How to Keep Dry Hands at Bay this Winter

When the cold weather hits sometimes just using hand cream does not cut it. My hands have been super dry lately and even though I apply hand cream multiple times a day, I felt like I needed a boost. So I have put together the perfect combination for a super moisturizing night treatment that will keep cracked skin at bay!

First you need a good quality hand cream, not just something with loads of silicon that makes your hands feel soft, you need emollients and ingredients that can actually hydrate the skin, not just coat it. For this purpose I love the Innisfree Hand Creams, they contain loads of great ingredients like shea butter, olive and coconut oil as well as different antioxidants like orchid and green tea extracts. They are really good for daily maintenance but combined with the product below you get an even richer treatment. 

The trick to boost your hand cream is to add The Honest Company Organic Healing Balm and mix them together for extra moisture. This balm contains loads of great organic oils like sunflower, olive and tamanu as well as chamomile and beeswax for an all-around soothing and nourishing product. The reason why I do this treatment at night is because the balm is very rich. You could use it on its own, but it can make your hands quite oily which is why I love to combine it with a cream to get all the benefits without any drawbacks.

This treatment really helps keep my hands soft and I feel like they don’t get as dry during the day! You can get Innisfree Hand Creams from their website, the ones shown above are from the limited edition 2015 Green Christmas Perfumed Hand Cream Gift Set available here. As for the Honest Organic Healing Balm, you can find it on the Honest website.  

Handbag Essential: L’Occitane Hand Cream

Hand cream is an everyday necessity for me which is why I always carry a tube with me. It needs to be compact but deliver in terms of hydration and a nice scent is always a plus. So today I thought I would share with you all one my handbag essential, the L’Occitane Hand Cream.

I feel like this product needs no introduction, it is considered a must-have by many and is simply a solid product. The small plastic tube is one of the main reason I love carrying this in my purse, it does not leak and it’s not bulky since you can flatten it as you use it. Unlike metal tubes, I find that it doesn’t crack or leak when you are on a plane, which is a major plus because cleaning up hand cream is super messy and unpleasant (firsthand experience here).

Now for the actual cream, the formula is very moisturizing and not greasy. It actually feels more like a lotion and it is one of the fastest absorbing hand creams I have tried. The original one that smells like shea butter is richer however, so it does take a bit longer to sink in. Scent-wise, my favorites are the cherryblossom and the vanilla bouquet one. If you are looking for a hand cream that you can apply on the go and that will not leave any residue behind, I think you just found it. 

The L’Occitane Hand Creams are widely available from places like Sephora, Feelunique and the L’Occitane website. 

Soap and Glory Hand Food

Soap and Glory's Hand Food is a much talked about hand cream and all the hype surrounding it led me to purchase it a few months ago.

As far as hand creams go, this one is quite decent, it's very creamy formula moisturizes the skin well and I love the scent (it reminds me of Dior's Miss Dior perfume). The travel size is super convenient and the formula sinks in quickly. However, I have to say this is not the most nourishing hand cream out there, but it is still nice to use on the go.

You can find Soap and Glory's Hand Food from Boots in the U.K. and in Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. The mini size retails for £2.50 and the full size is priced at £5.50.

The Downton Abbey Luxury Hand Cream Set

The Marks and Spencer’s Downton Abbey bath and body collection offers a great Luxury Hand Cream Set. Each one comes in a conveniently-sized tube and is decorated with patterns inspired from the TV show’s era and decor. The hand cream itself is great at providing instant moisture to your hands without leaving them feeling greasy. All 3 have the same lovely freesia and mandarin fragrance, a light formal scent that is fresh and not at all overpowering. This has proven to be a must-have on my desk this winter.

The Downton Abbey Luxury Hand Cream Set is currently not available on the Marks and Spencer’s website anymore but you might still be able to find them in your local store.

The Marks and Spencer Downton Abbey Collection

With the holidays just around the corner, I thought I should dedicate today’s post to great affordable gift ideas. In my opinion, the Marks and Spencer Downton Abbey bath and body collection would make a great gift for any fan of the show but also for anyone that likes a little pampering session.

The collection is of full of beautifully packaged gift sets with everything from soaps to hand creams and luxurious bath products. So far, I've tried the body lotion and the hand cream, both feel very moisturizing and the light floral scent is very pleasant. I will try to post more detailed reviews of all the products, but I think they would make pretty foolproof gifts or stocking stuffers.

They're currently on sale for 50% off, making most of the sets less than £10. Below are the links to the ones still available on the Marks and Spencer’s website, but I would recommend going to the store for more options (the gorgeous bath elixir glass bottle is to die for).

- Soap trio gift set: link

- Hand cream gift set: link

- Pamper bathing gift set: link

- Luxury gift collection set: link

Bath and Body Works Nourishing Hand Cream

Today I thought I would talk to you about a cold weather must have: hand cream. Hopefully over the next few weeks I’ll be able to review a few more so you’ll know which ones are best for you depending on your situation.

The first one up is the Bath and Body Works nourishing hand cream. This one comes in a variety of seasonal scents and its convenient plastic tube contains 59ml making it perfect to carry around in your purse or when travelling.

This hand cream falls in the maintenance category for me, it moisturizes but it would not be enough to treat severely dry hands. It works nicely to keep your hands soft and it feels like it forms a protective barrier on the skin without leaving any residue behind. The texture is very creamy but it melts into the skin very easily (like a gel) and absorbs quickly. The shea butter and vitamin e make it a great everyday staple for colder months.

I have the crisp morning air scent and it is divine! It has note of pear, mountain pine and fresh juniper, but the pear is really what gives an incredible freshness to the scent. This particular one was part of the fall collection, but you might still be able to find it in stores and it is on the Bath and Body Works website. Nonetheless, they have such a wide range of scents that I’m sure you’ll be able to find one that suits you.

You can find the nourishing hand cream in any Bath and Body Works stores and on their website for 5$.