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Style and beauty

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Original poster

Help - I have ancient hands

19 replies

Ariesgirl · 09/05/2011 20:24

This is my first post ever in style and beauty and I need help I loathe my hands. I spend almost all my time outside in some quite harsh conditions as part of my work, and my hands look awful - crepey and rough and horrid. I use sun cream on them before going in the sun, but all the hand softening creams I have tried don't seem to work with any lasting effect. I have tried the Norwegian formula concentrated one, various Nivea creams, and Vaseline etc etc etc Has anyone got any suggestions for some hardcore ones that don't cost a fortune. I am only 36, but have the hands of an ancient wizened crone. It doesn't help that I'm not exactly a delicate flower - well I'm quite slim, but with very long legs and arms and really big hands and feet! Is it too late for me?

OP posts:

mosschops30 · 09/05/2011 21:10

I have tried every expensive cream under the sun, nothing worked, i was my hands a lot in wprk (nurse) and quite a lot at home (mild ocd lol). My hands nd fingers would get so dry they would crack and bleed it was horrible.

I bought elizabeth arden 8 hour cream randomly on the plane and my hands now never crack or bleed, they have looked fab now for 3 months whereas before i might have a week before they would flare up again.
You can buy it cheaper online, but its worth it.
Only use it at night because its thick.

Al0uiseG · 09/05/2011 21:13

You can have fillers in your hands to plump up the skin, it looks very effective.

Original poster

Ariesgirl · 09/05/2011 21:17

Thank you mosschops! I have looked it up on Amazon and it looks good. I was rather amused by one reviewer's opinion that it didn't irritate or exasperate her eczema!

OP posts:

DirtyMartini · 09/05/2011 21:18

Aveeno is really really good for a cheapish brand (about a fiver, I think). Easy to put on (not thick/oily), absorbs fast, no horrible smell, no irritation to dry/cracked bits. Love it.

Dr Hauschka is great too, much better than most "natural" ones I've tried (eg Burt's Bees ones which are horrible and don't work, or Neals Yard ones which are pleasant but don't work). Dr H is expensive though, around 11 quid for not-enormous tube.

DirtyMartini · 09/05/2011 21:18

Oh and do the cream plus cotton gloves thing at night - it works well.

KittieCat · 09/05/2011 21:21

Burt's Bees Shea butter hand repair is magic! Tried a million and one creams as I suffer terribly with cracked dry, croney hands and they were so much worse after having DS and seemingly washing them every five mins. It's the only thing that reliably works for me. £12.25 a tube in Boots so I eke it out by using it only a few times a day and it's still super effective.

Dosey · 09/05/2011 21:22

hi there, I also do almond oil and cotton gloves on a night and it works wonders,

KittieCat · 09/05/2011 21:22

Just to add it's the one in the tube NOT the one in the glass pot, that's crap!

MrsCampbellBlack · 09/05/2011 21:23

You need to exfoliate them with an oily scrub - the sanctuary salt scrub is good.

The body shop hemp cream is good or anything like lansinoh or a cream for cracked heels.

I find that I have to switch hand creams regularly though as they stop working after a while.

But seriously exfoliation with an oily scrub has made the biggest difference to my hands.

Original poster

Ariesgirl · 09/05/2011 21:25

Thanks everyone for your suggestions :)

OP posts:

MsFC · 09/05/2011 21:36

I second the Eight Hour cream suggestion. You can use it as a lip balm too!

BlooferLady · 09/05/2011 21:36

Oh yes, 8 Hour Cream is the best thing in the world. And lasts for like, 1000 years. And you can put it on burns! And use it as a face mask! And put it on the dry ends of your hair!

Original poster

Ariesgirl · 09/05/2011 21:39

Good Lord! Bloofer! FC! Hellooooo.

I am ordering some EA pronto.

Shall I mention it was MsFC who first brought my shamefully neglected hands to my attention? Shall I?

OP posts:

miche8 · 09/05/2011 21:41

body shop hemp, if you can stand the smell. Or i use flexitol for feet for my hands too, they do a hand one, but never tried, it does smell medical

Crabtree and evelyn i think, something like that and l'octanne again not sure how to spell, i've had freebies of these and they were very nice but too expensive for me.

Just thought boots no 7 do a hand scrub and its lovely, nice and oily and gritty, makes my hands really smooth afterwards. Make sure you try this next time they give out the £5 off vouchers.

BlooferLady · 09/05/2011 21:42

Go on, mention it. Dare ya.

Original poster

Ariesgirl · 09/05/2011 21:47

Well, it was MsFC who first drew my shamefully neglected hands to my attention. In a pub. In Hackney.

OP posts:

MsFC · 09/05/2011 23:40

Nasty piece of work that FC character. Wouldn't trust her.

DoubleDegreeStudent · 10/05/2011 05:59

If you want the Elizabeth Arden one try here because they often have deals on.

I swear by Lush's helping hands. A pot lasts for ages and it is amazing.

I'd avoid using the Clarins hand and nail cream - it'll make your nails as hard as,well, nails (sorry - couldn't think of a better analogy - as hard as very hard things) but whenever I've used it my hands haven't improved at all.

mosschops30 · 10/05/2011 09:09

Cheapsmells is much cheaper than that site you posted, i buy all my stuff from them theyre fab

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