Its no secret that hand cream and I aren’t friends. I don’t like using hand creams and I absolutely dislike the feel of hand cream. I know many people say it helps their hands in a place like an office where air conditioning can be drying but as for me, nah. Not for me thank you. What I usually do is after applying my body oils, I’d just pump a little extra for my hands before bed. Its about the only time I can tolerate using it, because I go to bed thereafter and I don’t have to worry about leaving marks on everything I’ve touched.
Yet, as it happens, I’ve discovered a hand cream I could like. And will repurchase. *gasp* I know 😛
The cream in question is the Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream which promises to soften hands, minimize age spots and strengthen nails. Minimize age spots! *looks down at hands* Another thing to worry about eh? 😛
Like many things in the Clarins range, the packaging is simple and serviceable. Nothing fancy, the cream comes in a squeeze tube in plain white packaging. The cream is also a semi thick opaque white when squeezed out.
I’ve had this for months, keeping it by my bed side so I’d remember to use it before bed. There is a bit of a powdery “old” smell to the cream which you either like or dislike. I’m not crazy about it and it isn’t too strong, but I find it oddly comforting.
The best part naturally, is that once I smooth it over my hands, it absorbs quite quickly and I don’t have to bear with sticky hands! I like to read before bed, and leaving oil marks and prints all over my books are a no-no. Also, unlike other creams that also absorb quickly, this does not leave me with that odd dry powdery feel reminiscent of heavy doses of silicone. So I like this – that it absorbs quickly and doesn’t smell too bad or too floral or too strong.
Regular use may have helped my hands remain smooth and youthful *ahem* I’m afraid I don’t know how to judge, in all honesty. But when I feel like my skin on my hands feel a little dry or cuticles start to dry out and look peely, generous and regular use of this hand cream helps a lot to alleviate the situation.
Otherwise, I don’t know how else to tell you why I like this hand cream. I just do and I will repurchase and its the only hand cream I’m > 70% done with by now. Achievements like this speak louder than mere words 🙂
In a nutshell
The Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream is a semi thick hand cream that absorbs very quickly into the skin without leaving an oily or sticky feel. The smell is a rather powdery scent that is like or hate. I find it oddly comforting and it does not linger. Regular use may have helped my hands remain smooth but I do not know if its attributable to the formula or to the fact I use it regularly. I do like this hand cream for some unfathomable reason and I plan to repurchase because its the only one I can ever bear to use regularly!
Pros: Not sticky, Simple fuss free packaging, Absorbs quickly without leaving a sticky or oily after feel, Hands feel softer and smoother with regular use
Cons: Pricier than many regular hand creams, Some may not like the powdery scent
Who will like this: Anyone who dislikes using hand creams that leave an oily or sticky feel
I just noticed that packaging may have been changed because my tube has a flip top while the ones I see elsewhere seem to have a twist off cap. I hope the latter isn’t the case because I like the flip top cap! It makes it easier to manage.
Is anyone else a fan of this Clarins hand cream too? Do you use hand cream regularly?
I’ve tried many in my time and off and on I find one I may like but never one I’ve finished. Well, we’re onto some kind of record with this one 😀
Paris B
Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream Price: RM75/100ml I think Availability: Clarins counters and beauty institutes
Yay! I’m glad you’ve finally found a handcream you like! I am still adamant that my Hand Food by Soap and Glory is the best there is 😀
Yay indeed! No more wrinkly hands 😛 I was gifted a tube of Hand Food and I do like the texture very much but not the sugary sweet scent 🙁
Yay! I love this too! Hv u tried the one with spf 15, age defying sth sth? Lol
Yay High 5 Liyeun! 😉 I haven’t tried the one with SPF15 – is there a difference? I figure it doesn’t make a difference to me since I only use it at night 😀
Honestly, im quite confused. I thought any cream with spf is required to be used during da day but the SA told me it can be used at nite too. Hmmmm…
There’s no harm using SPF at night, just that I felt it was a bit redundant 😉
Well I use many different types of hand cream when I’m in bed but also when I go out, my hands are dry, so I have used the Nivea cream and petroleum jelly when it was necessary.
Ah Nivea cream – what a perfect all rounder! It does make my hands feel a little oily though and when that happens and it gets sticky then I feel all icky LOL!
I’m currently loving Elizabeth Arden’s 8 hour hand cream. Moisturing enough for my cracked and peeling hands (and stay that way until I get up in the morning), and non-greasy that I can read from my tablet before bad without leaving streaks on it.
Maybe I’ll try this next!
That sounds like an amazing cream that I might like! I’ll bear it in mind. I liked the original 8 Hour Cream which I used as hand cream and lip balm and almost anything I could think of when I was travelling to somewhere cold once. It was perfect! But in our hot humid weather here I found it a bit too heavy so I stopped using it. I think I”ll go get a tube for old times sake and see how it fares 🙂
I’m a fan of Clarins hand cream :). I have a tube from points redemption. Have yet to open it as I’m still using the samples which was given to me as GWP.
