hand cream

I'm a big fan of Philosophy products. I love the packaging, the cutesy names and the way the company always creates such festive items for holidays and celebrations. However, I've found one product that I just can't stand behind. Their Handmade Lemon Custard Hand Cream ($10-$18) has a milky, lemon scent that has a past-its sell-by-date food smell. Mom always told me never to mix lemon with milk, and this is a perfect example why it's a bad idea.

The formula is outrageously thick and although most of the lotion absorbs quickly, what remains is a fair amount of white, waxy residue that looks like clotted curdle in your cuticles. Not only are you left with an itching desire to wipe your hands on your legs (anything nongreasy), but when the smell sets in, you'll be running for the hills to find a sink. I've told you before that I'm a big hand cream gal, but this shea, mango, and cocoa-butter lotion leaves me with nothing but a sour taste in my mouth.

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Since Memorial Day weekend pretty much kicks off the summery season of barbecues and beachy fun, it's important to protect your skin from the sun's rays. I know I sound like a broken record, but it's a cause dear to my heart; my dad had to have a pre-cancerous mole removed from his face a few years ago, and if he'd worn sunblock, it may have never developed. And on the beauty end of things, wearing SPF keeps your complexion healthy, too. Since there are so many self-tanners on the market, there really is no excuse not to protect your skin. Here's what I suggest you take with you during your Memorial Day adventures — these are actually the same products in my "sun kit."

• A wide-brimmed hat: Essential for keeping the sun out of your eyes, it's also a great fashion statement. This one, from Target, is only $12.99, and it comes in black as well.
• A killer pair of shades: The best sunglasses are large and in charge, with lenses that provide shade all around your eyes — above them, below them, and to the sides. I picked up my Nour sunnies for $40 at a sample sale, but you don't have to spend even that much for a good pair. Look for shades labeled UV400, which protect against UVA and UVB rays.
• A high-SPF sunblock: SPF 15 is the absolute minimum, but SPF 30 is better. Beyond that, higher numbers mean only slight increases in protection, but if you're going to be outside, you might as well do it carefully. I've been using Neutrogena Ultra-Touch ($7.49) because of its broad-spectrum protection. It doesn't feel heavy, it isn't greasy, and although I could do without the too-strong scent, it's a wise buy. After all, the trick to sun protection is to never over-pay for it.
• The little details: Don't forget to protect your lips and hands. Look for a lip balm or gloss with SPF. I always carry Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector ($16.50) because it moisturizes and adds just a hint of hue while it protects lips. For hands, Palmer's Therapeutic Hand Cream ($4.69) offers SPF 8 — not amazing, but if you're a frequent hand-washer, applying this cream can't hurt.

I'm a hand cream junkie, so it is with great pleasure and conviction that I present my top five favorites to you. Over the past year, I've tested many a cream in search of my favorite, and I have two. The first is June Jacobs Green Tea and Cucumber Hand Cream ($46) because of its quick rate of absorbency, non-greasy feeling and soothing scent.

The second is L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream ($25) because of its rich, thick texture and unparalleled soothing results. If there's one thing I've learned from my experiences, it's that the key to a good hand cream is shea butter, and the higher the content, the better. Below are three runners-up that I use regularly to soothe dry, chapped hands. What's your all-time favorite hand cream?

• Kiehl's Unusually Rich — But Not Greasy At All — Hand Cream with SPF 10 ($15.50) takes the cake when it comes to consistency since it's not too thick and not too runny. It's also not greasy whatsoever and it's a great sports cream since it contains SPF 10.
• Liz Earle Hand Repair ($28.50) smells like heaven and works wonders on dry cuticles. A little goes a long way, and there's also a travel tube available for $8.
• Yu-Be Cream ($15) is a high quality Japanese yellow-tinted hand cream that moisturizes on a healing level. I highly recommend this fast-absorbing lotion — if you can handle the strong camphor scent.

If you haven't noticed, I have an affinity for hand creams. Every time I discover a new one, it feels like Christmas morning. I find some of them to be creamy perfection while others are far too greasy or strong-scented. Up until now, I thought I had just about experienced all of the good ones, but then I tested out Liz Earle Hand Repair.

Last week I overheard some girls talking about their beauty buys in a coffee shop and they pulled out a pump from their shopping bag. I of course immediately checked it out and fell in love with the results.

The texture is light, smooth and it penetrates those deep, dry layers of your skin without feeling the least bit oily. You only need a dime-sized amount for both hands and it works well to soften your cuticles too. The best part of all is the smell. It has that incredible spa, good-for-you aroma since it is made from a blend of essential oils, bergamot, chamomile, lavender and orange.

Prices range from $8 to $28.50 depending on the size you buy. Even a small tube should last you well over a month. As you can tell, I'm totally hooked — are you interested in testing it out?

