A hand cream face-off
Last week when I talked about using unloved high end face creams and serums on hands, my friend Tom commented on how important it is to keep the paws from showing signs of aging. Crepey skin, brown spots... not pretty. The thing is that most regular hand creams are good for providing a protective layer from drying environment, but they do little (read: diddly squat) in the anti-aging department. We're lucky if they have an SPF, but mostly they're either overpriced Vaseline or some version of body butter. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but we need more.
Last week when I talked about using unloved high end face creams and serums on hands, my friend Tom commented on how important it is to keep the paws from showing signs of aging. Crepey skin, brown spots... not pretty. The thing is that most regular hand creams are good for providing a protective layer from drying environment, but they do little (read: diddly squat) in the anti-aging department. We're lucky if they have an SPF, but mostly they're either overpriced Vaseline or some version of body butter. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but we need more.
Enter the high-end creams.
While sometimes it seems crazy to pay so much for a tube of cream that sits next to the sink or in the remote control basket, many of these products actually make a difference in the way one's hands look, and that can be priceless. The two creams I've been testing lately, Lancome Absolue Hand and Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream, are serious players in this field, and both give my beloved Chanel a run for its money.
Lauder Re-Nutriv feels thicker and takes longer to fully absorb. But the soft and smooth feeling lasts longer. On the other hand (ha! I actually did some of the testing simultaneously, one on each hand), Lancome Absolue offers SPF 15, which is a huge advantage.
Both creams perform well and keep my skin texture nice and smooth. Since sun protection is the number one step in keeping hands in great shape, if pressed to choose one I'd go with Lancome, but perhaps I'd feel differently in cold and dry weather.
In any case, don't forget to apply sun block before getting in your car. It's easy to overlook, but one gets seriously exposed to those evil rays while driving.
Lancome Absolue Hand ($42 for 3.4 oz) and Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream ($45 for 3.4 oz) are available from decent department stores and directly from the companies online stores. I got several travel size tubes of both with various purchases at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.
Image: amykagawacom
While sometimes it seems crazy to pay so much for a tube of cream that sits next to the sink or in the remote control basket, many of these products actually make a difference in the way one's hands look, and that can be priceless. The two creams I've been testing lately, Lancome Absolue Hand and Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream, are serious players in this field, and both give my beloved Chanel a run for its money.
Lauder Re-Nutriv feels thicker and takes longer to fully absorb. But the soft and smooth feeling lasts longer. On the other hand (ha! I actually did some of the testing simultaneously, one on each hand), Lancome Absolue offers SPF 15, which is a huge advantage.
Both creams perform well and keep my skin texture nice and smooth. Since sun protection is the number one step in keeping hands in great shape, if pressed to choose one I'd go with Lancome, but perhaps I'd feel differently in cold and dry weather.
In any case, don't forget to apply sun block before getting in your car. It's easy to overlook, but one gets seriously exposed to those evil rays while driving.
Lancome Absolue Hand ($42 for 3.4 oz) and Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream ($45 for 3.4 oz) are available from decent department stores and directly from the companies online stores. I got several travel size tubes of both with various purchases at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.
Image: amykagawacom
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