Good to know that Fiona! I really think this very impressive considering it actually turned me, a non hand cream user, to one who uses it at least once a day 😀
Ok now I’m curious! A few days ago I read in a British blog that this cream is her no1 hand cream and now you! I thought I was the only one icky about hand creams. I already have a problem that even at the most drying periods/seasons my skin can’t effectively absorb cream (body, face, hand, doesn’t matter). During wintertime my hands just die!!! And I still couldn’t find a hand cream that both moistures enough and not sticky. After this post I believe this is a wake up call (lol!) I will definitely try this cream today on my way to Sephora..
Haha I’m happy to know that there are other bloggers out there extolling the virtues of this hand cream too! If it managed to convert me, I think you might like it too. Just remember to take a good sniff of it because I’m not sure the scent appeals to everyone. I personally like it but not everyone might 🙂
oh yes definitely I will try this today! Smell is the last thing I care in a product, though I know a good smell will turn me on but it has to be smelling like eggs or something for me not to buy, lol 🙂
Btw, speaking of the devil, have you ever tried Clarins’ Beauty Flash Balm (or something like that as usual I am not sure of the name :))
Ah I actually have a tube of the Beauty Flash Balm lying around! I bought it a little while ago but haven’t gotten round to using it. I know, bad me 😛 I’ll try to give it a go and see how it fares. I know loads of people love it and think it the best thing ever but we’ll see! 😉
oh you should definitely try and teach me the way to use it because in anyway I use, I couldn’t get “the benefit” told everywhere 🙁 Definitely waiting for your post!!
I’ll work on it, Casey! Hope I get the benefit of it too LOL!
My faves are:
Crabtree & Evelyn’s Hand Theraphy – doesn’t have that waxy, oily, sticky after feel
Eubos Sensitive Hand & Repair Care – same as Crabtree’s but of course slightly different texture
I usually buy C&E’s HT when they have a new flavour out as it’s only RM58 (otherwise would’ve been RM88) and if they have some promotion going on. I do like their body lotion on my legs though. Very moisturising.
Eubos’ one is a cheaper choice for me. It smells good and works.
I haven’t tried Eubos but I’ll keep it in mind. Who knows if I can find a cheaper option to this Clarins one 🙂 I used to use Crabtree & Evelyn. I still do sometimes ebecause there always seems to be a tube at work somewhere. But I personally find it a bit heavy for my liking, leaving a layer on my hands I prefer not to have. Still, its one of those personal preference things 🙂
Eubos is slightly different from CE but of course need to massage for about 30 seconds or so for it to absorb but i think you can still find the mini tube of Eubos from selected Watson’s for RM5 something. Good way to try it out!
Ah Rm5 is worth trying 🙂 I’ll take a look for the mini tubes, thanks!
I knew this already from your comment, but I somehow forgot it, and now I am in shock all over again. You’re not friends with hand cream?? Not even L’occitane hand creams?
Well, I’m glad you found this one 🙂 Will have to give it a try, Clarins does really good skincare.
LOL Yes MM, Hand Cream and I are sadly not friends at all. We just have a nodding acquaintance and barely so! In terms of effectiveness, I find the L’Occitane Shea Butter one very effective but I don’t quite like the texture which I find too heavy. I think I’m just terribly fussy 😛 Clarins is a bit of a dark horse, don’t you think? Their skincare is pretty good, but they just don’t get the rah rahs that some other brands do 😀
I don’t really carry hand cream around with me, but I apply a hand cream every night before bed to seal in the treatments I’ve applied to the backs of my hands as well as my cuticle oil. I also apply it randomly throughout the day if my hands are feeling a bit dry. If not, I leave it alone. This one sounds nice, but I usually don’t like to buy pricey hand or body creams–drugstore is good enough for me 🙂 I’d rather spend my money on nice skincare
I tried using a cuticle treatment once but was so slack about it it did nothing. So I ended up using rosehip oil for my cuticle treatment LOL Just slap the oil on and then use the balance for my hands. It surprisingly helped! I would prefer not to spend too much on something like hand cream either but I guess I have no choice in this case 😛
I’m a bit of a bum too when it comes to hand cream. 😛
There are random travel-sized tubes of hand cream around the house, but I can never finish one. LOL.
Yay for a fellow hand cream bum! *high 5 with non sticky hands*
So glad that you found a hand cream in Clarins! Now, this goes on my to-try list! haha. I still have so many backups of L’occitane and Crabtree and Evelyn, and all sorts of other brands.
