being, a small “bubble” of pleasant sensations, perhaps increased with a small massage. After all, as long as the temperatures remain rigid, the problem of parched skin exists. To protect itself from the cold, the heart pumps less blood to the extremities, so the hands and feet are less perfused, the skin cells produce less collagen and, as a result, the skin thins and dehydrates.
The hand creams to be used during this period must help above all to counteract itching and redness, but also to be pleasant to massage, to enjoy a sensory fullness. We have examined 14, promoting 4. Find out with which criteria we preferred them.
Glycerin, not too much
“We need one restorative formula, which contains skin-like vegetable fats such as shea butter, cocoa, jojoba, olive, almond oil: they are nourishing and hydro-replenishing and their affinity with the skin makes them absorb better, avoiding the greasy sensation that often accompanies creams rich. Also good is the presence of oils such as that of sacha inchi, rich in Omega 3 and 6, able to restore the skin barrier. In this sense, the presence of panthenol is valid, which acts on two fronts: as a precursor of vitamin B5 it supports the physiological process of tissue renewal and, thanks to its hydrophilic structure, retains water in the skin layers, preserving the right level of hydration ” , explains Umberto Borellinicosmetologist and lecturer at various universities.
We then evaluated the concentration of glycerinwhich must be present, but not too much: “More than 10% risks dehydrating because it is a molecule that attracts water”, specifies the expert.
Finally, the presence of antioxidants such as vitamin E and botanical extracts has been evaluated positively: for example, where silicones were once found, today there are vegetable waxes, which guarantee spreadability and a slight film-forming effect. Finally, plants and flowers give a natural scent (which is less tiring) without the need to add too many synthetic molecules.
Hand cream, soft but not greasy
We massaged the hand creams immediately after washing them with soap and water and therefore evaluated fragrance (an important aspect for these products, even if it is often linked to personal taste), consistency, which had to be full-bodied but not greasyease of application and softness of the epidermis after an hour and at the end of the day, after repeating the application once.
As another parameter we also took into consideration the packaging and the value for money.
Manimai cream after sanitizing
«Apply the cream several times a day, but avoid doing it immediately after using the hydroalcoholic gel because it would nullify the nourishing effect. Better to apply it generously in the morning with a small massage up to the wrist and then, reapply it several times during the day, spreading the cream only on the back of the hands. For an extra softness effect, the evening before going to bed, abound with the product, massage and leave it on all night under cotton gloves », concludes the cosmetologist.
HAND CREAMS, THE BEST 4:
Our Lab testers: Umberto Borellini, cosmetologist; Laurence Donnini, journalist.
