When Pai Skincare offered to send me their new Fragonia & Sea Buckthorn hand cream, I was a little uncertain. I know organic skincare is quite the rage, but I had a bad experience once that I’d prefer not to undergo again. But yet I was intrigued because it just sounded so good! So I eventually said yes.
Shipping was quick, but my postman somehow forgot where my office was so the package was a little delayed getting to me. Still, it was all good in the end :)
I’d not come across Pai Skincare before this. Its a brand of organic skincare from the UK which is formulated for sensitive and allergy prone skin. The products are also certified organic by the Soil Association, and as an example, this hand cream is certified 73% organic which is stated on the box. And that’s something I liked about this brand. I liked how everything was laid out in plain simple English. No fancy schmancy Latin words you can’t understand, as its translated into simple English. If you care about what goes into your products and can’t be bothered with translating Latin, you probably can’t get clearer than that :)
But about this hand cream, for an non hand cream devotee. Did I like it?
I did. Much to my surprise.
I’m one of those people who do not like using hand creams. I am a very tactile person and I like using my hands for everything. So part of the reason I do not use hand creams is because of that sticky feel and film you sometimes get on your hands, and you find yourself leaving hand prints everywhere you go. I used to get around it by only applying hand cream at night. When I’m sleeping, sticky hands don’t matter.
But then I realized that in an air-conditioned office, where humidity is lower, hands can get very very dry. And that’s what I like about the Pai Fragonia & Seabuckthorn Instant Hand Therapy cream. It is perfectly NOT STICKY!
The bright yellow cream surprised me. I mean body creams tend to be white right? But that’s ok because I like the way it quickly absorbs into the skin, isn’t sticky or greasy and there is a nice scent, that makes me think of aromatherapy. The main ingredients are Fragonia for anti-inflammatory properties and Sea Buckthorn for regeneration and restoring the skin. Don’t ask me what they are – I’m as clueless as you are! LOL! :D I liked this as an everyday hand cream, I’d apply at least once every afternoon.
I would love to carry it around, except that the tub is rather large and bulky. If you carry a large bag, as I do, its no bother, and I was carrying it around at one stage while treating the dry skin on my hands. But otherwise, I leave it at my office to be used in the day time.
The website says that this cream is especially effective for dry, chapped and sensitive skin. Halfway through testing this, I had a reaction to some shampoo/body wash that left the skin of my hands very dry and peeling. I tried using this hand cream to cure the problem, and although it alleviated the dryness, the results did not last. I eventually solved the problem using another cream.
So for me, this cream, although very nice as an everyday hand cream, did not quite cut the mustard on very dry, peeling skin. Still, now that my hands are cured, I’m back to using this hand cream and very happily too! :D
Cons: Unavailable in Malaysia, Postage is pricey
Oh and before I go, here’s why I like the ingredient list. I believe its the same on all Pai Skincare boxes.
Now, isn’t that easy to read and understand? :) They also pride themselves on the fact they do not contain alcohol, parfum, detergents, formaldehyde, parabens and phenoxyethanol and propylene glycol.
For us in this part of the world, we can only get Pai Skincare online. Problem is that shipping to Malaysia is only by international courier at a hefty US$19.95 while shipping to our neighbour Singapore is by post at a more manageable US$5.95. I did enquire of Nicola of Pai Skincare as to why this was so, and I was told that it was because they faced problems with items not reaching people here previously so international courier is more secure. But they might consider revising it in future. For now, if you are interested in purchasing and have friends/relatives in Singapore, perhaps get it sent to them instead :P
For myself, I’m actually keen to give their organic skincare a go. Prices of the products aren’t terribly expensive all things considered, but the shipping costs do put me off. So I do hope Pai Skincare reconsiders their shipping costs soon :)
Do you like using hand creams? Or are you like me, and detest the greasy feel after applying hand cream?
Paris B
Pai Skincare Frangonia & Sea Buckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream retails at US$25 is available from Pai Skincare online here.
OOOOO!!! Looks interesting indeed! But do these things have expiration dates?
Yes it does. If you look at the cap, there is a sticker with a Best Before date :) Since its organic and all – I like that too!
u know what? I kinda like the grease on hand..and i think re-applying handcream at least 5x a day in office, each time i return from the washroom. ^_^
Haiyo! You are unnatural lah :P
I like this very much but I only use it in the night now before bedtime. I have too many hand creams to play around in the day. Heheh.
hehe… I’m so bad with applying hand creams so having this one in the office helps remind me. Plus it being non greasy helps avoid all those marks on the keyboard, papers etc ;)
Ditto! Really not in favor of that sticky feeling.. I’m also guilty of neglecting the hands :P Gotta be more diligent now..
Yep! Age shoes on the hands too! ;)
I am kinda active (read: that I need to wash my hands every now and then), so I hardly use any hand cream, err, and I thought since I apply night cream, you sort of moisturize your palms :P
Well that’s one way of looking at it! Though what really needs moisturising are the back of our hands. Not so much the palms ;)
Hi, may i know which hand cream are you using to cure your allergic which caused by detergents or other cleaner stuffs? I’m facing this problem since months ago. Yet, I could not find a suitable one for my allergic hand. :(
Very much appreciated for your sharing!
Thank you
Hi sorry to hear about your problem. I don’t have the problem anymore, as what I did was to stop using all the detergents that cause my skin to dry out, and thus far, it’s not come back. I do find that using the L’Occitane Ultra Rich cream as a hand cream before bed helps keep my hands soft and moisturised. I don’t use any hand cream in the day, but I’d advise something very moisturising and rich, and if possible not too fragranced.
Thank you for your reply and sharing. :)