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
I’m tempted to ask my brother to help me find this in Hong Kong (they are currently in HK) . Thanks for the review, I’m not a hand cream user too! I dislike them and try my best to steer clear from it, but yeah, my dry hands are showing and I don’t want Mr. AMW to hold rough hands! 😛
Mantra: MUST USE HAND LOTION
Yes! You want Mr. AMW to be holding soft pillowy hands 😉 You don’t get Clarins in PH, Nikki?
we do but I haven’t seen this yet, I may need to ask once I visit the counter again!
I started paying more attention to hand creams when I was required to do the washing and cleaning [maid went home * no new maids coming in * maid agency bellied up and ran off with deposit :-(]. Kiehls intensive cream for dry skin was heavy and had an unexciting scent. L’occitane’s shea butter hand cream has a really lovely scent and my hands do feel soft/smooth in the morning. [All in the mind?] Recently I was introduced to OPI’s Avoplex High Intensity Hand & Nail Cream. It also has a nice scent [scent plays a role here for me] and I find it lighter than L’occitane’s hand cream but does the job too.
Based on your review, I am very [x3] tempted to try the Clarins hand cream..
Arrrghh PB! You have become a regular threat to my wallet!
My skin thanks you but my wallet bemoans you! 😀
Ugh! Maid woes 🙁 I found L’Occitane a bit heavy but for overnight treatments it was nice. My big test is whether my hands start drying out in the day because I’d like to think that a good hand cream like a good face cream will be able to seal in the moisture so skin shouldn’t dry out too much in the day and I find the Clarins does this well 🙂 Sorry to be a threat to the wallet but whew! At least the skin is thankful 😉
With RM73/- worth of Isetan cash vouchers in hand and fresh from following your reviews, there I was making my way to the Clarins counter (aiming to have to fork out the difference of RM2/- for the hand cream!!) or failing which, the Clinique counter when I got way-laid by the Guerlain counter. The vouchers (and my credit card) met their waterloo and (my first ever) Meteorites won that night. Haven’t started using it yet though. I think I am a bit intimidated by it..
Anyway, I shall return to Clarins another day. 🙂
Haha You did the right thing JK 😛 The Meteorites is irreplaceable magic while the hand cream can be easily replaced 😉 Which Meteorites did you end up getting? I hope you’ll like it as much as I do 😀
Teint Beige. I had to come home and check the item itself to be sure. I only remember the SA referred to the recommended Meteorites as “No.2” – That was demo-ed on me and I was quite taken by it. Of course, the SA made the application seem so easy..
*deep determined breath* I will be brave and try the item on tomorrow for work.
Maybe you can try the body shop hand cream with spf next time,also Crabtree&evelyn la source hand remedy,I’m using them now and I love it!I don’t really like to use hand cream coz I always wash my hand but now I make myself to apply hand cream at least once a day:)
Thanks for the recs. I used to use Crabtree & Evelyn – all the scents but I find the texture too oily. I’m not too much a fan of The Body Shop creams. I find them too thick and too fragranced 😛 But its good to know they work for you.
This sounds great! 😀 I hate having sticky hands and I hardly ever apply hand cream, too…but I am trying to be better about it. I am still going through the Camille Beckman cream you gave me. It really smells lovely and no sticky hands, either. (Thank you!)
Ooh that’s a good one too Peach, and you’re most welcome. Its nice but its nicer to know that I have easy access to the Clarins one when I run out instead of having to bother with online shipping 😀
I know i should use hand cream years ago, but juz too lazy or too forgetful…
Have heard raves on C&E hand creams… but the packaging stop me from getting one, I prefer plastic tube so that i can cut it open to get the last bit. Plus the cap is so not convenient to use >_<
And Eubos hand cream is oily and sticky for my liking.
Once I tried Olive & tebe hand cream, the promoter rinse my hand afterwards, true enough, after rinsing i can still feel the cream was not washed off but at the same time without the sticky feeling. But I din't buy the hand cream as I was on looking-around-mood that day. ^_^
Oh yes I know what you mean about C&E packaging Bugs! Its bugs <- oh dear... me to see the tin tube all wrinkly and to try to get out all the last bits or woe betide if it should break! I haven't tried the Olive & Tebe one but I seem to see this brand popping up everywhere these days!
I personally can’t live without a hand cream and this one is brilliant. I also absolutely adore Elemis Pro-Radiance one.
Elemis – I know how you love the brand, Marina and I’m going to look at it again. I remember using the Marine Collagen cream before and it was good stuff. Pricey though 😛
They often have great sets so you can save a lot by getting those 😉
Hi, Paris, I like your style and just want to recommend to you a famous hand cream by French firm L’Occitane with 20% shea butter. It is really excellent and non sticky since you have mentioned you don’t like stickiness. And a plus: it absorbs really quickly.
Thanks to you, when I finish using it, I am going to try Clarins because of your review.
Thank you 🙂 I have tried the L’Occitane Shea Butter hand creams a while ago but I found them too oily 🙁 I will try to give them another go because so many people seem to love them and maybe they’ve made it less sticky now 🙂
Hi Paris, after reading your review on this Clarins Hand & Nail Treament Cream… Got my 1st Clarins product yesterday, hope to see the results soon…
Thanks for your review. 🙂
I hope you like it Eliz 🙂