When I first heard about Yu-Be, I was dying to know what the hype was about. When I heard it had been used in expeditions of Mount Everest, I was sold. If a cream can prevent chapping at 30,000 feet, I needed to see what it would do for my hands down here at sea level.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Yu-Be is packaged in a retro-looking tube with Japanese writing on the outside. It made me feel as though I had my hands on the very same product that Yoshikiyo Nowatari concocted in his lab back in 1957. I am a tough critic when it comes to hand creams; I expect nothing less than mega-moisture without an ounce of greasiness. Luckily, Yu-Be can be described as just that. A dab of the yellow, salve-like cream was absorbed instantaneously into my hands, leaving them super soft without a trace of slipperiness.

The only drawback to this wonderful stuff is the overwhelming medicinal smell of camphor. But it makes me feel like it is actually healing my hands, and it dissipates within a minute or two of application. One thing's for sure: I'm keeping this little tube of Yu-Be.

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Nothing says "fresh and clean" like the tart and sweet smell of a great citrus product. Seeing as I am also something of a hand cream addict, I thought it would be fun to share some citrus-scented creams that I've been using these days.

Jurlique Citrus Hand Cream ($25) smells spicy and a little sweet, like tangerine and lemon zest. It's thick and soothing and soaks right into your hands leaving them unbelievably soft and non-greasy. What's great about it is that the scent is true to the fruits themselves; it smells natural, not synthetic.

To see two more of my favorites, read more

Not only am I totally hooked on my Elemis Energizing Skin Scrub, but I also have a love affair with hand lotions. So when I heard about the March release of the new Elemis Pro-Collagen Hand and Nail Cream ($60), I couldn't wait to get my mitts on some. Lucky for me, l didn't have to wait too long. Last week I was able to try a sample and I've been using it since so that I could report my results firsthand.

The cream was created as an antiaging product specifically formulated to moisturize, strengthen nails, and lighten the look of age spots. To be fair, I don't have any age spots yet so I haven't noticed much of a difference there, and I really haven't noticed any increase in the hardness of my fingernails. With that said, my hands do feel softer, and I really like the lavender and rose fragrance.

I've learned that a dime-sized amount is the perfect dose for smooth hands and hydrated cuticles, since it is more of a lotion than a thick cream. If you use too much, your hands will feel greasy for a good 30 minutes. I would recommend this product to those of you who are a little bit older and are looking for something to prevent dryness, crepiness, and age spots — but I don't think that anyone younger than 30 really needs to spend quite this much for a hand cream.

Another hand cream is just about to debut on the market. While some people love hair gels, self tanners, or body sprays, hand creams are what really get me excited! This rich product from Estée Lauder, Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Creme ($45), is set to be on counters by Thanksgiving.

What makes this cream interesting is that it is one of the first antiaging products for the body and not just for the face. Since the skin on the hands are one of the first areas to show signs of aging, why shouldn't they get the same sort of attention when it comes to protection and prevention as the face?

Re-Nutriv contains heavy hydrators like shea butter, restorative oils, and fatty acids so that skin receives intensive hydration, protection, firming, and smoothing benefits. It even helps fade the appearance of dark spots!

With only t-minus two weeks to go, I'm counting down the days until I can take this for a test drive. Be sure and come back after Turkey Day to check out my review!

I love all things La Mer. I love the smell, I love the story behind the miracle broth, and I'll admit, I am totally into its huge celeb following. Let's face it, famous faces can use whatever they please and La Mer consistently draws the A-list crowd. So when I discovered they had a hand cream, I was all over it like white on rice.

I'm not sure what it is with me and hand creams, but recently I've been writing a lot of reviews on different hand treatments in search of the crème de la crème. (Heh!) I'm not quite a connoisseur just yet, but I'm on my way.

Here's what I have to say about the La Mer The Hand Treatment ($70). I was pleased to find out that it definitely softens your hands, soothes any dryness or chapped skin—and not only does it smell like the crème, but the fragrance is even more potent. The texture is nice and silky and it spreads evenly and easily. It makes your skin look plump and hydrated and it's really only greasy for about one minute until it fully absorbs.

Having said all of that, you do need a good amount of product to coat your paws. And since it comes with only 3.5 ounces of product, I just wish the tube was bigger considering the hefty price. Have you ever tried the La Mer The Hand Treatment ? If so, what did you think of it?

The verdict is in on this fairly oldie but goodie Unusually Rich — But Not Greasy At All — Hand Cream with SPF 10 from Kiehl's ($15.50). I've been testing it for about a month now, and I gave the rest of the tube to a friend who took it to work so that his cronies can get involved in the testing too.

Just as I suspected, the hand cream is a home run. It's the perfect consistency — not to thick and not too runny. It has a light, subtle and pleasant fragrance that offers sweet relief to dry hands and cuticles without leaving any oily residue.

I really like the flip-top packaging too, since there's nothing worse than having to fumble to twist a cap back on after your hands have been slathered in slippery lotion.

This unusually rich hand cream is actually much lighter than my other favorite, June Jacobs Green Tea and Cucumber Hand Treatment , so I love switching off between the two different consistencies.

Also, it contains SPF 10 which is great for days when I'm outdoors. Let me know if you have the chance to try it out yourself . Since Kiehl's is so fabulous about giving away free samples, this is something I definitely encourage you to try!

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