I don’t use hand creams regularly. But I feel that age is catching up on me, and every now and then, I suddenly feel like my hands are dry in the morning, or on the MRT. I will whip out my 30ml tube from my bag and use some handcream. I am currently on L’occitane, but I prefer C&E La Source Hand Therapy. Cheap and good handcream. =D
Haha I used to use Crabtree & Evelyn and would stock up during their Christmas promos when they did those gift set with the small tubes. Those were perfect handbag sizes! I think its all the air conditioning we are exposed to all the time where we live. Its hot out there but everywhere else – office, bedrooms, malls have their air conditioning way high and that’s very drying to our hands too. Good to keep them moisturized so we don’t age ahead of time 😉
I use hand cream everyday. I always keep a big size of Nivea Soft beside my bed, to use it before I go out sleep and have a tube on my workstation. I like how it smells, how it is softening and quick to absorb and cost-effective. I think they are essential because when you wash your hands like 100 times/day and work with papers, there is a high chance that your hand will get very dry and ugly :). I have not tried bigger brands hand creams. A lot of people say that L”Occitane has a good range of hand creams. Maybe I will give a go.
Hi UB You’re right you know. If you wash your hands a lot, hand cream is a must or we’ll end up with dry wrinkly hands. I don’t wash my hands that often – well, only after going to the toilet 😛 so I guess I just make do till I get home then treat my hands every evening. I used to use Nivea too. I think its great stuff for hands and body (and so affordable too!)
Hi, Paris 🙂
I haven’t tried this one yet but I’ll be on the lookout and will sample it on my hands the next time I go to a Clarins counter! 😉
I do try to use hand cream but I can’t stick to it everyday, maybe a couple days a week x) I also dislike the oily, sticky feeling so I use it before bed too – I do not read though. I used L’Occitane’s shea butter hand cream and it’s really thick and oily, but it’s fantastic. The best one I’ve tried so far, so I do the effort!
xx
I’ve heard so much about the L’Occitane Shea Butter hand creams! I had a small tube once and I have to agree that its pretty fantastic but the thick oily feel really got to me after a while. Maybe next time I’ll finish my bedtime reading and then slather on the nice thick cream and go to bed and hopefully wake up with much softer hands 😀
Hi Paris,
Wow that Clarins hand cream sounds promising! For me, I can’t live without hand creams. I lug one small tube of Avene Cold Cream Hand Cream everyday in my handbag. I had used the Crabtree & Evelyn La Source for years and bought the Avene one when at Watsons when I realised I had no hand cream with me. Best purchase I ever had! It makes my dry, chapped hands baby soft! Would love to try that Clarins one though! Thanks for sharing with us!
Hi Wani, you’re most welcome and if you get around to trying the Clarins one, I hope you’ll like it too! I haven’t tried the Avene one but its great to find an affordable product for something that we use so much of right? 😀 I used to use Crabtree & Evelyn too – their hand creams are really good stuff but I still found them a bit heavy and too fragranced for my liking 🙂
Hmms seems like a good investment. I love Natio’s Heavenly hand cream. Makes my hands super soft and smooth. Manage to keep my hands moisturized despite working in the f&b line 🙂
That’s great to know that you too have found a hand cream to like! Its so important when working in F&B because you’ll be in contact with water so much and that’s bad for our skin too so its good to know you have a hand cream that keeps your hands nice and soft 😉
I might have to take a look at this next time I’m at a Clarins counter! I became an avid user of hand creams after I moved to Belgium. I have found several that I like, but I’m always on the lookout for other good ones!
I was a lot more diligent when I was living in a cooler climate. But over here, I’m pretty lax LOL
I love hand creams, it’s probably the only type of creams I use…:)
Haha not even face creams? 😉
even I hate to use hand creams 🙁 I also use body oil at night.
Hurrah for body oil! Just slather on a thick layer and slowly massage into your hands – I do that too 😀 After that I layer on some Clarins cream. Can’t over moisturise right? 😉
I rarely use hand cream, I usually decide to use it every day when it’s cold and then forget about it in a couple of days. I think I’ll give this a shot! x
I hope you’ll like it S! In cooler weather I think it is more important. Whenever I visit a cold country in late Autumn or Winter, my fingers feel like they’re about to drop off! Over here, its easier to be casual about things like this 😉
I was recently gifted with the Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. Like you, i have never fancy hand cream. But me thinks the new formulas nowadays are much improved. I seriously love this one. And actually am dutifully applying it at least once a day at least and it’s actually finishing up. I gonna purchase it once it runs out. But I’m also going to take a look at this Clarins one. Minimizes age spots and strengthen nails are calling me to take a look.
Ooh thanks for the heads up Lisa! I remember my sis bought the Kiehl’s one a few years back and thought it quite awesome and not too oily or heavy. On the upside about the Clarins, I don’t see many age spots on my hands so erm… maybe its helping? 😛