Decent handcream for very dry hands

[ilovemyhens]

Can anybody recommend anything?

Mustn't be greasy, very expensive, very perfumed.

Must work because I'm sick of buying products that just don't.

Please help, my hands are getting me down.

L'occitane, you can try it in larger Debenhams, the foot cream is brill too.

I'm a huge fan of Body Shop Hemp! If there's ever an offer on I tend to stockpile it. I have quite sensitive skin so a lot of hand / body lotions can irritate it - no problems with this one though.

Oilatum - not a hand cream but just an all purpose moisturizer. It is expensive (about £9) but a tub lasts ages. If you get excema you can get it on prescription. Non greasy and the only thing that stops my excema flare ups. I tried 'em all and lots really stung and made it worse.

Another Neutrogena fan here. I find the skin on my hands is considerably less dry when I avoid liquid soaps, even the supposedly kind ones are really drying. It took me years of wondering why I needed so much handcream at work (liquid soap) compared to at home (bars of soap) before I realised.

I also love the Body Shop Almond one for every day use when my hands aren't too bad. The hemp one does nothing for me.

Flexitol is very good for drastic dryness. For little cracks, the best thing is a bit of Lansinoh nipple cream on the crack with a plaster over it overnight, cracks are gone in the morning.

I use the Body shop Hemp too. It's the only one that works for me.

Question for you - why do you think you have really dry hands? Is it because of liquid soap? My hands were literally cracking because of soap/frequent hand washing with a newborn & I switched to HiBi wash and that made a total change to my skin. Very gentle and suitable for frequent hand washing.

Neutrogena - if my hands get really bad I slather loads of it on before bed & pop a pair of white cotton gloves on so it soaks into my hands rather than the duvet cover!

BlackSwan
I work in an office with very dry air and a lot of paper. plus they have absolutely vile liquid soap there as well.
plus I have eczema (mostly) on my hands, so even if I don't have a rash I need to keep them moisturised as they are very dry.
at home I use weleda soap bars which help. liquid soap is the work of the devil for eczema sufferers...

Eucerin - it contains urea so doesn't smell nice but it's fab for me (hand-washer extraordinaire with mega dry taut sore flaky skin.

Can you use Dermol 500 to wash your hands instead?

BlackSwan, what's HiBi wash?

I'm watching this thread as I've started to get little bumps on the backs of my hands which are ever so slightly sore, and I don't want it to turn into anything worse.

It's an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal hand wash they use in hospitals - but you can get it in pharmacies too... it is a lot gentler than regular pump soap.

www.boots.com/en/HiBi-wash-250ml_983100/

Oooh, I saw that Hibi today whilst buying some more Aveeno!

I was going to suggest Lotil but I see someone has. It's ace. YOu'll find it with the allergy tablets in Boots.

Have changed back to bars of soap from liquid soap to wash hands with & the whole family's hands are much softer, less dry.
My best hand creams are The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector, Soap & Glory Hand Food (very similiar to Quishion which Cosmetics-To-Go made years ago) & the No 7 Protect & Perfect.

I have extremely dry hands as well and am following this with interest. Neutrogena and Protect and Perfect don't do anything for my hands. I tried the Hemp one this morning when I was in The Bodyshop but decided against it because of the smell, but I think I might give it another chance.

I will also try going back to bars of soap instead of using liquid hand wash.

If my hands get to the point of being sore then all creams just sting and instead I put on Vaseline and let it soak in overnight.

Some soaps can do this and also not drying my hands properly.

My favourite hand creme is L'Occitane but it isn't cheap. I have a lovely blue soap of theirs in the bathroom as well, nice smell and does not irritate the skin.

Ponds Cocoa Butter (unfragranced) does almost as well when I slather it on my hands after putting on my body though.

I meant to say, as DH spends (wastes) so much money on cigarettes I can buy myself a few expensive toiletries...:)

Actually most of them last a long time as you only need small amounts so end up good value.

Neutrogena Norwegian again. Has been for last three or four years because it is good.

MIne is Neutrogena Norwegian Formala Fast Absorbing H/Cream. I bought it as it comes in a pump, and now sits next to my soap, meaning that I use t every time I wash my hands (in downstairs loo). It is frequency of use that has made the difference to me!

Will only buy l'occitane hand cream, its fab but a bit pricey at about £15 a tube, have bought for DM and SIL and even my 2year old DN loves it. Smells like clean babies!!

The L'Occitane one is nice - was my favourite before I discovered the Body Shop Hemp one. And as someone mentioned further down - the L'Occitane lavender foot cream is fantastic - really lovely.